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THUNDER STURM AXi) HURRICANE. La-it Kati...
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Exflosioxs in CoH.TEP.tE3,—On Monday, the re-
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portotbir Henry T. De'La Bcchcand Lyon P...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Late Soiree To Uooper ', On Ounaay (...
THE ALLEGED DEATH FROM MILITARY FLOG . GING AT HOUNSLOW . Yesterday morning , at lailr-jiast nine o ' clock , tin inqa ' uy i"t- > the cause of the death of Joha Frederick "White p rivnte in tho 7 th Hussars , were resumed at the George the Fourth , on the II < iuns : }\\ - Heath , Dcfore Mr . "Wafcley , the coroner for Middlesex . Mr . Mills officiated in his capacity as deputy coroner . The most intense interest appeared to pervade the proceedings . Some of the magistrates of the county , residing in the neighbourhood , were present , and many f the regimental authorities . Iu opsning the adjourned inquest , Mr . Wakley said that he had received a letter , which referred to the matter before them . It ; ippeared to contain a statement of facts , and therefore lie thought it should be read to the jury . What rtic result of the reading and of the evidence he might produce in consequence he ( the coroner ) did not know . The letter was then put in and read . Subjoined is a copy ' . —
« Sir— -With a view to tbe furtherance ot the ends of justice , bv searching investigation , I submit the following circumstances to your consi . ierr . tio ? ., knowing that I cannot place tin m in better hands . On Monday morning last , at eight oYlock , the 27 th instant , the son of Mr . Gomm , tlie newsman of Brentford , wa-in I ? leet-str ,. el -with his papers , in his cart , comini ; home , towards Brentford , when a soldier of the 7 th Hussars , or Queen ' s Oivn , ashed him to give him a lift , as he wanted to gel to Hounslow in time for the inqnsst . The boy told Una to get into the cart , an J hastened his spend , seeing the soldiir vras afraid he should be too late . On the road the soldier told young Gomm that about the commencement of the inquest he was told ha might have a furlough f « r five weeks , if he liked to go and see his friends , tcLieli he accepted . When he arrived in Kent among his
friends , and told them what he knew nbcut the flogging of White , his friends told him he ought to he at the inquest to state what lie knew to the jury , and they made a subscription to furnish him with money to defray his ex . penses , and he came to London from K-. nt on the Sunday by a van . During this conversation they had got to Kensington Barracks . Asoldicr seeing this other soldier in tho cart , called out , saying , ' "Well , how are you Betting on at the inquest ? As they were coming into Hammersmith , a Serjeant from Kensington barracks , on horseback , came after them at full speed , and called out to vouug Gomm , ' Stop , I command you , or I will imme dlatelj give you both into custody . He ( tbe serjeant ) after he had stopped the cart , inquired of persons passing by where the station house was , and was informed it was up the lane . He then ordered joung- Gomm to turnout of the road , aud drive up to the station house ,
which the b-ty did , bat nheu they g"t near it , theserjeani told the soldier , if he would go quietly back to the barxacfes , he woald not give him in chtr ^ e to the police . but if he attempted to run away , he ( Ae serjeant ) woulii gallop over him . The boy was then permitted to come lome with his cart and papers . The serjeant and soldier , tie supposes , re'urni d to Kensington Barracks , and 1 liave not heard anything further what became of the soldier , whether he is in prison or at large . I have just lieard thesoldiers at the barrack cal . ' ed him by the name of Simmons . Youi's . Sic , ( Signed ) "T . Xobhinioh " Old Brentford , August 1 , 1 S 1 G . ' To T . Wakley , Esq ., M . P . " The first witness callad was James Howe , a private in the 7 th Hussars . He left the barracks on Saturday last by tbe permission of the commanding officer . He had eave to go out of town .
Did you see TVfctte flogged , or 3 . 0 you know anything about it ? No , sir . Were you in the barracks at the time ? I was not on parade , because I had no clothes . Witness was at the tune a deserter , baring gone away -without leave from the regiment , to see his mother in Ksnt . The coroner to Mr . Norminton ( who was in the room , —Did you * $ &!«» the , iieeMinl of > hU matter from lb * boy himself ? t Mr . Xorminton . —I had itfrom his father . " John Gomm , the newsboy , was then called . He said that he saw the soldier in Fleet-street . ( The witness here identified the soldier Howe . ) Witnsss was proceeding with his jiapers near Kensington , towards the stationhousc , when tlis soldier met him and ashed him to give Mm aride in thecart . A sergeant came up and ordered the man to stop or he would ride over him . The soldier & nd he wasgoins to tbe inquest to state all he knew . Howe recalled . —Did not see the man "White . Had no clothes at the time of the flogging .
Colonel Wbyte entered the room shortly before the recall of Howe . The Colonel was attended by a considerable nuinhir of officers , and several of the surgeons connected with the regimental staff of the 7 th Hussars . John Darley , lance-serjeant , 7 th Hussars , being sworn , deposed thathe made a complaint on tbe 1 st of -June , against ^ Vliit « the deceased , Witness made that complaint to William Russell , the serjeant . Whn > struck him ( witness ) on the breast with a poker . This took place at the barrack-room , in Hampton Court . "Witness was at that time orderly serjeant of tbe troop ¦ where the prisoner slept . At nine o ' clock witness w « m xound to call the roll . This was the first roll call . "White answered to his name . Witness saw decease ! then . On going round the second lime , on account ol so-.-. ie of the men being absent , witness saw White with the poker in his hand . Witness ordered deceased to pu :
down the pokar two or farce times , but he ( deceased ) would not obey his ( witness's ) orders . Witness then or . flered the orderly corporal to get a file of men and confine him ( deceased . ) Immediately afterwards witnes-• was struck with the poker . . Recovering- himself witness ran out of Uie room aud called the strjeant of the guard , deceased was then taken to the guardjvom . Waslaic up three days in consequence of th » treatment- White did not spean oae word to him ( witnes ) before deceased struck the blow . White was on friendly terms with him ( witness . ) Did not know that White had the least ili ¦ wUl towards him . "White was not in the habit © f beim ; so far intoxicated as not to know what he was about JJelicved White to be of Jin odd disposition , and he ( witness ) had heard that he had quarrelled with Temple , ons of thestrjeants . White pleaded guilty at the Court mar tial , at -which witness gave evidence .
ilie coronerhere stated , specially addressing the Jurj-. that it was the duty of the jury to understand most distinctly , at tils staj < e of the proceedings , that there could be no doubt as to the legality of tbe punishment inflicted oy the sentence of the Court martial upon White . B \ the Act of Parliament and the Articles of War , it wat quite clear that if a private struck his superior officer , he was to be saig .. cted to trial , and if found guilty , to b « eentenceit to tae infliction of certain punishment . In this case itt was quite clear that the deceased did strike Dark-y , the lnace serjeant , while in the execution of hiduty . Eisworth ' s evidence was conclusive on this point . Deceased was , therefore , legally sentenced to the infliction of 130 lashes , the Articles cf War specifying that that number misfit be given .
Alexander WrLbt , serjeant in tlie 7 th . was next called . He deposed that he knew the handwriting of private White ( deceasaJ . ) Recognised in a letter which he held in his hand the handwriting of the deceased . The post mark upon it was Hounslow . It was dated the 20 th of June , ISiO . It was directed to Mr . W . T . AYliite , Postoffice , Leeds . By the Coroner . —Can . you read the letter t—Yes , Sin Tbe witness then read the letter of which the following is a copy : — "Barracks , Hounslow , June 25 , 1816 .
"Dear Brother , —I am really ashamed to write after 60 long a silence , but conscience pricking me for neglect to yoa and mother , compels me to say something added lo the cause of necessity of sending you a letter from Tom , who wrote to me and of course requires an answer , aud how to svnd it bothers mc m = ist confoundedly . Be kind enough to dispatch it when the mail leaves . He states to mc that you received a letter before me , and I think you might have sent mc more , but I suppose jou thought to punish me for not writing . If the direction is not right , pUase alter it for me . I am very unwell , and have gone through a great deal of trouble since you heaidl ' ronl eie last , and f * el di- ^ nsied with tbe service , but yoa need not tell mother so , for she would only fret . I hops you are all well by this time . Give my best love to sister and mother . I had formed a resolution to commit mischief , hat , thank God , I hare for the present altered my mind . I have not the confidence in my sell 1
th :- « 1 to nave . My star of destin j frowns at me , and every iUiu ; f { roes wrong . Tour letters give me consolation generally , but I cannot resolve to read them always , for 1 am very near approaching to lunacy at times . 1 asi an old man now to what I was , and what a few more years -will make of me I am afraid to guess at . Write to me soon , and give me a word how Batters are going on at Leeds , for you are the only person 1 correspond with now . I have not seen London yet , nor shall I unless I ehamre my mind , every one of them arc List to me now . Again , I hope you will keep quiet to mother that I am ill for lit v sake . Give my respects to Machin , Whitford , am ) Kip . pie . You must excuse my faults and forgive my feeling for I cannot help them , my fate wills my proceedings , end I must go with the ride . My paper is short' and 1 must cut short my tale of woe , and j esusne my most horrid , and wretched duty of a soldier . Go . ! be with you , and prosper you , and in your prayers remember
"Your affectionate llrathtr , ( Signed ) " Feeoekick Jons White . " Wright ' s examination then closed . Mr . Clark then put the following questions to the hosp ital-serjeant Potter : — 1 st . When was it that "White got up after the flogging ! Answer . —He was flogged on the 13 th of June , and got up on the 20 th , He got up and walked about the ward , He did not seem to have much the matter with him except his back . id . Did not White do work out of the hospital a few days after he was flogged % Answer . —He could not say what day positively , but he remembered on the ensuing Saturday "White washed out the outhouse . He did this perfectly voluntarily . Witness offered to assist him , but he ( deceased ) would not allow him to do so .
oil . After tUe 25 tlidid he not go out with the other pa-lents into the square ? Answer . —To the best of witness ' s knowledge he did . The Coroner here intimated that there was a scrioudiscrepancy in the witness ' s statement , he had beforesaid it was a fortnight before be ( deceased ) got out . Serjeant Potter said that he had remembered the mistake and wished now to rectify it .
The Late Soiree To Uooper ', On Ounaay (...
Mr . William Henry Hughe ., second CUrk ^ froml the Judge Advocate ' s office , stated tha t he " ^ estredbj the Judge Advocate , Mr . Duller , to attend at the Court w . th ¦ heoriginal Court Martial , the approval of the procecdues , and the confirmation of the sentence by his Grace she Commander-in-Chief . The Coroner —By whom is the document signed . Witness . —By the Adjutant-General . The Coroner . —Read the proceedings . Mr , Hug hes then read the whole of the papers , which were very lengthy . It appeared that at the trial White put in a documeat in mitigation of punishment , in which he attributed the violence of his conduct towards Serjeant Daily to the ' drink he had taken , which deprived him of all controul over himself , and obliterated from his memory all those feelings of respect which had , up to that time , always intiuenoed his conduct . "
At tins stage of the proceedings tbe Coroner com . menced reading the depositions of the several witnesses . All the medical men interested in the inquiry being present . Atiev signing his deposition , private Cook stated , in answer to inquiries by the Coroner , that on Friday morning last ( the 2 ist ) , about a quarter past ten o ' clock , he was on muster parade , when he was called out by lhe Lieut .-Col . ( Wbyte ) , who said to him , " Now , Mv . Cook , I wish to speak to you with regard to tke testimony yon . rave at the last inquest . " The Lieutenant-Colonel then said he had made inquiries with regard to the trumpeters doling iu other cavalry regiments , and he was informeu such was not the case . Upon which the Lieutenant-Adjutant made a remark , " No , sir , and never was ; " upon which L eutenanl-Colontl Wliyte made answer , " Ok ,
yes . I find upon inquiry that such a case took place about 15 years ago : " to which witness made answer that the 1 stDrag . ion Guards flogged by trumpeters , and thathe understood other regiments did lhe same . The Litlit .-Colom-l then said , "Such is not the case ; you have as nearly committed perjury as d—n it . "—( Sensation . )—He < hen turned towards a trumpeter—said I had called Luke Dust " a boy" and Taylor " a boy . " Witness understood this to apply to his former evidence . He said , " Tou ( ndeavoured to throw a misconception over the whole affair . " lie also said , "I find there lias been less punishment in the 7 th Hussars than any regiment in the service . " And that is what I stated in my evidence . This was all that passed . The whole of the men were on parade . The Colonel c ? lled out another man from the ranks , Matthewson was called out as well as he ( witness ) was .
Lieut-Colonel Wliyte then said lie was anxious to state tt-hy he had said anything upon that occasion . It was Matthewsoji ' s ctiiduei ; wkiek had compelled him to speak upon the subject . The Coroner said that this was not the fit time . The Lieut .-Colonel , however , should have an opportunity to explain . When Private Skinner was called upon to sign bis deposition he said , in answer to the Coroner , that Wbyte , the deceased , complained to him that he had a burning pain in the chest in consequence of the punishment Lo had received upon his back . By the Coroner ( emphatically ) . —Have yon even the shadow of a doubt upon your miud as to those being tlie words deceased used ? Skinner . —I have not .
Private Cook corroborated the former , and substantiated the testimony he had previously given , adding that Dr . Warren had said to deceased in his presence , " Cheer up ; you may make a good soldier yet . " Wbyte said in his ( Cook ' s ) hearing that the " Lash was the cause of his renewed illness . " Witness was a patient in the same ward . Private Matthewson reiterated tbe whole of his f . rmer statement , vadding , that before he was flogged , indeed , before he was tried by court-martial , when examined , the Dr . ( Warren ) asked htm whether he ( Matthewson ) had
any complaint to make , and he ( Matthewson ) said "No . " He was charged , convicted , and punished within five hours . ( Sensation . ) Skinner , Hooper , and M ^ lond , where in the hospital at tho time the doctor came in . He believed also that Clark and-Billings were present , The Colonel had released him from punishment since he was last before the inquest . He served two days short of the time he was ordered to be confined . He ( Matthewson ) very frequently , while in the hospital , conversed with deceased . They were fellow sufferers in the hospital , both of them having been flosged ,
A long questioning of this witness then took place with reference to the dates of the entries in the medical book , and the statements of . Matthew son on a former occasion , when considerable difficulty appeared in consequence of want of agreement in the evidence . On the Saturday after White came to the hospital he was well and cheerful ; but here some discrepancy occurred , for on that day it was stated in the medical book that the entry was"Patient complained of pain in the region of the heart . " The inquiry was then adjourned tor one hour and a half . Upon the return of the Jury to the inquest-room the Coroner Intimated that tbe ladder was iu the yard of the inn , if the jurymen were anxious to see it , and have the mode of tying explained by the farrier-major .
The ladder , one of the broad-step kind , was fixed obliquely against a wall in the yard . The farrier-major theu produced a large nail , which is inserted so as to fasten the ladder to the wall is then inserted on each side of the ladder , through which a strong rope is put , to which a nooze is attached , thvough which tbe hands are fastened . Tbe feet are then fastened , a cloak being nrst laid upon the ladder for the prisoner of war to lean against , When the Jury had re-assemhled , Lieutenant-Colonel Why te said , thathe wished to say me word to the Coroner respecting a matter which had just taken place . While the adjutant had been explaining the mode of puuhhment , one of the jurors ( a Mr . Drouet , he believed ) , said , addressing Ireland , the adjutant , "Many a man has been brought to the ladder through you , Sir . " He ( Lieutenant-Col . Whyte ) considered this a most improper and uncalled for remat k , anil not only uncourteous , but also unjust , even under any circumstances .
The Coroner . —It was an unfortunate remark , certainly . The question , however , is , was the man iixed on the ladder in the position described ? A Juror . —Matthewson says lie was not . Tfcc- Coroner thought he might here say what he had perhaps better state , that , he did not find in the Act of Parliament , or in the army regulations , any rules either as to the manner of flogging , the length of the handles of the " cats , " the weight of the whip , the number of knots , nor anything referring to any instructions , either to the colonel , tlie medical officers , or the men . Had Dr . Warren any written or printed regulations 1 l > r . Warren . —There is none in the British army . — 'Laughter . )
Mr . Clark , solicitor . —We have nothing , Mr . Coroner , beyond what arc called the " accustomed regulations . " The Coroner ( to Dr . Warren . )—Have you any instructions , Doctor ? Dr . Warren . —2 Jo , I have none . The Coroner . —Has Colonel Whyte any remark , to make ? Lieut-Colonel Whyte . —Ko . Upon Elsworthy ' s evidence feeing read over to him he said iu explanation of his former statement , that the commanding officer had recommended hiui for promotion , that
he was down for promotion when , the regiment was in Ipswich . His name was on a card , and oj > po ; ite his name was inserted , " Iiecmmeuded b y Lieutenant Colonel Whyte . " He , witness had been " boated" in the regiment by order of the sergeant . They call it " boating , " but he ( witness ) called it flogging . He was sentenced to receive five dozea stripes . After this he was so ashamed that he eould notlook up . He , in consequence , deserted , but by tluadvice of his friends he returned again to the regiment . He was appointed to assist the cook of the room , but because he did not please the " cook , " he was ordered the Rve dozen .
The evidence of other parties were then read over , and Fhrrier Major Gritton was examined . —lie was present at the court martial , aud on the parade in the ridingschool , where he received information to ilog dcccasei ' .. He brought the five whips for flogging . Hu made the whips , aud usually keeps them locked in n box at the veterinary surgeon ' s shop . Two of them , be believed , were dark , and the others had light handles . Never received any instructions as to the mode of making them . They say that one or two of tlivui arc thicker in the laeli than the others , but witmss did not think they were anyheavier . There had not been any man punished with the dark-bandied " cats" these two years . Tbe whip he commenced and finished with he would identify . One only was used . [ The witness here idcntifiVd ihe " cat" he used . ] The Coroner pointed out that some of tlie " cats" had nine kuots , others seven , aud others sis .
The Adjutant said that sometimes the knotsbecair . o untied , and then they are relied , and some , perhaps , left undone , if they are not attended to . Hnvc you any instructions ? The Adjutant . —We have not . Mr . Clark . —We will shew you the practice shortly . The Coroner . —I hope not . There are 12 , 'JOU kuots in 158 ' ashes . The Adjutant . —Well , Sir , I do not make the law . I can't help that . The Coroner . —Ccrtar . ly not . The Adjutant said it was his duty to see that the " cuts " were all right before the men began to flog—that he was sure of . The Coroner here pointed out the peculiarity of the fact , that the majority of the kiints m ™ double v-n the cat chosen as the one said to lave been uswi ill WliUVs case .
The adjiitantsaidthoyhad got knotted by accident , and Uie farrier , Critton , said thnuhey bad not been so lied hv any man . He had no ; so tied Hum , aud he \ v : is certain they had never been out of his possession . Upon being again appealer ! fo , C-Uton « iid Ik : could not swear which was the cat he had us < d . to ii „ r tHi ., - ,, l ( .., . UWitncss had seen old farriers Hog in Gbifgi . ' . y and nhci he was first called upon l » « ., g . ieeeascl , } ' „; ire ive ' cl word from the adjutant . Whether he was to strike heavy or lieht he did not know , lie never knew the doctors to lute . fere , lli .-y usually =,: <«>•! j . « .-1 l , y ; U t :. v £ i ; :: y . / k- had seen m ... e severe punishment ihau in Wimvs ease , with ( he same number of la ; h > -s .
Th ; C-roncr—How do \ w . account i \ . r dm , ? Witness—Some men who ; :,:: 11 , „ y .-I-., iv : t " to mucll uiorc than o : hcrs . White w :: ; j a spare mail . r , y the Coroner—Are \ cu not I old where i ' o strike ? Witness—Xo , 1 never » - « . s . JWase .-l , „ ,, ! lie were always very friendly , and about a week before lie died , he
The Late Soiree To Uooper ', On Ounaay (...
( Critton ) had asked htm ( White ) how ho was , and he replied , he was getting better fast .. During thedast four y ears , he ( Critton ) hadflogged three men The Coroner—Tou rise on your toes ' when you strike ? "Witness—It is a palpable falsehood . The Coroncc —]) o yoa strike bard—as hard as you can ! •—Ho did not . He did not consider the slow time he siruck near so much punishment as in the infantry , where the infliction of the stripes are regulated by the beat of a drum . He ( Critton ) had never been flogged . The Coioner then read a letter from tiie brother of deceased , dated on the 1 st of August from Leeds , addressed to the former . It stated that deceased had evidenced symptons of insanity , and that his futher was so before him . '
The Lieutenant-Colonel then said that on the day before the parade for muster , when Cook stated I called him out , I then said to Matthewson in the office before Sergeant Wright , "Did the Coroner inquire whether you had been punished for any evidence at the inquest ? " Mathewson said "He ( the Coroner ) did . " I then said . " I beg you will dismiss from your mind , all idea of punishment for any evidence given upon the inquest ; or any other man ; or that I will refer to it in anyway . " I then went on to say that be was a smart intelligent soldier capable of anythinj ? . If you conduct yourself well , I will always be a friend to you , if not I would punish you as I would do any other man . Your future station in the regiment will entirely depend upon your future conduct . I will never refer to thh . I tin n said I mean this fov all of you . I inquired and found the man was under confinement , which I ordered to bo done away with at once . Mathewson , upon being questioned , admitted the foregoir g to be true .
Lieutenant-Colonel "Why te , in continuation , said that there was the greatest excitement the next day in the regiment Of this lie was told by Adjutant Ireland . Ireland said the rumour was , that he , the Lieut .-CoL , had asked Mathewson the day before to take a scat , that I would make him a corporal immediately , and that when the adjutant knocked at tho door , I asked Matthewson whetherhe had any objection to the adjutant being admitted while he was there . The men said that they were aggreived at the conduct on my part in doing so , and ihe adjutant assured me the greatest excitement existed amongst the troops . Under these crircumstunces I felt it would never do to talk to the men privately , so I determined to address the men publicly . In fact the men felt dissatisfied . I do this to explain wh y I told the men this matter while upon parade . There was a feeling Retting abroad it was ni-cessary to allay . Serjeant Wright entirely corroborated the statementof the commanding officer , above given .
Mathewson said that the statement was not true . Wright did not leave the office during any part of the conversation bstween the conimanding-omcer and Ireland , lie thought the Lieut .-Colonel had taken advantage of big position . The serjeant was not in the room at all at the time . Of course he had not the means of proving it . The commanding-officer had said that ho would promote him ( Mathewson ) to a full serjeant that night . The Coroner . —Why didn ' t he , then ? Mathewson . —Because I told him I would not accept it . I said the st ! ipes on my back could not Be erased by the stripes I might have put on my arm .
Dr . Wilson was then called . He corroborated the evidence he had previously given with reference to the cause of death . With regard to the bowels , liver , and kidneys , the punishment inflicted was Sufficient ill this case to produce all the results here described . Such diseases as these are taking place in our hospitals . The secondary causes have been daily developing themselves , bilging out diseases of the heart and pleura . In this case the primary disease undoubtedly was the floggin . g By the Coroner It has been strongly insisted noon , you will remember , Mr . Wilson , by some of the witnesses , that the change ( or the better took place , and that the back was nearly healed . Dr . Wilson . —I do not think much of that . Frequently it is the case that patients under such circumstances think themselves better , because the Original disease appeared to be in a fair way of being cured . After that , disease of a further charcter appeared ,- and death ended the case .
Coroner . —No ^ , Mr . Wilson , let me ask you whether it is your decided , calm , and determined conviction , after all the attention you have given to the case , that John Frederick White died from the effects of the flogging ? Mr . Wilson . —( Most emphatically . )—Undoubtedly , sir . The coroner having called upon Dr . Hall personally , and invited others to put any questions to Dr . Wilson , which they pleased , and no answer being returned , lie ( tho coroner ) declared the evidence to be complete . He then proceeded to charge the jury , which he did at great length . He said that in this case endeavours had been made to avoid an inqnest . It was in evidence how the matter had reached him , and what had caused tlie bolrlina of tho inquisition . As soon as the
information had reached bis office , he ( the coroner ) told the constable to inquire into the facts of the case . Dr ! Warren told him ( the constable ) that an inquest was not needed . Application had also been made to the registrar for tbe registration of the death , as one of heart disease . He , tUeretore , taking all the circumstances into consideration , must consider lhe whole matter to beconnected with very singular circumstances . JIever should he forget the countenances of tbe jurors , when they saw the body turned over upon the table . After being removed from the coffin , you all appeared appalled at the sight . The learned coroner then went on minutely to detail tlie whole seriis of facts as developed during this protrsctcd inquiry , making en passant a most pointed allusion to the fact of the matter being brought forward a few hours after the inquiry in Hounslow , twelve miles
from London . In the House of Commons , where it was stated that it had been satisfactorily shown that tho man died from causes perfectly natural . After a further extended charge , chiefly consisting of explanations with reference to the several examinations of the body of the deceased , had been delivered by tho worthy coroner , he then referred to tho law of the case , which he said had been surrounded by difficulties now removed . He had no hesitation in saying the punishment was a legal punishment . The Articles of War , and the law In this case , he must say , had been complied with . Whether tho punishment was a low , cruel , and brutal punishment , or moral and humane , was not the question for them to decide ; but if the jury were of opinion that the deceased died from the effects of tho blows he had received , and it was thought bv them that there bad been one blow too
much struck , the punishment would have been illegal ; all parties—those who inflicted such punishment , those who stood by , and all parties engage d , must be found puilty of manslaughter , if not of the higher crime ef murder . The grand question , then , for them to deeide was , whether "White had died from natural causes , or from the effects of the punishment . Who knew the force of the shock to the human frame by the system of flogging : the skin so tine and sensitive , that the ' smallest prick of a needle gives acute pain indeed . So dangerous are the diseases of the skin , that even if injured to the smallest extent , the utmost dangermight be apprehended , as the history of the hospitals abundantly testify . The
question in the present case was , " Has the wound caused the death of White ? " And it was for them to decide whether such was the case or not ; and , further , they must s'iy whether such disease or wounds , of which he died , were caused by tho punishment he had received through the lasli . Ho would leave the matter in their hands to return an impartial verdict . Far was itfrom him to attempt to brand with a stirma the unfortunate individuals— , for he culled them unfortunate—who had to carry out such a law as the law of corporal punishment . Rather let them cast the stigma upon that monstrous and abominable law which permitted such a practice .
The Jury returned into Court a quarter to one o clock , and delivered the following verdict . — " The Jury say that the said John White died from the fatal effect of a cruel and severe flogging which he received on the 15 th of June , 1810 , i . tthe Cavalry barracks . He-ton . That the said flogging was inflicted under a sentence passed upon him by a district Court martial , composed of officers of the 7 th Hussars ; and that the said Courtmartial was authorised liy law to pass that sentence upon him . That the flogging was so indicted upon the hack and neck , and that James Low Warren , the surgeon , aud
Colonel Whyte , the commanding officer of the same regiment , were present at the ll < vgiiig by which the death of White was cuused ; and in returning their verdict , the J ur . v cannot r < fraiu expressing their horror and disgust at the existence ot' any law anions the statutes of this realm which permits lhe i evoltiiig punishment of flogging on the British soldier , and the Jury implore every man in this kingdom to join hand and heart in praying the Legislature for the abolition of evi ry law , order , or regulation , which permits this disgraceful punishment , which they consider is a slur upon humanitj and the fair name of this country . "
Alter a pans Mr . Wakloy said he heartily concurred in the ver-Uet . II .- bad full it his Uutv to make some inquiries of tiled , ce .- si-d ' s broth , rs of his ( the deceased ' .- ) state of :-. in . ! , and the information he then received , and the 1 ? iter he had received that day , strengthened him in t ie opinion that the deceased iv ; is In an insane state of mind ut she firm- he wis punished . Tlie Jury then separated at one o ' clock in tho morning . Ouiside the inqii- st room , during the retirement of ilie Jury , the utmest wiciUimnt prevailed , oven to the time tl . v verdict was returned . The inquest room was filled for a period of fifteen hours , during which the inquiry iaftvd . H » W . '( T ' i 4 f 3 l » ra 5 * SHHiR 3
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THUNDER STURM AXi ) HURRICANE . La-it Katiir . 'ur afternoon the metropolis mill the metropolitan counties were visited with one of the most awful thunder and kail storms that hm perhaps ever beer ivitiies ' -ed by their oldest , inhabitant . During lhe whole . if i ! u- ranriiing thelie . it of the 111-iiKiSj . herc hv . 'S very intense , and soon alter noun the clouds ikthiih ! heavy ami louring , and betokened the approaching s :., rin . but few ci nl . l fancy that it would be of SOf < : M'lulil llD' -lU ' O . At about , lialf . pv . st three fvetpient y ^ als of dislanl thunder irtr-j hi-nn ) to ib .= Mmib-ircst , and wry nuiu . ent ih .-y ^ eeiiiLi ! to H ] : i . ro :. ch closer and closer to tinin ii-npo - . is . I . v lightning , wMyh r . y . pi'nr .-d more like a .- ! u > . -r . . I" iiijaid . 'i' « than ih' -se liashes which we tire tiecn-tcmicd to s'C yiiscdu the . p » : iU of thunder , Dickered in succt-sHiiiii , eoiiiitiiiiius- , and uiih awful g ra ndeur , ain ) was followed b y ten / Ik- ptnis of thunder . These were aicotrp-miet- by a deh / ije of rain and hail of enonnous
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slio . Some were described to be as large as walnuts The most certain proof of the size . will be inferred from their destructive effects and the amount of property de stroyed by them .
BUCKINGBAH PALACE . We are unable to state positively what portion of Buckingham Palace has suffered from this terrific war of the elements , so general was the destruction . It appears that the royal picture-gallery is lighted by a skylight , con sisting of a centrepiece and sides . Wi th the exception of a portion of the side pieces , which is composed of engraved plate-glass ,, the remainder . was the ordinary crown glass , but of ' suck thickness that it was considered sufficient to resist the assault of any ordinary hail-storm . The next portion of the Palace we have to refer to is the immense dome over the grand staircase ,, composed entirely of glass . Then follows the scarcely inferior glass dome over the Ministry staircase , and a variety of others . All these have been , so far as their fragile covering was concerned , utterly destroyed , tbe ruthless torrent of hail and rain , irrespective alike of palaces or huts , poured in with the fi > rcoofa cataract , making the various staircases so many waterfalls . The basement floor of ' the Palace was completely flooded .
The Picture Gallery , in which are some of tho most splendid productions of tho old masters , was at one time in imminent danger , for when the large hailstones , or rather irregularly shaped pieces of ice , had removed all opposition to the ingress of tho rain , the gallery was flooded to the depth of many inches , and the water assumed all the appearance of n natural current . Ho time was lost in removing all those pictures that were liable to be injured , and we believe that in no single instance has damage been done to any one . The more valuable pictures were ranged under the engraved plate glass , which successfully withstood the violence of the storm .
As soon as the rain had in some degree abated , active measures wore taken to clew . the various rooms and lobbies of the Palace from the water that had accumulated , and to achieve that object speedily , the services of the police stationed at the Talace wero called into requisition , and a company of the Foot Guards were sent from the Wellington Barracks to assist ; their services were put to a severe test for more than an hour . Many thousand squares of glass are demolished , and at a rough calculation the loss in that article alone will be little short of £ 1 , 600 or £ 2 , 000 The parade in front of the palace , extending from the foot of Constitution-hill to James-street , Buckinghamgatb , was one sheet of tvater , and so deep as to render it impassable for pedestrians . .
The deep barrel drain in the Green-park burst from theimmense accumulation of water , and formed a comlilete river to the ornamental w » Ur in the inelosuve of st , James ' s . park . Here the violence of the storm dismantled the flower-beds , tore up the paths , and so flooded the pastures , thatit became necessary for men to . wade up to the middle to rescue the sheep that would otherwise have been drowned . The water accumulated to that depth in Bird-cage walk that it was rendered impassable to pedestrians , and almost so to vehicles .
BOOSES OP PAttUAMENT . At the Houses of Parliament fourteen men were engaged tbe whole orSuwJay , mreely cut lug out the j / ieces of old glass left in the windows that were broken by the violence of the storm . The total number of squares demolished iu the two Houses of Parliament and Westminster Hall is upwards of seven thousand . The Law Courts at Westminster were completely deluged with water , and the various windovts broken . At Westminster Abbey very little , if any glass was broken , but the roof being under repair , the rain fell through in such bodies that several men were employed on Saturday night to bail it out . Upon inspecting the theatre of Westminster , hospital yesterday afternoon , the floor was found completely strewed wiih . fragments of broken glass . The
residing room of the same institution had likewise a number of aqunvoa of glass demolished ,, and the room laid under water . The Westminster School of Medicine in Bean-street , has suffered most severely from the storm . At Messrs . Cnbitt ' s factory , Millbank , the damage done is considerable < it is stated that from 12 , 000 to 14 , 000 squares of glass are demolished , independent of the damage that must of necessity have been caused by the rain falling into the premises . Messrs . Broadwood ' s pianoforte manufactory , in Horseferry-road , Westminster , is likewise extensively damaged ; one of the workmen stated that he believed nearly 8 , 000 squares of glass were broken . All the glass of the immense skylight belonging to the recently-built hecfurg Theatre attached to the city of Westminster Institution , in Great Smith-street , was , we regret to learn , destroyed by the storm .
THE WESTERN EXCHANGE . The greater portion of the conservatory at the Pantheon is utterly destroyed . The Western Exchange , Old Bond-stveet , was inundated ; the skylight , extending the whole length of the building being broken in , the water poured into the exchange in a torrent . In the Burlington-arcade the damage was most extensive ; there are thirty-eight skylights , each containing seventy-two squares of g lass , out of which there are scarcely one dozen left entire . The Lowther-arcade also suffered severely , the shopkeepers having a great portion of their stock destroyed—it being customary for them to place their goods on the outside—tbe rain descending through the skylights renderad a great portion of them valueless . In tbe Kegent-street Quadrant all the skylights were demolished and persons who had taken shelter were glad to seek quarters . The damage in these places alone must be very considerable « the total amount enormous , as there is scarcely a dwelling that has not suffered move or less from the effects of this , the greatest hail storm , that has visited the metropolis for years ,
SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GAKDENS , Mr . Tyler , the proprietor of this place of amusement will be a severe sufferer , as the mischief done to his property is very considerable . The conservatory , in which tho carnivorous animals are kept , lias sustained such injury that to repair the glass will at least cost . £ 200 . This building is 100 feet in diameter , and its doomed roof , which is 300 feet in circumference , is covered with glass , and its sides are secured with tlie same material , leaving a space of about eight feet between the latter and the dens of the animals . This space , when the storm had subsided , was found covered with broken glaes to the depth of two or three inches , and scarcely a whole pane was discernable in the roof .
When tbe storm was at its very highest a singular incident occurred in this building . A noble KoneBft , . which had been noticed for some time to be in young , became most uneasy , and roared terrifically ; but it was at first considered that this was produced by fear , as the other animals were more or less acted on by the appearance of the vivid flasiics of lightning . In a short time she gave birth to a cub lion . The keepers attended to heras well as they could , and the youthful addition to Mr . Tyler ' s stock of animals was taken care of . It is feared , however , that it will not live , as its birth was hastened by the fears of its mother . The monkey-house , which was also seriously damaged , presented an extraordinary scene during tho storm ; Us inmates were so dreadfully alarmed by the lightning , that many of them covered their eyes , to prevent them seeing the flashes .
VAOXHAM GABDENS . The injury done to these Gardens was comparatively trifling , and will be repaired by an outlay of perhaps £ 30 , The Catholic chapel , in tho London . road . had a great number of squares of glass destroyed , ashad also Newiugton church .
THE BOH 0 OGH AND 1 AMBETH . On the surrey side of the river , the devastation conse . quent upon the sudden inroads made by the influx of waters from the sewers , is most extensive , and the loss of property which will thereby be occasioned is at the present moment incalculable . The floods , arising from the clinked state of the sewers , actually deluged the lower portions of the premises situate in Btmkside , the space intervening between the Thames and Upper and Lower Stamford . sti'cet , the York-road , and even up to Charlottestreet , and the entire district well known as Lambeth Marsh . In Princess-street , Cftiiterbury-strect , Lower llatfield-strcet , and all the avenues abutting upon tbe Thames , the lower portions of the domiciles were so flooded that the ordinary customary utensils became afloat , and the increased rising of tho waters necessarily excited the utmost alarm amongst the inmates .
rLEET-ETKEET AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD . In no part of the metropolis did the effects of the storm display itself with greater force than in Pleet-street and its neighbourhood . In less than ten minutes after it commenced , this groat public thoroughfare was a complete river of rain ; such was its intensity thatatoue time it seemed to have put a stop to the ordinary tratlie with which this busy locality usually abounds , for neither omnibus , eab , nor human being were to be sten in the street . The bail-storm was peculiarly severe , nnd such was its violence , that the hailstone . ' ! , which were in many instances un inch i" diameter , broke the skylights attached to the houses of several of the trademen in the district , and created the gre-itest consternation .
The cellars of the houses in Fleet-street , Farrmgdon-Strcct , the Old Bailey , & e ., wero completely inundated from the overflowing of the sewers , and in many instances the greati st injury to property took place . But otic of the most { -xtrnur . linury results arising from the efll'Ctsof the storm was exhibited in the neighbourhood of DlncUfiiurs' bridge ; fur very soon after it took place portions of bedsteads , chests of drawers , elteu ' oniers , & c ., were seen emerging from the mouth of the great sewer which empties itself into the Thames , close to the f-ritlgc , and which is butter known b y the titlo of the Fleet-ditch .
Intimation of the circumstance was quickly communicated to the officers ol the Tli . inies . pnliui > , who very soon took up thtir position in bouts in front ot the sewer awl wore occupied until a lata hour on Saturday night in convening froir tbe sewer portions of articles such its . t ' nose \ yu liuve just mentioned , The several ariicles were supposed to be the property of the furniture brokers and others whose houses were destroyed or irjured in the neighbourhood of Saffron-hill , In the Strand , also , considerable injury was done to tho windows of many houses owing to the hail 6 till-Ill .
ClEBKENWEtl . Tho neifdiliourhood m Islington and the upper part of Cliikimwell , from ti-eir elevated position , suu ' .-reil little d .-miHge , the rain be !» -, carried otf ' siltimst a * rapt-tly as it fell ; but . tho ccvasta ' um was pv . iportionntely great iu ilichmvr piifts of Clerlieiiwtll , and the vicinity of the open part oi the old i'leeUliich . The immense Hood lh : it poured from innumerable lesser sowers into this great drain , completely filled it tip . ami ihe witter began to rise , rapidly in the streets lying between Brook-hill , formerly Mutton-hill , Saffron-hill , and the upper ended
Thunder Sturm Axi) Hurricane. La-It Kati...
the new line of street leading from Farringdon-street . In Bull ' s Head-court . of Peter-street , it rose-nearly ten feet high , and rushed with fearful violence thvough the sheds and stables immediately over the old Fleet-ditch , sweeping horses , cattle , and furniture of every description into the turbid flood . .- ¦' . ¦ . " ¦ ¦ That back part of two old houses Itl Itbund-COUrt , Brook-hill , were carried away by the inundation , and with them a quantity of furniture , dry casks , and timber ; the entiremass of debris accumulated at a part of the Fleet ditch , in the waste ground near Peter-street ,
where the old arch commences , was soon broken up by the force of the obstructed water , and brought down with it some old sheds and stables . Some decayed buildings and walls at the back of Lower Bowling-street were also carried away . The scene of desolation and distress which this neighbourhood presented on the subsidence of the flood was truly pitiable . All the poor peopleand there are not any but poor in this neighbourhoodhad their miserable beds and ' bedding completely saturated , and their scanty furniture cither swept away or injured by the water , which they were endeavouring to bale out of their wretched rooms and cellars ,
The kitchens and cellars . of several houses in Farringdon-street were inundated , and in some parts of the new street—on the sites of the old houses , the water was so deep that a party of ' Juveniles , frbm ' the puvliftus Of Saffron-hill , wero seen indulging in the luxury of a public swimming-bath . Mr . Simpson , the linendraper , of Farringdon-street , had , it is stated , goods to the amount of £ 3 , 000 injured or destroyed . At Mr . Lamplougli ' s , chemist , corner of New Farringdon-street , the destruction of property was very great . The neighbourhood of Kijig's-cross and Bagnigire . wells-road were so completely . inundated , that the accumulated water from Pentonville rushed with such impetuosity into the TOW Of tenements nearly opposite the
pafice station , from tho lowness of their situation , - ing from the elevation of the road , as to drive the in . mates into the attics -, and a bakvv , having iu the morning received some sacks of flour from the miller , had been completely spoiled . Draymen were observed riding upon the shafts of their drays , while . their powerful horses were wading knee deep through the torrent . The hailstones were like irregular lumps of ice , and , where they lodged , toys were seen collecting them in VOSBBl for the gratification of parties who could not afford the luxury of ice from the confectioner ' s . Indeed , so tre . mendous were its effects in this locality , that boys were flouting on articles of furniture from the various tenements so filled with water .
THE BOTANIC 6 AKDEN 8 , CHELSEA , The vlelnily of this neighbourhood has been visited by one of the most awful thunder-storms ever witnessed . I ( the Curator ) think my own loss has been some thousands of squares of glass , but at present I am not able to estimate the damage . The losses of florists in the neighbourhood have been very great , the hailstones being as large as walnuts . A Steamer Sxbuck hi a Thunder-bolt . —At the Ninc-elms Railway Hotel , Jfr . House , the proprietor , had a great number , of his windows broken , some of the squares worth fifteen and eighteen shillings each . The terminus at Nine Elms sustained immense damage—a great portion of the glass roof having , been demolished , The nursery grounds and hot-houses within six . and eight miles on each side the Metropolis presented a fearful scene of devastation , young trees being torn up by the roots , a » d many cottages unroofed . In Fulhnm and Chelsea hailstones were picked up two inches in
circumference ; but the most providential escape from death occurred in the case of the Citizen steamer B , Captain Stanley , which was proceeding down the river at halfpast five o'clock . When just off tbe Red House , at Eattevsea , a dreadful peai of thunder , followed by a stream of lightning , passed round tbe vessel and splintered the larboard paddle-box , carrying away a portion of the wood work also . Captain Stanley bad only one minute before descended from his station on the box , awl vra s standing at the companion * . among the . passengers on deok ( eight in number ) was Mr . Dyan , the director of Cremorne Gardens , and a Mr . Sharwood , a commercial traveller , who each were standing against the box . By the instinct of self-preservation , Mr . Ryan threw himself on the deck at the instant , and the electric fluid passed over him and exhausted itself on the vessel in the manner related . Though the occurrence did not occupy six seconds , tbe shock to the vessel was so great that the engineers and servants who were below rushed on deck , under the impression the vessel was sinking .
In the neighbourhood of JBrempton , Kensington , Hammcrsmith , and other of the western suburbs , the hailstones were not quite so large as in other places . Shortly after four o ' clock , at the instant that a terrific peal of thunder burst over Kensington , a ball of fire was observed to descend on the bouse No . 21 , Lower Fliillimorc street , the corner of the road leading to Campden-hill , and it was afterwards found that a stack of chimnics had been shattered , and several of the chimney pots shivered to pieces . During the fury of the storm one of Messrs . Barclay and Perkins ' s drays was di ( charging at the Red Lion , Greenwiehroad , when the horses took fright , ran oft towards London , and v ? ero with difficulty stopped , after capsizing part of the freig ht . Thousands of squares of glass have been broken at private houses ,
and at the Deptford and Greenwich -Railway Terminus , The market gardens at Lowishnm , Lee , and Woolwich road have suffered immensely , not only from the hail , which at Lewisham fell in flakes an inch long , but from tbe flooding of tbe growing crops . Throughout the whole district of Blaekheath hundred tlie hailstones full , * averaged the size of large hazel nuts , The quantities of sand and gravel which have been washed from tbe Kentish hills into Greenwich nnd vicinity is astonishing , leaving the high roads bare , mid presenting nothing but a surface of bright and broken granite . On the Eltliam road a man with a scythe in bis baud was struck by the eleetrie fluid , and fell insensibly to the ground . The poor fellow , however , luckily recovered so as to be able to pro cecd home , Throughout the county of Kent the damage
was very extensive . The body of clouds charged witi < electric fluid , after passing over the metropolis and thi part of Surrey nearest the west end of London , slowli travelled into Kent . Passing Woolwich about five o ' clock in tbe afternoon , its violence was manifested at Plumstead , where tbe lightning appeared uncommonly powerful . In the midst of the storm the electric fluid struck one of the chimnies belonging to a house in the occupation of Mr . George Kimbar , stone mason and marble cutter , next door to the Plume of Feathers , opposite the church at the village of flumstcsd . Mr . Bingham , tinlandlord of the Plume of Feathers , states that he was standing in front of his bar , serving customers , at the time when the flash of li ghtning , or rather the stream cf
fire , appeared . So fierce was the flame , and so appalling the reports arising from it , that he was for a few minute ; unconscious where he was , or what he did . The next moment he heard the crash of Hie falling brick work , am ! upon looking out of the window , after his stupor was iu some measure subsided , he saw a volume of dust proceed ing from the roof of the premises in Mr . Kimber ' s occup : iti - in . At the time of the occurrence a . servant girl in bis employ was sitting , with an infant in bcr lap , neai the door . She was so affrighted that she nearly swooned , and it was with no small difficulty that she could be persuaded she was safe . This being eftVcted , she sborti j afterwards was led into the house , where she soon recovered . About tbe same time several trees near the spot were struck by the lightning .
Three horses , travelling on the road towards Dartforil Fair were struck blind , and some trilling damage was done to the cropping standing in sheaves , from the effect of the hail and rain . At Erith , Crayford , and Hartford , the storm was very severe , and at Chatham it is said to have been excessively violent . In the . midst of this visitation and loss of property it is gratifying to state that the hop-bine has much improved since the storm , one oi the largest growers in the west of the country having dis . covered upon ivn examination of the crops , that although on Friday last they were covered with fly and lice ,
tinthunder and lightning has cleared the majority of the arms from these destructive vermin . In Bromley and tbe immediate neighbourhood , very much damage has been done to the several nurseries by the hail , several thousand of panes of glass being demolished . One of the hailstones , or rather pieces of ice , which fell at thelatter place , when measured was found to he of an angular shape , and upwards of three inches in circumference , the greatest width at the top being one inch and a half . So far as ran be ascertain ,. - *! , no lives have been lost in tinrange of locality previously described .
In the neighbourhood of Reading , Oxford , Newbury . Farringdon , Cirencester , Wantage , ic , the storm was ol a most awful description , and the damage done to vegetation generally is incalculable . At Cirencester two sheep and an ox were killed by the electric fluid , and at Wantage two sheep and a valuable horse Mere struck ( -lend by the same powerful agency . At Oxford the electric fluid did great . d-mage to building property , hot-houses and gardens . The roof of the house of Mr . Dudley , situate near the river , was struck by the lightning , aud a part ot the stone work fell to th * ground , and when taken np it emitted a strong sulphurous smell . At Litcomb , near Wantage , the lightning entered the roof of a cottage , shattered a bedstead , and threw a child that the mothut
bad just laid in b « d on the floor , but unhurt . At Highworth , the servant of a Mr . Doyne got under a tree , with his horse , for shelter ; th « horse was killed , but the man miraculously escaped with a sli » ht scorching of the forehead . At Ilenley-on-Tlmmes the liashes were awfully vivid and forked . The house of Mr . Musgrove was struck by lightning . Air . Musgrove and a portion of his family were at the moment standing in a passage through which the bell wires passed , aud were alUUiU'k to the ground , but happily without serious injury : the damage tohis hothouses , plants , & c , contiguous to the divelling-liouses , is very considerable . Some parts of Hampshire , ifcc ncro also visited by the above storm , aud serious damage was sustained by the electric fluid .
The warring elements , which some of our contcin poraries have justly described , ill seviptui'lll lllllglltlge ' , US being " no respecter « f persons , " did not leave unscathed this otliee where lhe Northern Star is printed . About four o ' clock in 1 be afternoon , tho whole of the machiiu ry used for printing this paper was rendered inoperative from the influx of the torrent—the machine and composing room being completely inundated . The hail , or masses of ice , descended with such violence upon Utttsky-H'Ahts as to demolish upwards of 150 squares ol glass . Fortunately , the last edition of our paper had beuiipriiuedsifew minutes previous to the commencement of the storm , whereb y we were enabled to obviate the great disappointment which would Otherwise- have been experienced ,
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DISCLOSURE OF THE MURDER . OF ' r . w ^ r * ; -PERSOtfS . f - W 0 ° An intense excitement has . been occasioned this WMtMt in the town of Barnard Castle , and throughout tkth county of Durham generally , bycertain revela tions made ' ide by a young woman named Humphery , who sajs that tMhZ was the witness of two murders committed on thebanksiks of the river Tees last year . Tlie following is a briefieff narrative of the facts : — ¦ - Last yea r , in the early part of August , a young man . au named Yates , who is a tailor in Barnard Castle , andnd a girl named Raine , with whom he was intimatel y ac . lc . quainted , were missed ; No tiding could he heard of of ' them until nearly a fortnight after , when the bod y of fhehe
former was found on the brink of the River Tees , a fewrw miles from the ' to . vn ; - Some marks of violence werere about his head , and his pockets were empty , but at theie inquest not the slightest evidence was adduced to shownr that he had been unfairly dealt by . A few days after . ir . wards the body of the young- woman also was found in in the river ; another inquest was held , and a verdict of of "Found drowned" returned . It appeared that on thaie night when these unhappy individuals met ' their death , h , heavy rains had fallen in the neighbourhood , by which th the river was much swollen , and its course made rapid , i , hence the bodies were carried a considerable distance se from tbe place where it baa since been discovered they tj were last seen .
A few weeks ago rumours were freely circulated in the e district , totheerfct that these persons liarl been inur- r . dered , and that three young men belonging to the town n were their murderers . Nothing definite was known , i , however , until Tuesday last , when it was ascertained that . t » female named Humphrey , 21 or 22 years of age , had j gone to a parish constable , and " eased her mind , " and J had subsequently made such statements to a rural officer r to whom she referred . ! as to lead to a charge of murder r being preferred against three men , named Brecon , Bar- ' Iter , and Itaine ( the same name as one of the victims . ) ) Her statements were substantially these : —She says , that t on the night of the 9 th of August the man Yates , . and I the young woman Ratne , were together , near the passage s where she lived , in Bridge Gate , and she entered into >
conversation with them . Whilst doing . so , Brecon , Bar- . ker , and Raine came up , and it was agreed that they r should nil take a walk as furas the bridge , It was then i very dark and wet , near the hour of midnight , and when ; they wero at the bridge the rapid flow of the river made : a more than usual noise .. After standing at the bridge ; * short time the whole party proceeded do . vn the York- shire side of the river to ' a place called the Tram , roadend , which is nearly 150 yards from any dwelling house . Whilst there one of the men questioned Yates about his money , and Barker asked liim if he was going to appear against him at York relative to a coat which he wag charged with stealing . He said he was , on which Barker struck him . several , times . She could not say on what part of the person , it was so dark , but she heard Yates say , " Don't knock my eyes out , " or something to that effect . After this the other two men fell upon Yates , treated him in a ruffianly manner , and robied htm .
They then lifted him off bis feet , and tl rew him over the tow low-tramwell into the deep pool below . She ( Humphrey ) was horrified and speechless , but the young woman Raiue vehemently abused them , and threatened she would inform the police , - She made her way towards the bridge in company with the party , still continuing to thnaten them with exposure , and when they came ' to the recess on the bridge , they seized both Itaine and her ( Humphrey , ) and said they would throw them both over , if they would not swear not to disclose the fearful event of ,. that ni ght . Baine persisted in telling , when in a few seconds they threw her into tbe foaming stream below , and then made her ( Humphrey ) swear that she would not reveal what had passed , adding that if she violated this oath , God would strike her down dead . She was then allowed to go . She says that ber misery since that time has been great , and not being able to endure it any longer , she resolved on Monday to make tbe declaration to the officers of justice .
Bni'k 4 tf ka 4 been since apprehended , Brecon h all'aadj in prison on another charge , and Raine had not ( up to Wednesday ) been secured . Yates was a young man . of low stature and slender form . The accused are tall and strong . The local magistrates are making full inquiry Into this extraordinary case , and it is expeeted that other particulars will speedily be brought to light . It would appear that the charge against Barker was for having stolen a coat , belonging to Captain Bainbridge , of Cotherstone , whilst he was acting as under-bailiff in the captain ' s house ; and that Yates , who it has already been stated , is a tailor , had been repairing this coat for Barker , and whilst doing so , had seen the name , " Captain Bainbridge , " inside it . Bis evidence would , therefore , havs been material ; and probably this was the first inducement , if the girl ' s story he true , to thecommission of this horrible crime .-
Exflosioxs In Coh.Tep.Te3,—On Monday, The Re-
Exflosioxs in CoH . TEP . tE 3 , —On Monday , the re-
Portotbir Henry T. De'la Bcchcand Lyon P...
portotbir Henry T . De'La Bcchcand Lyon Playfair , of the Museum of Economic Geology , on the gases and explosions in colleries , was printed in a Parliamentary paper . It seems that in Ancust last the Government , moved by the many calamitous accidents in coal mines , and the obvious inefficiency of means then devised fur tlieir prevention , deputed Professor Faraday and Mr . Lyell to investigate and report on tho explosion in the Easwell Colliery . It was represented to the Government that the public were still very imperfectly informed as to the conditions underwhichfire damp was Renerated , and that the nature and composition of the explosive gases themselves had not been examined with the aida
which modern science could bring to such investigations . Hence the request to Sir Henry T . Ue La Heche and Dr . Lyon Playfair on the subject , and the presentation of their report . Gases evolved from beds ofcoals may be viewed as the result of tho continued decomposition of tlie vegetable matter from which coal is derived ; a decomposition which may be regarded as still in progress under favourable conditions . Omitting the mineral substances , which when burnt are known as ashes , coal is essentially composed of carbon , oxygen , hydrogen , and nitrogen , and inequality of the coa ^ depends upon the relative proportion of these ingredients . When the proport ' -on of the carbon to the oxygen and hydrogen does not exceed about 75 percent ., the coat in common
term is called "bituminous ; " when the carbon amounts to about 85 or 00 per cent ., it is termed " anthracite , " or stone coal , or , in other words , the most advanced state of decomposition of the original vegetable matter bears the latter nn me . In 1835 a select committee of tlie House of Commons was appointed to inquire on the subject of explosions in mines , and made a report , without recommending any remedial moasures ; there then existed , as now , a difficulty in obtaining accurate inlbrmantjon . respecting tho number of Uvea lost from colliery explosions . The committee were enabled to ascertain that during the 25 years preceding , their inquiries 2 , 070 persons had perished from colliery explosions , and they considered this number much underrated .
During the last 10 years tho rate of loss of life has certainly not diminished , and the experience of " the past year , " it is stated in the report , "has shown that considerably more than 100 persons have been known to have perished . " Not the least important P ^ r * *™® report tow reference to the safety-lamp of 5 n- u . Davy , and to tho " fcolliardines ^ and cavelessness of colliers . There are ' suggestions on both subjects which will , no doubt , meet the attention they deserve .. It is suggested by the report that proper persons , as superintendents , should beappointedl _ Oare . ul investigations ( the report concludes ) into the causes ol explosions in coJlci'ies , only part of which arrest public attention by their magnitude , appear , to have led to the very general conclusion that the condition of ouv collieries is most unequal . While in some localities there is so little to improve , that it becomes subject of regret that such examples ' should not move generally be followed : in others it
becomes a matter of surprise how the works can be permitted to remain in so det ' . ctivc a state , seeing that the owners themselves suffer much loss thereby . Under such a state of things , and considering the number of valuable lives annually lost by colliery explosions the continued risk to which so many are daily exposed , tho national injury sustained byrlio imprudent and careless mode of extracting coal in many localities , on « often felt oppressively also bv tho parties engaged in collicrv speculations , and that the workings for coals must be adjusted to local conditions , we are led to consider that these evils might be at least mitigated by the careful and judicious inspection of convenient districts by competent petsons , the necessary hinds to be raised from such districts by a very slight impest , not even exceeding one farthing on each ton of coal raised in it . and we believe that the cause of humanity and the interests of the GonWners , would be alike bcnciiteil by n well considered legislative measure of this kind . " -- 2 'imes
Fam . of Two Houses in Holhorx . —At a quarter past eleven o ' clock on Sunday ni » ht an alarming occurrence happened in Middle Row , Ilciboni Bars . Two houses , numbered 22 and 23 . fronting llulborn , almost suddenly fell in with a loud crash , and a heap of thick dust that obscured the locality for some minutes . Happily , just before they fell in , a policeconstable was passing by , and hearing tho noise of the breaking of window-panes , looked towards the houses and saw them tottering and bul ging . He warned the passers-by of the hnpemlin ;; danger , and . whilst so doing , the inmates of the houses , to the number of ten or twelve , alarmed by the noise within , rushed out and escaped . ' It is believed tliiit
no person has been Intaliy injured . The houses foil in , leaving the . party walls of those adjmnini' them as clean as if they Unci been cut . throu » li bv sonic mechanical contrivance . Some attribute the extr i ordinary casualty to the giving wav of a sewer , caused by the rain of Saturday , others to tho ibanchifcton ot the houses having been rendered insecure by the enlargement of a baking room , now being executed by a baker whose . simp opens into il-Jiddlc Row , opposite almost to Staples-Inn liuilduigs . The accident caused the greatest » lfri » ht and confusion to the neighbouiv . in the vicinity , and at midnight tho premises were ( so much thronged as to render lie premises almost unapproachable .
Mr , Rice , thecele ' rated "Jim Crow , " h / g hpen deprived of spot cit and ihe use of his limbs , by a stroke of panilsis , —Ikvonport Telegraph .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Aug. 8, 1846, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_08081846/page/6/
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