EXPLOSION OF GREEK FIRE IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 670, 5 May 1870, Page 4

EXPLOSION OF GREEK FIRE IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.

One Saturday evening in February the railway station at Stafford was the scene of an occurrence of a shocking and extraordinary character. So far as the circumstances are at present ascertainable, it appears that one of the passengers by the train leaving Stoke-upon-Trent at 6. 14, and arriving at Stafford at 6.41 p.m., had upon leaving the former station placed in the luggage-van two stone bottles, each capable of containing about two gallons, together with a bag about two feet long. Upon the arrival of the train at Stafford (where all passengers get out, and those who are proceeding further have to change carriages), two porters went to theluggagevan for the purpose of removing the contents. One of them, Joseph Dutch, went into the interior of the van, whilst the other, John Grant, remained upon the platform opposite the van door, ready to receive the things as they were handed to him by Dutch, and then place them on the platform. The two bottles and bag above mentioned had been placed upon the shelf over what is called the " dog locker" in the van, and Dutch had taken one of the bottles down, and was in the act of handing it over to Grant, when it suddenly exploded, scattering its contents over the persons of the two , porters, more particularly upon Graut, I who rushed along the platform shrieking 1 wildly that he was on fire and burning all over. Great consternation was naturally excited amongst the passengers and others on the platform, and about the station. Some of them, however, speedily procured a supply of water, which, on the suggestion of Mr Weston, surgeon, of Stafford, who happened to be upon the platform at the time, was mixed with soda and poured I over the unfortunate man, whose clothes were burned until they fell from his body, leaving him literally naked. The poor fellow was as soon as possible conveyed to the Stafford County Infirmary, where it was discovered that, in addition to the burns upon his body and arms, his face was also frightfully burned, the sight of one eye being totally destroyed, and that of the other nearly so. His injuries were at once attended to by the resident medical officer, and he now lies in a precarious state. The other porter (Dutch) was also severely burned about the legs and feet, and his trousers and boots were completely destroyed by the combustible contents of the bottle. Immediately after the sad occurrence, the passenger to whom the bottles and bag belonged was apprehended. When taken into custody he gave several different accounts of himself, one statement- he made being that he resided at Molyneux House, Wolverhampton (the site of the late exhibition). He, however, ultimately stated that his name was Thomas Earley, of No. 6 Starling Place, St. Stephen's Gaie, Norwich. He had in his possession a railway ticket from Stoke-upon-Trent to Wolverhampton, and a considerable number of papers, the nature of which has not yet transpired, was found upon him. The contents of the bottles are of a fluid character, and in color dark and treacly-looking. Whether or not it is the veritable Fenian " Greek Fire," as is supposed by many, is not at present known. The bag was filled with a substance which in appearance resembles Indian corn meal. The prisoner, who is a man of respectable appearance, was taken before the Hon. and Rev. A. C. Talbot, charged with exposing a certain liquid to the danger of the public. There was neither name nor label upon the bottles, nor any other indication as to the dangerous nature of their contents. Merely formal evidence as to the nature of the charge was given, and the prisoner was remanded.