INCIDENTS OF THE EXPLOSION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 921, 29 February 1868, Page 4

INCIDENTS OF THE EXPLOSION.

A Mr. Glutton, a tradesman in Leatherlane, at the time of tlie explosion was in his stable in Davis-street, attending to his horse, when he was struck dead on the spot. On being examined, his left breast bore the appearance of having been completely smashed in. Mr. Terry, builder, residing at the house next door but one to the prison, was sitting in his counting-house reading, when he was thrown violently from the chair to the ground, the chair itself being shivered into pieces. Mr. Terry fortunately escaped with a few bruises. It is reported that the Governor of the House of Detention received an anonymous letter yesterday, informing him that an attempt would be made to blow up the prison. He placed this letter in the hands of the police, but, as it stated no time when the attempt was to be made, nothing more was done than to place a few extra constables on duty in the immediate vicinity ; and it is owing to this precaution being taken that the speedy capture of the three persons supposed to be guilty was effected. The streets in the neighbourhood of the prison, for a quarter of a mile round, were strewed with fragments of broken glass. The accounts as to the origin of the explosion are of the most contradictory nature, and it is very difficult to get at the truth, even upon inquiry at official quarters. The exact truth will only be known at the examination of the persons apprehended this morning, A tradesman in Woodbridge-street states that he was passing along Corporation-lane at a few minutes to four o'clock, when he saw a man drawing a truck, apparently heavily laden, and accompanied by two other men and a woman. On their arriving opposite the wall of the prison which encloses the exercising ground of the prisoners, and into which they are usually brought out at four o'clock, the truck was stopped, and the two men lifted out of it a barrel, which they placed on the pavement alongside the prison wall. The woman in their company immediately stooped down, and at that ' moment, it is supposed, applied a fuzee to the contents of the barrel. The whole four immediately took to their heels, and the explosion took place in a few seconds, with the results already described. The parties were at once pursued, and two of the men and the woman were captured and taken to the Clerkenwell Police-station.