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Northern Star (1837-1852), 8th August 1846, Edition 3 of 3, Page 6, Explosions in Collieries. — On Mondav. the re-

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      * :¦ - , ™&M&A\*W^ August I9,Iil 846i A

      * : ¦ - , _™& m _& a _\* W _^ August i 9 , _iil 846 i A

      Me Alleged Jm5atii Fhom ^ Milmary Ploo, ...

      ME ALLEGED JM _5 ATII FHOM _^ _MILMaRY PLOO _, GIKG AT HODNSLOW . Yesterday morning , at half-past nine o ' clock , thi _-jnoniis into the cause of the death of John "Fr ederick "White , private inthe _' th Hussars , were resumed „ t t _* , George the Fourth , en the Hounslow Heath , before Mr . "Wakley , the coroner for Middlesex . Mr . _Miils officiated in his capacity a 6 deputy coroner . The most intense interest appeared to pervade the proceedings . Some of the magistrates ofthe county , residing in the neighbourhood , were present , and many f the if gimental authorities . In . opeaing the adjourned inquest , "Mr . _Wak-ley said that he had receired a letter , which referred to the matter before _ihem . It appeared to contain a statement of facts , and therefore he thought it _should be read to the jury . What the result of the reading and of the eridence he might produce in consequence he ( the coroner ) did not know . The letter was then put in and Tead . Subjoined !* a

      copy : — "Sir , — "With a view to the furtherance of the ends of justice , by searching investigation , I submit the following _ch-.-nmsfaraces to yonr consideration , knowing that I cannot place them in better hands . On Monday morning _lasti at eight o ' clock , the 27 th instant , the son of Mr . Gomra , the newsman of Brentford , wa-m Fleet-stnet with Lib paper * , in his cart , coming home , towards Brentford , when a soldier of the 7 th Hnsjarfl , or Queen ' s Own , asked him to give him a lift , as he wanted to get to _Houuslowintimefor the inquest . The boy told him io set into the cart , and hastened his speed , seeing thu soldier was afraid he should he too late . On the road the suldier told young Gomm that about the commencement of the inquest he was told he might have a furlough for five weeks , if he liked to go and see his friends .

      _which he accepted . When he arrived in Kent among his friends , and told them what lie knew about the flogging of White , his friends told him he onght to be at the inquest to state what he knew to thejury , and they made a subscription to furnish him with money to defraybl « expense ? , and he came to London Irom _Ki-ni on the Sonday by a van . Baring this conversation they had got to Kensington Barracks . A soldier seeing this other soldier ta tbe cart , called out , saying ; , ' WeU , how are jqu get . ting on at the inquest ! ' As they were coming into Hunmersnrith , a serjeant from Kensington barracks , on horseback , came after them at roll speed , and called out to young Gomm , ' Stop , I command yon , or I will _immediately give yon both into custody . He ( the serjeant ) after he had stopped the cart , inquired of persons passing by where the station house was , and was informed it was np the lane * He then ordered young Gomm to turn _oni ofthe road , and drive np to tbe station house ,

      -which the boy did , but wheu they g «» tnear it , the _swjeant told the soldier , if he would go quietly back to the barracks , he would not give him in charge to the police : * bnt if he attempted to run away , he ( the serjeant ) would gallop over him . The boy was then permitted to come home with his cart aud papers . The serjeant and soldier , he snpposes , returned to Kensington Barracks , and I "have not heard anything farther what became of the soldier , whether he is in prison or at large . - I have just "heard thesoldiers at the barrack called him hy the name of Simmons . Tours , & c , ( Signed ) "T . "Hobhu * iok ** Old Brentford , August 1 , 1816 . « To T . Wakley , Esq ., M . P . " The first witness called was James Howe , a private in the 7 th Hussars . He left the barracks on Saturday last by the permission of the commanding " officer . He had eave to go out of town .

      Bid yon see White flogged , or do yon know anything ahout it ? So , sir . Were you in tbe barracks at the time ? I was not on parade , because I had no clothes . Witness was at the time a deserter , having gone away without leave from the regiment , to see his mother in Kent . The coroner to Mr . Norminton ( who was in the room , —Did you receive the account of this matter from the hoy himself * . Hr . _Korminton . —I had it from his father . ' John Gomm , the newsboy , was then called . He said ihat he saw the soldier in Fleet-street . ( The witness here identified the soldier Howe . ) Witness was proceeding with his papers near Kensington , towards the stationhouse , when the soldier met him and asked him to give him a ride in the cart A sergeant came up and ordered -the man to stop or he would ride over him . The _soldier said he was going to the inqaest to state all he knew . Howe recalled . —Did not see the man White . Had no _Lotties at the time of the flogging .

      Colonel Wh yte entered the room shortly before the recall of Howe . The Colonel was attended by a considerable number of officers , and several of the surgeons connected with the regimental staff of the 7 th Hassars . John Bailey , lance-serjeant , 7 th Hassars , being sworn , deposed thathe made a complaint on the 1 st of Jane , against White the deceased . Witness made that twraplaint to William Russell , the serjeant . Whitt struck him ( witness ) on the breast with a poker . Thi * : took place at thebarrn .-k-roi .-ni , in Hampton Court-Witness was at that time orderly seijeant of the troep where theprisoner slept . At nine o ' clock witness went round to call the roll . This was tbe first roll call . White answered to his name . _Witness saw deceased -then . On _gowig round the second time , on account ol some ofthe men being absent , witness saw White with the poker in his hand . Witness ordered deceased to

      _pudown the poker two or thr _^ e times , bnt he ( deceased ) would not obey his ( witness ' s ) orders . Witness then ordered the orderly corporal to get a file of men and confine him ( deceased . ) Immediately afterwards _iritneswas struck with the poker . Recovering himself witness ran ont ofthe room and called the serjeant of the guard Deceased was then taken to the guard-room , Waslah " np three days in consequence of the treatment- White did nut spea £ one word to him ( witnes ) before deceased _strcck the Mow . White was on friendly terms with him ( witnes ? . ) Bid not know that White had the least ill will towards bim . White was not in the habit of _beiuu so far intoxicated as not to know what he was about Believed White to be of an odd disposition , and he ( witness ) had heard that he had quarrelled with Temple , ont of the Serjeants . White pleaded guilty at tbeCourtmar tial , at which witness gave evidence .

      The coronerhere stated , specially addressing the Jury _, thatit was the duty of thc jury to understand most _distinc-ly , at this stage of the proceedings , that there coulil he no donbt as to the legality of tlie punishment inflicted bv t ! : e sentence of the Court martial npon White . B _„ . -the Act of Parliament and the Articles of War , it wa * quite clear that if a private struck Ms superior Officer , he was to be _subjected to trial , and if found guilty , to be sentenced to the infliction of certain punishment . Iu this case Ut was quite clear that the deceased did strike Barley , the lance serjeant , while in the execution of hi-- - duty . Eisworth ' s evidence was conclusive on this point . _Deceased was , therefore , legally sentenced to the infliction of 150 lashes , the Articles ef War specifying that that somber _mijht be given .

      Alexander _Wrijbt , seijeant in the 7 th , was next called . He deposed that he knew the handwriting of privatc-Whlto ( _sicccasc j . ) Recognised in a letter which he helri in his hand ihe handwriting of the deceased . Tbe post mark npon it was Hounslow . It was Sated the 29 th oi June , ISiC . It was directed to Mr . W . T . White , Postoffice , Leeds . By the Coroner . —Can yon read the letter S—Yes , Sir . Tke 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 Ions a silence , but conscience pricking me for neglect to yoa and mother , compels me to say something added to the cause uf necessity of sending yoa a letter from Tom , who _wrote to me aiid of course requires an . answer , and liow to send it bothers me most confoundedly , Ee Jdnd enough to dispatch It when the mail leaves . He states to me that you received a letter before me , and 1 think you might _iiave sent me more , bnt I suppose you thought to punish me for not writing . If the direction is not right , please alter it for me . I ani -very nuwell _, and have gone through a great deal of trouble since you heard from me last , and feel disgusted with the service , hut you need not tell mother so , f or she would only fret . 1 Lope yon . axe _sll well hy this time- Give my best love to sister and mother . I had formed a _resolution to

      com-: mit mischief , bat , thank God , I have for tbe present _: aUtred my imn < 2 . I liave not the _confidence in myself I i civdtohave . Mv star of _destiuj fro wns « tmc , nnu ever * i tiling goes wrong . Your letters give me consolation : _generally , but I cannot resolve to read tzieni _alvravs , for " . 1 am very near approaching to lunacy at times . 1 aai an . old man now to what I was , and what a few more years ¦ will make of me I am afraid to _rtic-ss at . Write to me _: soon , and give me a ward how Blatters are going on at j leeds , for you are the only person I correspond with now . " I have not seen London jet , nur shall I unless I change my mind , every one of them are lost to mc now . Again , " I hope you will keep quiet to mother that lam ill , for her

      i sake . Gire my respects to _ilachin , _Vviiitford , aud Kip-] pie . Tou must excuse my faults and forgive my feelings 1 for I cannot help them , my fate wills my _proceedings _, j and I must go with the tide . 2 ay paper is short , audi j must cut short my tale of woe , and resume my most _hori rid and wretched duty ofa soldier . God be with you , and ] prosper you , and in your prayers remember "Your affectionate Brother , ( Signed ) " Frederick Jons White . " Wright ' s examination then closed . ilr . Clark then put the following questions to the hosy p ital-serjeant Potter : — 1 «* . When was it that White got np after the fl flosging !

      Answer . —He was flogged on the 15 th of June , and got n np on the 20 th . He got up and walked about the ward , I He did not seem to have much the matter with him exc _Cf-pt his hack . 2 d . Did not White do work out of the hospital a few d ; days after he was flogged I Answer . —He could not say what day positivel y , but he _rtrnmimiberedonthecnsuiug Saturday White washed out tl the outhouse . He did this perfectly voluntarily . _Witntness offered to assist him , hut he ( deceased ) would not al allow him to do so . 3 d . _Afiir'thcSjthdidhcnot go out with the other _papa'itnts into the square ! Answer . —To the best of witness's knowledge he did . Thi Coroner here intimated tliat there was a serious di discrepancy In the witness ' s statement , he had beton : sa said It was a fortnight before ha ( deceased ) got out . Serjeant Potter said that he had remembered the _misitaltake and wished now to rectify it .

      Me Alleged Jm5atii Fhom ^ Milmary Ploo, ...

      Mr , William Henry Hughe ., , . eeond . _-Clork ; from the _Jadge Advocate ' s oflice , stated that he . _was deriredoyftne Judge Advocate , Mr . BulUr , to attend at the Court wira heoriginat Curt _Martial , the approval of the proceed" mts , and the confirmation ofthe sentence by his Grace ihe Commander-in-Chief . . . ' , The Coroner—By whom is the document signed . Witness . —By the Adjutant-General . The Coroner . —Bead the proceedings . Hr . Hughes then read the whole of the papers , whis 3 i were very lengthy . __ It appeared that atthe trial White put m a document iu mi tigation of punishment , in which he attributed thc violence of his conduct towards Serjeant _Dtirty to the drink he had taken , which deprived htm ofall controul orer himself , and obliterated from his memory all those feelings of _respect whieh hud , up to that time , always iunucneed his conduct . "

      At this stage of the _proieedings the Coroner commenced reading the depositions of the _ssvoral witnesses . All the medical men interested iu the inquiry being present . Alter signing his deposition , private Cook stated , in answer to inquiries by the Coroner , that on Friday morning last ( the 21 st ) , about a quarter past ten o ' clock , ho wason muster parade , wlien he was called out by the Lieut .-Col . ( Whyte ) , who said to him , " Now , Mr . Cook , I wish to speak to you with regard to tUe testimony you gave at the last inquest . " The _Lieutennnt-Colonel then said he h ; id made inquiries with regard to the trumpeters flogging in other cavalry regiments , and he was informed snch was not the case . Upon which the Lieutenant-Adjutant made a remark , " No . sir , and never was ; " upon which L ' eutenant-Colonel Whyte made answer , "Ob ,

      yes , I fiud upon inquiry that such a case took place about 15 years ago : " to which witness made answer thatthe 1 st Dragoon Guards flogged hy trumpeters , and thathe understood other regiments did the game . The Lieut _.-Colonel then said , " Such is not the case ; you have as nearly committed perjury as d n it . "— ( Sensation . )—He then turned towards a trumpeter—said I had called Luke Bust " a- boy" and Taylor " a boy . " Witness understood this to apply to his former evidence . He said , " You endeavoured to throw a misconception over the whole affair . " He also said , " I find there has been less punishment iu the 7 th Hussars than any regiment in the service . " And that is what I stated in my evidence . This was aU that passed . The whole of the men were on parade , The Colonel celled out another man from the ranks . Matthewson was called out as well as he

      ( witmss ) was . ...... Lieut .-Colonel Whyte then said he was anxious to state _irhy he had said anything upon that occasion . Itwas _Matthewsoa's conduct which 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 npon to sign his deposition he said , in answer to the Coroner , that Whyte , the deceased , complained to him tbat he had a burning pain in the chest in consequence of tbe punishment he had received upon his back _. By the Coroner ( emphatically ) . —Have jou even the shadow of a doubt upon your mind as to those being the words deceased used ? Skinner . —I * have not .

      Private Cook corroborated tbe former , and substantiated the testimony he had previously given , adding that Dr , Warren bad 6 aid to deceased in his presence , " Cheer up ; you may make a good soldier yet . " Whyte said in his ( Cook ' s ) hearing that the " Lash was the cause ofhis renewed illness , " Witness was a patient in thc same ward . Private Matthewson reiterated the whole ofhis f _> rmer statement , adding , that before he was flogged , indeed , before he was tried by court-martial , when examined , the Dr . ( Warren ) asked him whether he ( Sfatthewson ) had

      any complaint to make , and he ( Matthewson ) said "Bo . " He was charged , convicted , and punished within five hours . ( Sensation . ) Skinner , Hooper , and Al'CIoud , where in the hospital at the time the doctor came in . ne believed also that Clark and Billings ware present . The Colonel had released him from punishment since he was last hefore the inqaest . He served two days snort ox the time he was ordered to he confined . He ( Matthewson ) very frequently , while in the hospital , _convert ed with deceased . They were fellow suffer ers in the hospital , tioth of them having been flogged .

      A long questioning of this witness then took place with reference to the dates of tbe entries in the medical book , and tbe statements of Matthewson on a former occasion _, when considerable difficulty appeared iu 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 thatthe entry was'' Patient complained of pain in tbe region of the heart . " The inquiry was then adjourned ior one hour and a half . Upon the return of the Jury to the inquest-room the Coroner intimated that the ladder was in 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 then 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 , through which the hands are fastened . The feet are then fastened , a cloak being _rirst laid upon the ladder for the prisoner of war to lean against . When the Jury had re-assemblcd , Lieutenant-Colonel Whyte said , thathe wished to say one word to the Coroner respecting a matter which had just taken place . While the adjutant had been explaining the mode of punishment , one ofthe jurors ( a Mr . Droutt , lie believed ) , said , addressing Ireland , the adju tant , "Many a man has been brought to the ladder through you . Sir . " He ( Lieutenant-Col . Whyte ) considered this a most improper and -uncalled for remark , nnd 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 fixed on the ladder in the position described 1 A Juror . —Matthewson says he was not . Tke Coroner thought he might here say what he had perhaps better state , that , he did not find in the Act ol Parliament , or in . the army regulations , any rules cither vis to the manner of flogging , the length of the handles ot the '' cats , " the weight ofthe whip , the number of knots _, nor anything referring to any instructions , either to the colonel , the medical officers , or the men . Had Dr , Warren any written or printed regulations ? Dr . Warren . —There is _ivone in the British army . — 'Laughter . )

      Mr . Clark , solicitor . —Wc have nothing , Mr . Coroner , beyond what are called the " accustomed regulations . " The Coroner ( to Dr . Warren . )—Have you any instructions , Doctor ? Dr . Warren . —No , I hare none . The Coroner . —lias Colonel Whjte any remark to make ? Lieut-Colonel Whyte . —No . Upon Elsworthy's evidence feeing read over to him he said in explanation of his former statement , that the commanding officer had recommended him for promotion , that

      he was down for promotion when the regiment was in Ipswich . His name was on a card , and opposite his nam e was inserted , " _Recommended by Lieutenant Colonel Whyte . " He , witucss had been " boated"in theregiment by order of tbe sergeant . They call it " boating , " but he ( witness ) called it _flogging . He was sentenced to receive five dozen stripes . After this he was so ashamed that lie could not look up . He , in _cousequenc _.-, deserted , but by the advice of his friends he returned a _^ ain to thu regiment . He was appointed to assist the cook of the room , but because he did not please the " cook , " he was ordered the five dozen .

      The evidence of other _parties were then read over , and Farrier Major Critton was examined . —He was present atthe court martial , aud on the parade in the _riditigschool , where he received infurmatiou to ilog _deceased . He brought the five whips for flogging . He made the whips , aud usually keeps them locked in a box at the veterinary surgeon ' s shop . Two of them , lie believed , were dark , and the others had light handles . Never received auy instructions as to the mode of making tiiem . They say that one or two of them are thicker iu the lash than tlie others , but _witness diil not tliink they were _nny heavier . There had not btcu auy man punished , with the dark-handled " cats" these two years . The whip _hecutivniunced and finished . _vith lie noultl identify . 0 _: ; e onlv was used . [ The witness here _idcntifli-d the " cat" hu ustil . j The Coroner pointed out that some of the " cats" ha ; nine kuots , others seven , and others six .

      The Adjutant said that sometimes the knots became untied , and then they are re-tied , and some , pcrhnps , left undone , if tliey arc not attended to . Ifeve you any instructions ? The _Adjutant . —We have not . Mr . Clark . —Wc will shew jou tlie practice shortly . The Coroner . —I hope not . There are 1- _" , ' j 50 knots in 158 lashes . The Adjutant . —Well , Sir , I do not make the law . I can't help that . The Coroner . _—Certai-. ly not _. The Adjutant said it was his duty to see that thc " cats " were all right before the uicn begun to Hog—that he was sure of . The Coroner here pointed out the peculiarity of / he fact , that the majority of tin : kui . ts w _. _-re double _< n the cat chosen as the one suid to have been U 3 _* d in * A * lii' . e ' s case .

      The afljufants . iidtheyr . ail gatlwottcd by accident , ar . d the farrier , Critton , said that _Uu-y had nnl been fo lied i . y any man . He had not so tied them , and he was certain they had never hucu out of Ids possess !™ . Upon being again appealed to , Critton raid he could not swear which was the catl _. uhadi . _s- . d tu ii ; _-g th ,. , ! _, _;¦„„ £ Witness had seen old farriers il „ in _GlaKgow _^ iid _' _tt-hcii he was first called _ujiou to flux deceased , lie rtu _h-ud word from the adjutant . Whether he w-. s lostrske heavy or _liaht he did not kn ,. w . He never knew the lio _.-iors to mte : fere , they usually _stoo-i jr .=, t by at the _tH . e . lie had scon _moreseterenuuishmt-ntthsuiii _Wl- . ic ' d case , with _Uu-sauie number of _k-sli' -s .

      Ths Coroner—How _doyoti _acc-nrit fur that ? Wilntes—Some , _m-n who are _ll-vh y A \ ow it . ' 0 much more th-Hi others . White wns a . _sji ; ir « man . By the Coroner—Are \ ou not told where to strike ! Witness—No , I never was . Docuisai ' . an . l he were always very friendly , and about a week before he died , hi )

      Me Alleged Jm5atii Fhom ^ Milmary Ploo, ...

      ( Crittbn ) -hud asked liim ( White ) how he was , and he _vepUftu , he was getting "better fast ., "During the last four years , he ( Critton ) had flogged three m _« n . The Coroner—You rise on your _toes _> when you strike ? Witness—It is a palpable falsehood . . _! The Coronet : —Do yoa strike hard—asih ard as youean ! —Ho did not . He did not consider _tthe slow time he struck near so much punishment as in theinfantry , where the infliction of the stripes are re , nlat _« a hy the boat of a drum . He ( Critton ) had never been flogged . The Coroner then read a letter from ithe brother of deceased , dated on the 1 st of August _fssm Leeds , addressed to the former . It stated that deceased had evidenced sympions of insanity , and _thatihis father waa so before him .

      The _Lieutenant-Coldnel then said that on the day before th * parade for muster , when 'Cook stated I ¦ carted him out , I then said to Matthewson in the office before Sergeant Wright , "Did the Coroner inquire whether you had heen 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 1 will refer to it in any way . " I then went on to say that he was a smart intelligent soldier capable of anything . If yon 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 tbis . I then said I mean this for all of you . I inquired ani found the man was under confinement , which I ordered to be done away with at once . \ Mathewson , upon being questioned , admitted the foregoing to be true .

      Lieutenant-Colonel Whyte , in continuation , Baid that there was thc greatest excitement the next day in the regiment Of this he was told by Adjutant Ireland . Ire . land said the rumour was , that he , the Lieut .-Col ., had asked Mathewson the day before to take a seat , that I would make him a corporal immediately , and that when the adjutant knocked at the door , I asked Matthewson whether he 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 the" adjutant assured ma the greatest excitement existed amongst the troops . Un _der these _crircumstances I felt it would never do to talk to the men ' privately , bo I determined to address the men publicly . In fact the men felt dissatisfied . I do this to explain why I told the men this matter while upon parade . There was a feeling getting abroad it wns nYcessary to allay . Serjeant Wright entirely corroborated the statement of the commanding officer , above given .

      Mathewson said that the statement was not true . Wright did not leave tbe oftice during any part of the conversation bstwecn the commanding-officer and Ireland . He thought the Lieut .-Colonel had taken advantage of liis position . The serjeant was not In the room at all at the time . Of course he had not the means of proving it . The commandin _? . officcr had said that he would promote him ( Mathewson ) to a full serjeant that night . The Coroner . —Why didn't he , then 1 Mathewson . —Because I told him I would not accept it . I said the sti _ipes on ray back could not he erased hy the stripes I _misht 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 in this case to produce all the results here described . Sueh diseases as these aro taking place in our hospitals . The secondary causes have heen daily developing themselves , briging 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 upon , you will remember , Mr . Wilson , by some of the witnesses , that the change for the hotter took place , and that the back was nearly healed . Dr . _Wils-m . —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 he in a fair way of being cured . After that , disease of a further charcter appeared , and deatb ended the case ,

      Coroner . —Now , 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 flog-King ? , Mr . Wilson . —( Most emphatically . )—Undoubtedly , sir . The coroner having called upon Dr , Hall personally , nnd invited others to put any questions to Dr . Wilson , which they pleased , and no answer being returned , he ( the coroner ) declared the evidence to be comp lete . He then proceeded to charge thejury , which he did at great length . He said that in this case endeavours had been made to avoid an inquest . It was in evidence how the matter had reached him , and what had caused the holding of the inquisition . As soon as the

      information had reached his 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 the registration of the death , as one of heart disease . He , _therelorc , taking all the circumstances into consideration , must consider the whole matter to be connected with very singular circumstances . "S ever should he forget the countenances of the jurors , when tbey _sitw the body turned orer 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 the whole series of facts as developed during this protracted 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 mile 6

      from London . In the _Houss of Commons , whero it was stated that it had been _satisfaetcrily shown that the 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 the worthy coroner , he then referred to the law of the case , which he said had been surrounded by difficulties now removed . He had no hesitation in saying the punishment _» vas a legal punishment . The Articles of War , and tho 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 effucts of the blows he had received , and it was _thought by them tbat there had been ono blow too

      much struck , the punishment would have been illegal ; nil parties—those who inflicted such punishment , those who stood by , and all parties engaged , must be found guilty of manslaughter , if not of the higher crime ef murder . The grand question , then , for them to decide 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 fmmc by the system of flogging : the skin so fine and sensitive , that the smallest prick ofa needle gives acute pain indeed . So dangerous arc the diseases of the skin , that even if injured to the smallest extent , the utmost dangermig htbe apprehended , as the history of thc hospitals abundantly testify . The

      question in the present case was , "lias the wound caused the death of Whit-- '' " Aud it was for them to decide whether such was the case or not ; and , further , tbey must say whether sueh disease or wounds , of which he died , were caused by tho punishment he had received through the lash . He would leave the matter in their hands to return un impartial verdict . . Far was it from him to attempt to brand with a sti ; -ma the unfortunate individual ?— _> for he called them unfortunate—who had to carry out such a law as the law of eorporal punishment . Uuther let them cast the stigma _ujion that monstrous and abominable law which permitted ' such a practice .

      The Jury returned into Court a quarter to one o clock , and ne ' ivDi'GQ" thefolloninjj vorfliet : — " The Jury say that the said John White died from the fatal _tlEictof a cruel and severe flogging which he received on the 15 tU of June , _181 G , at the Cavalry- barracks , _nc--t < m . That tlio suid _flogKiiijj- was inllictetl under a sentence passed upon him hy a district Court martial , composed of officers of the 7 th Hussars ; and that the said Courtmartial was authorised hy law to pass that sentence upon him , Tliut the _flogging w _.- . s so inflicted upon tlio back and neck , and that James Low Warren , the surgeon , and

      Colonel Wiiyte , the commanding officer of the same regimen t , _n-ere present at thc flogging by which the death of White was caused ; and in returning their verdict , the Jury cannot _refrain expressing tlieir horror and disgust at the existence of any law _anions the statutes of this realm whirli permits the revolting punishment _of'loirg ' nj , ' on Ihe British soldier , and the Jury implore every man ill this kingdom to join ham ! and heart in praying the Legislature for tha abolition of evory law , order , or regulation , whieh permits this _disgraceful punishment , which they consider is a slur upon humanity and the fair name of this country . "

      Alter a paus Mr . Waklny said _lio heartily concurred in the verdict . lie had felt it his duty to make sonic inquiries i _» f thedecv-. _sed's broth ' , rs of his ( the _deecusi _" d . 's ) ttftli ! of _siiiiid . and the _iufoMiiiition he then reeeived , and the letter lie had received that day , strengthened liim in t ' - . e opinion that the deceased was iu » n insane state of mind at the time he was punished . The Jury then separated at one o ' clock in the morning . Outside the iiiqu- « t room , during the iv . t ' vement of tho _Jiii'v , Un ; _utnicst < : xci ; ei > _K' ! K prevailed , even to the time tin .-verdict was returned . The inquest room was tilled fur a period of fifteen hours , during which the inquiry _laft . _'d .

      Tuunbeu St Ohm Asd Iimuucane. La<T Sat U...

      _TUUNBEU ST OHM ASD IIMUUCANE . La _< t Sat ur 'ay _afterniiou tlie metropolis and the _metro"loliv-iii c'mntie ! " were visited with one of the most awful _tlHnw ' er and hail storms that has perhaps ever been _witnts-id hy their _ohksi _iuli-.-. _liHunt . During tlio wliidi : of th « morning theheat of the atiitos ' _. itcrc was very intense , and soon after _lmon ihe Ciont :- ; I . _vi-imif in-nvy ami _louring , anil _bucokent-d _tlicnppi < j : icJii ! igt * li > _i'm . but lot * _ci-uld fancy thatit would be ol Sti fiariul : i _lialuri :. At iihiiut _liall _' _-past tlnee _fivqiient peals of distant tW . nler w-re heard ti > the south-west , and tv _^ rv _inoiiiejit i _' i ' . ' . r a _:-ci : i _' _.-d I" approach closu'nnd closer to the _in-tiopori _.-:. Ti :- lightning , which _ajiii . aivd more Iil : e _ashi'i-i if _iiipiiii fire _liii'ii _ihm : Hashes which wc . _itro ac cu _s tomed to s _.-u ' iieeuU ! tl . e penUof thunder , lllckerctl in _aui'Ci'Rsioti , ' _- uiu ' _ihuhis , ami wiik ' awlul grandeur , ami was _folloued by ten-ilk- pials ol thunder . These wuv _aicon-p-inis-d hy a deluge of rain and _hailofeuoruious

      Tuunbeu St Ohm Asd Iimuucane. La<T Sat U...

      ilie . _i Soimf ' -were _describedWbe as ; large ,. MwalnuU Tlie most certaiu . probf of the size will be , inferred fn _^ n thiir destructive effects and the amount of property , de stroyed by them . : ' >¦; , ; _: ; .. _; - _* - .

      _anCKINOHiM PAtACB . _ _ We are unable to state positively _whatporllon of Buckingham Palace has suffered from this terriBc war of the elements , so genoral was the destruction . It appears that the royal picture-gallery is lighted by a skylight , con _sisfcing ofa centrepiece and sides . With the _exceptien ofa portion of the side pieces , which is composed of engraved plate-glass , the remainder was the ordinary crown glass , but of such thickness that it was considered sufficient to resist the assault of any ordinary _hail-storm . The next portion ofthe Palace we have to refer to 18 . the immense dome over . tho grand staircase , composed entirely of glass . Then follow * the scarcely : Inferior glass dome over the Ministry staircase , and a variety of others . All _ttiesahave been , so fat as their fragile c < jvermg was concerned , utterly destroyed , the ruthless torrent of hall aud rain , irrespective alike of palaces or huts , poured in ¦ vith the force ofa cataract , making the various staircases so many waterfalls . The basement floor of the Palace waB completely flooded .

      The Picture Gallery , in which are some of . the most splendid productions ofthe old masters , was at one time in imminent danger , for . when the large hailstones , or rather irregularly shaped pieces of ice , bad removed all opposition to the ingress ofthe rain , the gallery was flooded to . the depth of many inches , and the water assumed all thc appearance of a natural current . No time was lost in removing all those pictures that were liable to be injured , and we believe that in no single instance has damnge been done to any _onci The mo re 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 were taken to clear the various rooms and lobbies of the . Palace from the water that had accumulated , and to achieve tbat object speedily , the services Of the police Stationed at , the l ' alace were called Into _requitition , 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 , 800 or £ 2 , 000 . The parade in front ofthe palace , extending : from the foot of Constitution-bill to James-street , ' Buckinghamgate , was one sheet of rvater , and so deep as to render it impassable for pedestrians . . _. .

      The deep barrel drain in the Green . park burst from the immense accumulation of water , and formed a complete river to the ornamental water in the _inclosure of St , James ' s-park . Here the violence of tbe 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 , HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT ,

      At the Houses of Parliament fourteen men were engaged the whole of'Sunday , merely cutting out the pieces of old glass left in the windows that were broken by the violence of the 6 torm . The total number of squares demolished ia the two Houses of Parliament and Westminster Hall ib upwards of seven thousand . Tha Law Courts at Westminster were completely deluged with water , and the various windons 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 . Thc

      reading room of the same institution had likewise a number of squares ol g lass 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 ia considerable ; it is stated that from 13 , 000 to 14 , 000 squares of glass are demolished , independent ofthe damage that must of necessity have been caused by the rain falling into the premises . Messrs . ' Broadwood ' s pianoforte manufactory , in _Horeeferry _. 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 Lecture Theatre attached to the city of Westminster Institution , in Great Smith-street , was , we regret

      to learn , destroyed by tne storm ,

      THE WESTERN EXCHANGE . ' The greater portion of the conservatory at the Pantheon is utterly destroyed . The Western Exchange , Old Bond-street , 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 glass , out of which there are scarcely one dozen left entire . The Lowther-arcade also suffered severel y ,

      the shopkeepers having a great portion of their stock destroyed—it being customary for them to place their goods on the outside—the rain descending through the skylights rehderad a great portion of them valueless . In the Regent-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 more or less from tbe effects of this , _thpgreatest hail storm that has visited the metropolis for years . "

      SURREY ZOOLOGICAL _QABDEN 8 . Mr . Tyler , the proprietor of this place of amusement will be a severe sufferer , as the mischief done to his property is very considerable . T he conservatory , in which the carn ' rorous animals are kept , has sustained sueh injury that to ropair the glass will at least cost _esoo . This building is 100 feet in diameter , and its doomed roof , which is 300 feet in circumference , is covered with glass , and its Bides aTe secured'with the . same _vaatevial i 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 glue ' s to the depth of two or threo inches , and scarcely a whole pane was _discern & hle in the roof .

      _IVhen the storm was at its very highest a singular incident occurred in this building . A noble lioness , which had been noticed fbr 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 flashes 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 the storm ; its inmates were 30 dreadfully alarmed by the lightning , that many of them covered their eyes , to prevent them seeing the flashes .

      VAUXHALL GARDENS . The injury done to these Gardens was comparatively trifling , and will be repaired by an outlay of perhaps £ 30 , The Catholic chapel ,. in the London-road , had a great number of squares of glass destroyed , as had also Newing . ton church .

      THE BOROUGH AND X . AMDETU . On the Burrey side of the river , the devastation consequent upon the sudden inroads made by the influx of waters from the sewers , is most extensive , and the loss of property wliich will thereby be oecasioiied is at the present moment incalculable . The floods , arising from the choked state of tho sewers , actually deluged the loner portions ofthe premises situate in Bankside , the space intervening between the Thame * and Upper and Lower Stamford-street , the York-road , anduven up to _Charlottestreet , and tlio oniirc district well known ns Lambeth Marsh . In Princess-street , Canterbury-street , Lower Hatfield-street , and all thc avenues abutting upon tho Thames ,, the lower portions of the domiciles were so flooded tliat tlio ordinary customary utensils becamo afloat , nnd the increased rising ofthe waters necessarily excited the utmost alarm amongst the imnatcB .

      FLEET-STREET AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD . In no part ot" the metropolis did the effucts of tho storm display itself with greater force than in Fleets treet and its neighbourhood . In less than ten minutes after it commenced , tins great publie thoroughfare was a comp lete river of rain ; such was Its intensity thatatone time it seemed to have put n stop to the ordinary traffic with which this busy locality usually abounds , for neither omnibus , cab , nor human being were to be seen in the street . Thc _Uail-stovm was _pcculiiuly _scvito , and such was its violence , that the hailstones , which were in many instances an inch in diameter , broke the skylights attached to tlie houses of several of the trademcii iu the district , and created tho greatest consternation .

      The cellars of the houses in i icet-street _, farringdonstrcct _, thc Old Bailey , « fco ., were completely inundated from the overflowing of the sewers , and in many instances the greati st injury to property took place . But OtIC of tho most _ixtrawrri ' imry results arising from the _cllV-ctsof the storm was . exhibited in the neighbourhood of IJlacl ' iiiavs' bridge ; for very soon after it took place portions of bedsteads , chests of drawers , chelToniers , & c _, were seen enlarging from the mouth of the great sewer which empties itself into the Thames , close to the _1-ridge _, and which is better known by the title of the _Fleet-ditch .

      Intimation ofthe circumstance was quickly communicated to thc officers ofthe Thames-police , who very soon took up their position in boats in front ot thc sewer and were occupied until a late hour on Saturday night , ' in conveying from the sewer portions of articles such as . those wo have just mentioned . The several articles were supposed to Ue the property of the furniture brokers and others whose houses W 61 _' 0 destroyed or injured In the neighbourhood of Saffron-kill , In the Strand , also , considerable injury was done to th- ; windows of many houses owiiig to . the hail f , tovm .

      _CLEItKENWELI ,, The neighbourhood of Islington and thc upper part of _Cli-rkeiiwell , from their elevated position , suffered little d'linnge , the rain _bciuu carried oil ' almost as rupblly as it IV 1 I : but the devastation was proportionately great in thelow . 1- parts nf Clerkenwell , and tho vicinity ofthe open part of tin ; old Plcet-d ' cch . The immense flood ihat _pnui'itd from _innuuiemble lesser sewers into this 1 _'i _-i . al drain , _cotaptutely _iiilwl it up . and the water began to rise , rapidly in thc streets lying between _lli-ook-hill , formerly Mutton-hill . Sufl ' roii-hill , and the upper end of

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      the new line _< of street leading from : _Parringdon-street . In BUll ' C Head-Court , . Of mer-SlTeet , -it rose nearly ten feet high , and rushed with fearful violence through 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-hon 3 e 9 in ; Round-court , Brook-hill , were carried away by the inundation , and with tbem a quaatity of furniture , dry casks , and Umber ; tho entire mass 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 soma old _eheds and stables : Some _decttyfed buildings and wells at the bade of--Lower _Boivling ' jtreet were also carried away . The scene of desclation 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 tbis neighbourhoodhad their miserable beds _and'bedding completely saturated , and their scanty furniture cither swept away or Injured by tbe water , which they were endeavouring to bale out of their wretched rooms and cellars .

      The kitchens and cellars of several houses in Far . ringdon . street were inundated , and in some parts of the new street—on the sites of the old houses , the water was to deep that a party of juveniles , from tlie purlieus of Saffron-hill , were seen indulging In the luxury of a public swimming-bath . Mr . Simpson , the linendraper _, of Farrlngdon-street , bad , it is stated , goods to the amount of £ 3 , 000 injured or destroyed . At Mr . _Lampldugh's _, chemist , corner of New Farringdon-street , the destruction of property was very , great . The . neighbourhood of _Kiiig's-cross and Bagniggewells-road were so completely inundated , that the accumulated water from Pentonyille rushed with such impetuosity , into the row of tenements nearly opposite the

      police station , from the lownesi of their situation , ansing ' from the elevation of the ro & d , as to drive thein . mates into the attics ; and a baker , having iu the morning received some eacks 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 , boys were seen collecting them in vessel for the gratification of parties who could not afford the luxury of ice from the , confectioner ' s . Indeed , so tremendous were its effects in this locality , , that boys were floating on articles of furniture from . tbe various tenements so filled with water . .

      ' THE BOTAKIC _OABDENi , CHELSEA . The ' vicinity of this neighbourhood has been visited by one of the most awful thunder-storms ever witnessed ; I ( the _Cwator ) tbAuk my Wu loss has been some thousands of squares of glass , but atpresent lam not able to estimate the damage ; The losses of florists in the neigh _, bourhood have heen very great , the hailstones being as large as walnuts . . A _Steameu _Stebci . by" a _Tbukdei-bolt . —At tbe Nine-elms Hail way Hotel , Mr . House , the proprietor , had a great number of his windows broken , some of the _squares worth fifteen and eighteen shillings . each ., Tbe 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 , nnd many cottages unroofed . In Fulham 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 wuis proceeding down the river at halfpast five . o'clock . When just off the Red House , at Eattersea , a dreadful peal of thunder , followed by a stream of lightning , passed round the vessel and splin . tered the larboard paddle-box , carrying away a portion of the wood work also . Captain Stanley had only one minute before descended from hig station on the box , & ni was standing at the companion * . amimg the passengers on deck ( eight in number ) was Mr . By an , the director of Cremorne Gardens , and a Mr . Sfaarwood , a commercial traveller , . who each were standing against the box . By the instinct of self-preservation , Hr . Ryan threw _, himself , on the deelt & t Uiein & t & tit _, 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 , the shock to the vessel was so great that the engineers nnd servants who were below rushed on deck , under the impression the vessel was sinking .

      In the neighbourhood of Brompton , Kensington , Hammersmith , and ether 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 ot thunder burst over Kensington , a ball of fire was observed to descend on the house No . 21 , Lower Fliillimorc street , the corner of the road leading to Campden-hill . and it was afterwards found that a stack of chimnies had been shattered , and several of the chimney pots shivered to pieces . During the fury of the storm one of MeBsrs . Barclay aud Perkins ' s drays was diicbargiiig at the Red Lion , Greenwich-road , when the horses took fright , ran off towards London , and were with difficulty ( topped , after capsizing part of the freight . Thousands of squares of glass iiavc been broken at private houses ,

      and at the Deptford and Greenwich Railway Terminus . The market gardens at Lewisham , Lee , and Woolwich road have suffered immensely , not only from the hail , which at Lewisham fell in flakes an inch long , but from the flooding of the growing crops . Throughout the whole district of _Biachhcath hundred the " hailstones fully averaged the size of large hazel nuts . The quantities of sand and gravel which have been washed from the Kentish hills into Greenwich and vicinity is astonishing , leaving the high roads bare , and presenting nothing but a surface of bright and broken granite . On the Eltham road a man with a scythe in his hand was struck by the electric fluid , and fell insensibly to the ground . The poor fellow , however , luckily recovered so as to be able to pro ceed home . Throughout the county of Kent the damage

      was very extensive . Tlie body of clouds charged _witlelectric fluid , after passing over the metropolis and tin part of Surrey nearest the west end of London , _slowltravelled into Kent . Passing Woulwicli aboit five o ' clock in the afternoon , its violence was manifested at Plumstead , where the lightning appeared uncommonly powerful . In the midst of the storm the electric fluid _struck one of the chimnies belonging to a house in the occupa tion of Mr .. George _Kimbsr , stone mason and _marblt cutter , next door to tlie Plume of Feathers , opposite tbe church at the village of Plumstead , Mr . Bingham , tin landlord Of the Plume of Feathers , states that he was standing in front of his bar , serving customers , at the time when the flash of lightning , or rather the stream cf

      fire , appeared . So fierce was the flame , and so appalline the reports arising from it , that he was for a fvw minuter unconscious where he was , or what he did . The next moment he heard the crash of the falling brick work , and upon looking ' out of the window , after his stupor was iv some measure subsided , he saw a volume of dust proceed ing from the roof of the premises in Mr . Kimber ' s occupation , At the time of the occurrence a servant girl in his employ was sitting , with an infant in her lap , near 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 effected , she shortly afterwards was led into the bouse , where she soon recovered . About ihe same time several trees near the spot were struck by the lightning .

      Three horses , travelling on the road towards "Dartford Fair wore struck blind , and some trifling damage was done to the cropping standing in sheaves , from the effect of the hail aud rain . At Erith , Crayford , and Dartford , the storm was very severe , and at Chatham it is said to have been excessively violnit . In the midst of this visitation and loss of property it is gratifying to state that thc hop-bine has much improved since the storm , one ol the largest growers in the west ofthe country having discovered upon nn oiflmiiifltion of the crops , that al ! _lioui > h on Friday last they were covered with fly and lieo , the

      thunder and lightning has cleared the majority of the arms from these destructive vermin . In Bromley and tlie immediato neighbourliood , very much damage lias 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 thclatter place , when moiisured was found to be of an angular shape , and upwards of throe indies in circumference , ihe greatest width at thc top being one inch nnd a half . So far as . ean be ascertain _^* , no lives have been lost in tinrange of locality previously described .

      In tho neighbourhood of Reading , Oxford , Newbury Fnrringdori , " Circ-ncosler , Wantage , _ifcc , the storm wns ol a most awful description , and the damage done to vegetation generally is _inealeulablo . At Cirencester two shoeji and an ox were killed by the electric fluid , and at Wantage two sheep and a valuable horse _ttcre struck ( _lemi b _l ithe same powerful agency . At Oxford the electric fluid did great _damage to building property , hot-houses and gardens , Tim roof of the house of Mr . Dudley , situate near the river , was struck by thc lightning , and a part oi the stone work fell to the ground , and when taken up it emitted a strong sul p hurous smell . At Litcomb , near _Tftintitgc , tlio lightning entered the roof ot" a cottage , shattered a bedstead , aud threw a child that thc mother

      had just laid in bsd on the floor , but unhurt . At Highworth , the servant of a Mr . Boyno got nnder a tree , with his horse , for shelter ; th- ; horse was killed , but the man miraculously escaped with a slight scorching ofthe forehead . At Henley-on-Thames the flashes were awfully vivid and forked . Tlie house of Mr . _Musjjvovt ! was struck by lightning . Mr . _Musgrove and a portion ofhis familywere at the moment standing in a passage through whieh the bell wires passed , and were all struck to the ground , but happily without serious injury ; the damage to his hothouses , plants , Ac , contiguous to the dwelling-houses , is very considerable . Some parts of Hampshire , _& c ., were also visited by the above storm , and serious damage was sustained bv the _electvio fluid .

      The warring elements , which some of our content poraries have justly _described , in scriptural language , as being " no respecter of persons , " did not leave _imsealhfcd lllO _Olfiue where llltt A _* 0 ) 'Wi «! _l'U Slar is printed , About four ' . " ' cluck in the afternoon , the whole of the inachini ry used for printing this paper was rendered inoperative from the intlux of the torrent—the machine and composing vuom _biiu-r completely uuui . _late _. _l . Ti _, e hail , or masses of see , descended with such violence upon the _sky-luhts as to demolish upwards of 130 nyuurcs of glass . Fortunatel y , the-last edition uf nur paper Hd been printed a few minutes pwiviou _« - to tho commence mem ot tho storm , whereby wo wero enablsd to _obrHte the great _disiippointinsnt whicli would otherwise here been -experienced .

      Tuunbeu St Ohm Asd Iimuucane. La<T Sat U...

      DISCLOSURE , OF THE MURDEE _; OF _Twn _; _.:,. persons . .., ; ffU * ; An intense excitement has been occasioned this weefc in the town : of Barnard Castle , and throughout th county of Durham generally , by certain rfivelaii 0 Ds maa * by a young woman named Humphery , who saja that sh ° was the witness of two murders committed on the bant of the river Tees last year . The following * a v ..: J narrative of the facte . ;— ' . ' ¦ . _- . ¦' . ' ¦ Last year , in the early part of _, August , a young ma „ named Yates , who is a tailor in Barnard Castle and a girl named Raine , with whom he was intimately ac quairiled , were missed . Ko tiding conld be heard of them until nearly a fortnight after , when the bod of tba

      former was found on the brink of the River Tees , a few miles from the _toA-n . Some marks of violence _ffere about his head , and his pockets were empty , but at the inquest not the slightest evidence was adduced to show that he had been unfairly dealt by . ' A few days after _, wards the body of the young woman also was found in the river ; another inquest was held , and a verdict of " Found drowned" returned . It appeared that on the night when these unhappy iridiriduals met their death , heavy rains had fallen in the neighbourhood , by which the river was muck swollen , and Us course made rapid , hence the bodies were carried a considerable distance from the place where it has since been discovered they were last seen .

      A few weeks ago rumours were freely circulate d in th « district , to the ett ' et that- these persons had been mur-I dered , and that three young men belonging to the towa were their murderers . Nothing definite was known , however , until _Tuesdaylast , when it was ascertained that a female named Humphrey , 21 or 22 years of age , had gone to a parish constable , and " eased her mind , " , and had subsequently made such statements to a rural officer to whom she referred , as to lead to a charge ot murder being preferred against three men , named Brecon , Barker , and Raine ( the same'name as one of the victims . ) Her statements were substantially these ;—She _sajg , that on the night of the 9 th of August the man Yates , and the young woman Raine , were together , near tlie passage 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 should all take a walk as far as the brWge . It was then

      very dark and wet , near the hour of midnight , and when they were at the bridge the rapid flow of the river made a more than usual noise . After standing at the bridge a short tim « tbe whole patty proceeded down ., the Yorkshire 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 him if he was going to appear against him at York relative , to a , coat which he was 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 beard Yates fay , " 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 robbed him _. They then lifted him off his feet , and tlrew him over the tow low-tram well Into the deep pool below . She (

      Humphrey ) was horrified and speechless , but the young woman Raine vehemently abused them , and threatenedshe would inform the police . She made her way towards the bridge in company with the party , still continuing to thrt aten them with exposure , and when they came to the recess on the bridge , they seized both Raine and her ( Humphrey , J and said they would throw them both over , if tbey would not swear not to disclose the ftarful event of that night , Raine persisted in telling , when in a few seconds they threw her into the foaming stream below , and then made her ( Humphrey ) swear that she would nofreveal 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 her misery since that time has been great , and not being able to endure it any longer , she resolved on Monday to make the declaration to the officers of justice ,

      Barker has been since apprehended , Brecon is already 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 itis expected tbat other particulars will speedily be brought to light .. It would appear that tbe charge against Barker was for having stolen a coat , belonging to Captain Bainbridge , of Cotherstorie , whilst he was acting as under-bailiff in 'he captain ' s house ; and tbat Fates , who it has already been stated , is a tailor , had been repairing tbis coat for Barker , and whilst doing so , had seen tbe name , " Cap . tain Bainbridge , " inside it . His evidence would , therefore , havs been material ; and probably this was the first inducement , if the girl ' s story be true , to the _commisjipn of this horrible crime .

      Explosions In Collieries. — On Mondav. The Re-

      Explosions in Collieries . — On Mondav . the re-

      Port Of Sir Henry T. De La Becheand Lyon...

      port of Sir Henry T . De La Becheand Lyon Playfair , ofthe Museum of Economic Geology , on the eases and explosions in colleries , was printed in a Parliamentary paper . It seems that in _August last the Government , moved by * the many ea / amftpus accidents in coal mines , and the obvious inefficiency of means then devised far their prevention , deputed Professor Faraday _and-Mr . Lyell to investigate and report on the explosion in the Baswell Colliery . Ifc was represented to the Government that the ' public were still very imperfectly informed as to the conditions under which fire damp was generated , and that the nature and composition of the explosive gases themselves had not been examined with tlie aids

      which modern science could bring to such investigations , Hence the request to Sir Henry T . Ue La Beche and Dr . Lyon Playfair on the subject , and t he presentation of their report . Gases evolved from beds of coals may be viewed as the result of the continued decomposition of the 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 corn * posed of carbon , oxygen , hydrogen , and nitrogen , and the quality of the coal depends upon the relative proportion of these ingredients . When the

      _proport on of thc carbon to the oxygen and hydrogen does not exceed about 15 . per cent ., the coal is 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 ofthe original vegetable matter bears the latter name . In 1835 a select committee of the Ilouse of Commons was appointed to inquire oh the subject of explosions in mines , and made a report , without recommending any remedial measures ; there then existed , as now , a difficulty in obtaining accurate infbrmantion respecting the number of Uve 3 lost frem colliery explosions . The committee were enabled to ascertain

      that during the 25 years preceding tlieir inquiries 2 , 070 persons had perished from colliery explosions , and tliey considered this number much underrated _. During the last 10 years tlie rate of loss ' of life has certaiulynot diminished , and the experience of " the past year . " it is stated in the report , "has shown that considerably move than 100 persons have been known to have perished . " Not the least important part of the report has reference to the safety-lamp of Sir n . Davv , and to the _"foolliardinessand carelessness" of colliers . There are suggestions on both subjects which will , no doubt , meet the attention ihey deserve . It is suggested by the report that proper persons , as superintendents , should be appointed . " Careful investigations ( the report concludes ) into fche _^ causes of explosions in colleries . onl * v r > avt of

      wnicn arrest public attention by . . their magnitude , appear to have led to the very .. general conclusion that the condition of onr 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 more generally be followed ; in others it becomes a matter of surprise how the works can be permitted to ' remain in so defretive . a state , seeing tliat the owners themselves suffer much loss thereby . Under such a state of things , and considering the number ot * valuable lives annually Io ? t by colliery explosions the continued risk to which so many are daily exposed , the national injury sustained by the imprudent and _careless mode of extracting coal in many localities , on _« often felt _oppressively also by the parties _engaged in colliery speculations , and that the workings fur coals must be adjusted to local con-!• , .. Ill " ¦ * iicions

      ( , we are ien to consider that these evils miirllt be at least _mitigated by the careful and judicious inspection of convenient districts by competent nelsons the necessary iunds to be raised from such districts by a very slight in _, pC 8 t f ,, t even _exceeding ono _lavthingnn eaeh ion of coal raised in it , ttnd wf _behevo that the cause of humanit y antl the interests of the eonlownra , would be alike benefited bv a well considered lcgisiativo measure of this * kind . ,, -27 m » . Fivt , of Two Houses in IIolkorn .- At a quarter past eleven o clock on Sunday- night an alarming occurrence happened m Middle Row , Holborn Bars . I wo houses niimberpd 22 and 23 , fronting _HoW , a most suddenly si i „ with a loud crash . _amUheap of thick dust that obscured the locality for soma muratcs . Happily j ,, st before thoy Ml in , a police . _ons able- was pass ,,,., byand hearin tlio noise of ----i vii ini / _iiItUlSU

      , _g _. ,, ,. ... ; , o III the breaking of window-panes , looked to wards the houses and saw them tottering and bulging , lie warned the passers-b y ofthe impendimr danger , and whilst so doing , the " inmates of the hauses , to the number of ten or twelve , alarmed __ by the noiso within , rushed out and escaped . It is believed that no person lias been fatally injured . Tlie houses fell in , leaving the parl y wu lis oi ' those adjoining tlicra . as clean ns if they had been cut thrcuuh b y some mechanical contrivance . Some attribute the extr "" ordinary casualty to the giving way ofa sewciv t au ? . C ( l hy tho rain of Saturday , others to tlio foundation of the houses having been rendered insecure by tho onlargr-mont of a baking room , now being executed by a baker whose shop opens into Middle Row , opposite _ulinost to Staplos-Inn Buildings . The accident _civ-setl tho _ere-ita-t _ttm-kht and contusion lo

      tho _neii-hbours in the vicinity , and at miilniirht the premises _wcrejso much _tln-ongetl < _is to rentier tie premises _almost _uiiiiupi'oaeuaufe . Mr . Rice , _thecclehr-itcd "Jim Crow , " Irs been deprived of spe . oil and the use ofhis limbs , by a _stvokc of pavivl- _'is . _—Bmnport Mwaph .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Aug. 8, 1846, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_08081846/page/6/