fallen. In his opinion there had been no want of judgment
displayed, and the material was of the best
description. The mode of operation, in his opinion,
was a judicious one; and he saw no danger in regard
to the construction of the scaffolding. He had never
had any apprehension with respect to these trusses, nor
had any of the men ever expressed apprehension respecting
them or fear of working on them. The accident was
an unforeseen event, that could not be accounted for.
The trusses had once before given way, and their
strength had to be increased. At the conclusion of the
evidence Sir Charles Fox volunteered to go over the
building with any person and give every explanation.
The inquest concluded on the 19th, with a verdict of
"Accidental death." At a separate inquest held on
the bodies of two men who died in Guy's Hospital,
further evidence was given to show that the greatest
precautions had been taken, and that the proximate
cause of the accident could not be ascertained. Mr.
Cochrane, an engineer employed at the Crystal Palace,
Sir Charles Fox, and Mr. Ward, an architect formerly
employed at the Palace, gave evidence. Sir Charles
Fox said, the plan which had failed had been adopted
because it was considered a better and a safer mode
than raising a scaffolding 180 feet high from the ground.
The jury visited the Palace. On their return, two of
their own body gave evidence. Mr. Doyle, a scale-
maker, declared that the iron used for the trusses was
of the best quality, and well put together. Mr. Drewit,
a builder, said the timber was of excellent quality, quite
new; and everything was well executed. The jury
returned a verdict of "Accidental death." The bodies
of eight of the sufferers were interred on the 18th in
Sydenham churchyard. The long funeral procession
was formed in the central nave of the Palace, in which
all work ceased for the day. The foreman of the
works preceded the coffins; each coffin was followed by
the relatives of the deceased; and in the rear were all
the workmen, a thousand in number, headed by Sir
Charles Fox, Mr. Henderson, and Mr. Cochrane. It is
stated that "Messrs. Fox and Henderson invariably
make a provision for the widows of workmen who lose
their lives in their service, by a weekly allowance of
from 10s. to 12s., continued over periods of not less
than twelve months; and, what is perhaps really more
important and beneficial to them, the firm invariably
take charge of the orphan children, and introduce them
to habits of industry in their own service."

Dr. John Stokes, an elderly gentleman, formerly in
large practice in Dublin as a physician, but recently of
Herne-Bay, has committed Suicide, in the chambers of
Mr. Lees, a barrister of the Temple. Dr. Stokes was
once in good circumstances, but rash speculations had
ruined him; he came to London respecting an execution
which had been issued against him; and he exhibited
great despondency. Mr. Lees related at the inquest the
remarkable circumstances of the suicide. Dr. Stokes
called in the morning, and said he should return to
Herne-Bay at noon; but in the evening he entered Mr.
Lees's chambers. Mr. Lees was taking tea in company
with Mr. Creed, another barrister, and invited the
deceased to join them; but he declined. There was a
small arm-chair in the room, into which the deceased
threw himself.  Mr. Lees asked him if he had been
successful in what he had been about, to which he replied,
"All right," in a confused sort of way. After being
asked to take a cup of tea and a chop, which he declined,
he said, "If you please, will you give me a glass of
wine?" Mr. Lees poured him out a glass of sherry.
Having sipped it, he opened a carpet-bag which belonged
to him, and which lay on a chair by his side, and took
out a phial-bottle, which he appeared to smell. Mr.
Creed said to deceased, " Doctor, is that sal-volatile, as
you are so depressed?"  Deceased said it was. The
other gentlemen had no apprehension that the bottle
contained poison, and deceased drank off the contents.
He then appeared more confused and stupified than
before. When asked to lie down on the sofa, he would
not; and he then drank off the remainder of the
sherry. Immediately after his head fell backwards, and
he went, apparently, into a deep sleep, accompanied by
hard breathing. A surgeon was called in, but on his
arrival Dr. Stokes was quite dead. He had swallowed
prussic acid. The jury gave a verdict of "Temporary
insanity."

Mr. Goldsmith, a merchant of London, has been
Killed on a Mountain near Geneva; and Mr. Richard
Clark, son of Mr. Clark, of Doncaster, has been badly
hurt. The gentlemen ascended the mountain from
Geneva; they rashly attempted to descend on the other
side, where there is no road; when the route became
dangerous, Mr. Clark halted, but his companion pushed
on—he fell into a chasm, and was killed. Alter a time
Mr. Clark advanced to look for his friend; he too had
a fall, and became insensible. On recovering, he found
that his left thigh was broken, and his right ankle
crushed; and his hat, shoes, and walking-stick were
gone. As it was near nightfall, Mr. Clark determined
to abide where he was until morning, and then to signal
for assistance; early on the following morning he
succeeded in attracting the attention of some peasants, two
of whom came to his assistance; but, finding him
incapable of moving himself, and also much exhausted,
they procured other help and some bread and brandy,
which the sufferer said was most welcome. With great
difficulty he was got safely to the foot of the mountain.
Subsequently, Mr. Goldsmith's body was found. This
was not the first accident to tourists in the same place;
yet there is no warning notice erected on the summit of
the mountain.

Three men have Perished by being Carried over the
Falls of Niagara. A boat, in which they were asleep,
got adrift, and floated into the current, where it was
upset. Two of the men were carried immediately over
the Falls, and dashed to pieces on the rocks below. The
third, named Joseph Avery, caught at a stump in his
passage, and clung to it. He was discovered almost on
the brink of the Falls. Several boats were launched
in order to rescue him, but they were swamped the
moment they touched the Rapids. A life-boat was then
launched, but proved too light, was swamped
immediately, and went over the Rapids. At length the man
went over the Falls. He was swept from a raft which
was floated to him, when he attempted to swim to a
small island, but was eventually swept over the Rapids.
He had remained for nearly four and twenty hours in
his dreadful situation, in the view of thousands of
spectators.

SOCIAL, SANITARY, AND MUNICIPAL
PROGRESS.

A General Strike of the London Cabmen took place
on Wednesday, the 27th ult. It was unexpected, and
the consternation of the public was great when, on that
morning, not a single cab was to be seen on any of the
stands throughout the metropolis. Persons arriving by
the early morning trains, or anxious to reach them—the
endless array of pleasure-seekers, and men of business,
and strangers visiting London—found no means of leaving
the railway-stations except on foot. Men were seen
flying to catch the trains, with carpet-bags and trunks;
all available porters were eagerly snapped up; enormous
demands were made for private carriages; the omnibuses
were crowded; hundreds walked to business who have
not walked for years. The railway companies did their
best to supply the deficiency, but the accommodation
afforded was necessarily inadequate. Generally speaking,
the strike did not give occasion to rioting or
violence. One attack, however, was made upon a cab-
driver who had not joined his brethren; but without
any serious consequence. Groups of cabmen were
collected at the railway stations, uproarious in their coarse
jocular remarks and jeers upon the perplexed passengers.
Several drivers were also arrested for furiously driving
about adorned with a profusion of ribands and carrying
flags, in a state of semi-intoxication. They were bound
over to keep the peace. The police were more numerous
in the streets than usual. On the second day vehicles
of all kinds were licensed to carry persons and luggage;
many, of course, plying without a license. Costermongers'
trucks and barrows, and many private old
dusty carriages, were put in requisition. The cabmen
made attempts to prevent them from plying for hire, by