an

Scarce one of these scoundrels but had been convicted again and again. Some had been three and four times sentenced to penal servitude for terms of years, and had been released before the expiration of their sentences, "for good conduct." A clean and well-kept gaol is a necessity, not for the health of the prisoners, but for the safety of society; but it was shown that the food of convicted criminals was infinitely superior, both as to quantity and quality, to what industrious mechanic could hope to procure; that the indulgences extended on most frivolous pretexts were such as a working man can only enjoy on some bright gala days of his honest life; and that the "good conduct" that entitled the oft-convicted criminal to a remission of his sentence, amounted to little more than an abstinence from outrage and violence towards his gaolers (which would have brought him immediate inconvenience) and a hypocritical demeanour before the chaplain. Even the labour exacted from these fortunate sinners seemed to be calculated with great nicety to show how superior was their lot to that of the working man. Their exertions, for instance, at the Portland works, were continued just so long as to earn an appetite for an excellent dinner, taken in well-protected rooms; while the free labourers in the same works snatched a scanty and dry meal from their knees, or from stones in the open air; and at Dartmoor, it is told how, when a shower of rain came on, the convicts put on their coats and retired to a shed; while the unconvicted labourers toiled on through the shower, and in the evening walked to their cold and cheerless

cottages, perhaps miles away, in their wet garments.

It seems likely that these exposures will cause the criminal class to repent for years their savage outburst of 1862.

27. FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION AT ALNWICK.-An accident similar to those recorded in the earlier pages of this Chronicle, occurred at High Moor Farm, Alnwick, by the explosion of the boiler of a steam thrashing machine. A number of young women, chiefly "bondagers" upon the farm, were assembled around the fire of the boiler-house, chatting after dinner with some lads, before they resumed work in the barn adjoining. Some masons had been there warming themselves, but had just returned to work, and the farmsteward had called upon the girls to return to their labour, Seven of the party rose, and were in the act of going out, the other six, five of whom were girls, remaining at the fire, when the boiler exploded with an appalling noise. Those who had remained sitting were killed on the spot. The seven who were in the act of leaving the building were all severely injured, and two of them have since died. Other persons were injured by the flying boiler, or by bricks and tiles hurled by the force of the explosion.

DECEMBER.

3. FATAL POACHING AFFRAY.At the Maidstone Assizes, this day was specially appointed for the trial of a party of poachers, for the manslaughter of a gamekeeper

named Gray, in the neighbourhood of Roydon-hall, in January last. The details of the trial afford an illustration of the scale on which these raids are conducted, of the generalship and prudence required in those whose bounden duty it is to resist them, and of the way in which a whole gang of poachers may escape the hands of justice through the difficulty of proving which of them fired or called upon his fellows to fire the fatal shot. It appears that, on the night of January 21st, a grand poaching expedition, against the preserves of Major Cook, of Roydon-hall, was organized in the neighbouring parish of Malling. Eight men are positively identified as having joined it, and it is stated that there were three or four others. Several had guns, and a man named Luck acted as leader. They had fired at least six shots when they were met by a body of seven gamekeepers and watchers, headed by Gray, who was armed with a lifepreserver and a flail. A parley ensued, in the course of which several of the poachers, who were drawn up in line," threatened to shoot the first man who advanced. Gray said he did not believe they would be so cowardly, and led his followers to an attack. He had raised his flail to strike, if he had not actually struck a blow, when one of the poachers-but whether the one with whom he was in personal conflict or a comrade standing by does not appear-fired, and inflicted a fatal wound in his thigh. There was then a general mêlée, and the poachers made off, dropping a gun and a cap on their way. Gray died from loss of blood the next morning. Luck and another man named Eversfield were early apprehended, and indicted at the en

66

suing assize for manslaughter; but the case against them was not then proceeded with, in consequence of the arrest of seven other men, through information tendered by two of their number, named Hawks and Allchin. Against each of the two men originally apprehended, Luck and Eversfield, strong suspicions still rested (in the case of the latter, mainly from his own depositions) of having fired the fatal shot. They were, accordingly, charged, at the opening of the present assize, with wilful murder. But, upon the ground of the use of the flail, with violence, by Gray, having preceded the firing of the shot, the bills for murder were thrown out by the Grand Jury. True bills for manslaughter were then found against all the nine prisoners. One of the number, Hawks, was subsequently admitted as Queen's evidence, and the other eight (Luck, Eversfield, Allchin, Burgess, Stevens, Obey, Clapson, and Clatt) were arraigned at the bar, charged with manslaughter, and also with nightpoaching. Participation in the affray was clearly proved against all the prisoners, except Eversfield, and the only serious doubt that was raised was, as to the identity of the man who fired the gun. The use of the flail, although it might reduce the offence from murder to manslaughter, could not reduce it lower; and whoever fired the fatal shot, as well as all who were aiding and abetting in the act, were, beyond all doubt, guilty of manslaughter. But the truth upon the point could not be elicited. Hawks, the approver, swore it was Luck who fired the gun, and this was the strong belief of one of the watchers; but Allchin, whom it was first intended to ad

mit as Queen's evidence, affirmed that it was another man, Burgess. But, beyond the point of identity as to the actual perpetrator of the shot, there remained the question of guilt involved in the existence of a common purpose to shoot. Great stress was, however, laid by the counsel for the defence on the fact that, although many voices threatened to shoot, no shot was fired while the poachers were drawn up in line, or till the rattle of the uplifted flail was heard, and then only one; and it was argued that if there had been "a common design to shoot," there would have been a volley instead of a single discharge. A great amount of evidence was taken on these several points, which Mr. Justice Byles summed up to the effect that, if the jury could not say who fired the shot, then they could not convict any of the prisoners, unless satisfied that all of them were parties to the act. After a brief consultation the jury found a verdict, so far as regarded the charge of manslaughter, of Not Guilty against the whole of the prisoners. To the charge of night-poaching, all the prisoners, except Eversfield, pleaded guilty, the charge against him being withdrawn.

In passing sentence, his lordship selected Luck and Burgess, as the two men who were most active in originating the expedition and promoting the affray, for a more severe punishment than the other five men. These two men were accordingly sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour, and the remainder of the prisoners to a similar punishment for four months.

3. BOILER EXPLOSION AT MASBOROUGH.-NINE LIVES LOST.About 7 A.M. a dreadful boiler ex

plosion took place at the Midland Ironworks, Masborough, by which nine of the workmen were killed and many injured. Several boilers, of various dimensions, were fixed in the rolling-mill to furnish the power necessary to work the large number of rolls that were in use. One of these boilers (nearly the largest in the place) was embedded midway between two smaller ones, at about 80 yards from the entrance gate. The roof of the shed which covered this department was partly sheet-iron and partly slate, and the supports were wooden and iron beams crossed upon iron pillars. At a few minutes after 7 A.M. there were about 150 men and boys employed in the shed. The work was proceeding as usual, when suddenly a tremendous report was heard, the large boiler launched itself forward into the mill, and in an instant the whole place was in ruins. The two large tubes of the boiler were projected with immense force to the rear of the premises, accompanied by red-hot bricks from the bed of the boiler, slates and sheets of iron from the roof of the shed, and other portions of the débris, which covered the whole space around. The boiler itself was launched with inconceivable force right into the body of the rollingmill. The supports of the roof were broken, solid iron columns of 12 or 14 inches thickness snapping short off, as if they had been made of glass. The roar of the explosion was quickly succeeded by more appalling sounds,-the shrieks and screams of the unfortunate persons who were buried beneath the ruins. The survivors Set immediately to work to extricate the wounded and the dead. Of the latter there were found five,

most of whom had been killed instantaneously by the rush of the boiler or the ponderous fragments which it displaced. Four others were so much injured that they died in the infirmary at Sheffield, to which the wounded were sent by train. About 25 persons were much but not mortally hurt, and many others by bruises and scalds from the escaping steam.

8. TERRIBLE COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR BARNSLEY.-At the commencement of the year this Chronicle had to record the frightful disaster at the Hartley Colliery; now, as if to close the year in a manner similar to that with which it commenced, it has to record a terrible explosion at the Edmund's Main Colliery, in which upwards of 60 persons perished. On Monday morning the 8th of December, this mine, one of the most extensive in the Barnsley seam, being 180 feet deep, and extending for more than a mile from north to south, was in regular operation, employing about 260 men and boys, when, in the firing of a charge of powder for the purpose of blasting, the gas issuing from the coals became ignited, and immediately set fire to the surrounding coal. The men endeavoured to extinguish it, but being unable retired for the purpose of stopping up the aircourse, so as to cut off the supply of air; but after several unsuccessful attempts they were compelled to abandon their purpose, being entirely overcome by the heat, smoke, and gas.

At this time the men in the other parts of the mine were unacquainted with their danger, for owing to the frequent occurrence of fires in the mine, the men seem to have become reckless, and thinking that this would be put out as

the others had been, neglected to give any warning until too late; for not until an explosion of foul air had taken place did the alarm become general. The men then began to make for the upcast shaft. The lifting machinery was worked with quickness and order, many were drawn up to the surface, and it was hoped that all would have been rescued. But a second explosion taking place the communication between some parts of the mine and the shaft was destroyed, and 60 men and boys were immured in this gloomy sepulchre.

A number of the miners volunteered to go down into the mine and search for those who had been cut off from succour by the suffocating vapour. Five of them went down into the mine, and it is one of the most melancholy facts connected with the calamity, that these noble men became involved in the fate of those whom they were endeavouring to rescue. They had been for some time in the mine, and a number of the injured men, some of them in such a condition that death would have been welcomed as a release from their intolerable agony, had been sent to the pit bank, when suddenly a third explosion took place, about 1 o'clock, and sealed the fate of all who were still in the workings. Still, there were many anxious to descend, to try if possible to rescue their entombed brethren. So great was the desire to undertake the deadly enterprise that nothing but the positive orders of the authorities that no person should be permitted to descend the shaft prevented a further sacrifice of life.

The engineers in whose hands the mine was placed after the first explosion, having decided that any attempt to restore the ventilation

until the fire was extinguished could only have the effect of producing another explosion more violent than the preceding, decided to overflood the workings with water. This determination caused great discontent, more especially among the women related to the poor fellows who had been entombed in the pit.

As the fire had originated in the lowest part of the mine, hopes were entertained that it had not extended into the workings; but such was not the case, for after sufficient water to have extinguished it, had it been confined to that space, had been let into the mine, another explosion far louder, sharper, and more terrific than any previous occurred, and a dense column of black smoke poured from the cupola like a gigantic tower, upwards of 100 feet in height; this explosion showed that the complete flooding of the pit was necessary. This has been effected by turning a stream of water into the pit's mouth; the workings have been completely filled up, and after the lapse of four months, operations are in progress for pumping out the accumulated waters. Up to that time (April) no body had been reached.

9. GREAT FIRE NEAR GRAY's INN-LANE. About 5 o'clock in the evening an extensive fire occurred in the extensive premises of Messrs. Pritchard, builders and timber merchants, Portpool-lane, Gray's-inn-road. Owing to the combustible nature of the stock, the flames rose high into the air, and the premises being on very elevated ground, the conflagration was visible to a great distance around. The engines of the firebrigade were quickly attracted to

the spot, and the engines from Reid's Brewery and other establishments lent their aid; but the flames burnt so fiercely that the real seat of the fire could not be approached; and even the attempt was attended with great danger. The fire therefore spread unchecked, and in the course of a very short time the whole premises and stock, covering near an acro of ground, and valued at 12,000l. or 15,000l., were consumed. As the neighbourhood of Gray's-inn-lane is renowned for being one of the most densely crowded, depauperized and demoralized districts of the metropolis, the scene presented by the population attracted into the filthy lanes and alleys by the exciting spectacle of the fire was very extraordinary.

10. MURDER AT SEA.-At the Winchester Assizes, Ferdinando Petrina, an Austrian, was indicted for the wilful murder of a man named Jones on the high seas, on the 4th of October. The prisoner, being a foreigner, availed himself of the privilege of having the jury partly composed of foreigners also. When called upon to plead to the indictment, he said, through the interpreter, "I was forced to do it." There is a kind of grotesque horror in the circumstances under which this crime (which involved a triple murder) was committed. In the month of September last the prisoner shipped at San Francisco as carpenter and second mate on board an English brigantine of about 300 tons, called the Winthrop-the Winthrop being at that time on her voyage from San Francisco to Monte Video. The captain and crew were foreigners, but the captain's wife (who was aboard) and the first mate, Jones, were of