The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-04-25 00:00:00

THE LATE FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT

OLD HILL.
In the Coirt of Exchequer, on Monday, before Samna
Bramwell and Pigott, Kitting in Banco. an application was
male in the case of Macaulay r. the Great Western Rail-
way Company. It was an action tried at the recent Staf-
ford &saxes, before Lord Chief Justice Cileridge, and
was brought by a widow to recover compensation fir the
loss of her husband. It appeared that on the 25 bof
August last he was returning from Birmingham to his
home its a crowded passenger train of twelve carria tea.
and when they stopped at Old Hill station the deceased
opened the door to assist a young lady out of the com-
partment. It was a very dark night, and in stepping
out he fell over slow parapet into the road and broke his
neck The Jury,found a verdict for the plaintiff, damages
£1,360.

--.-- --
Mr. J. J. Powell, Q.C., now moved fir a stay of pro-
ceedinsrs upon affidavits ; and, secondly, for a rule for a
new trial, on the grorind that the verdict :was against the
weight of evidence. The facts upon which he made this
mltion were peculiar. The plaintiff represented herself
to be the lawful wife of the deceased man who was killed
on defendants' line; but immediately after the trial it was
rumoured in Stafford that Macaulay had had another
wife and children living in some part of the United
States, and that consequently the plaintiff was not his
lawfully married wife. In reply to enquiries made by
them, the solicitors of the company, Messrs. Young,
Maples, and Co., had received :a telegram from the United
States in these words: " Have ascertained there is first
widow now living. Not yet left her present residence."
Mr. Powell: My application now is for a stay of pr,
reeding,.
Mr. Baron Bramwell: You apply, I suppose, for a new
trial, and for Wally to amend the pleading.?

Mr. Powell: I will mould it in whatever way or ron,
your lordships wish. I may state that 4 the time I sp.
plied to the learned judge to stay execution, end
lordship granted me that request. The learned &muse'
then read the affidavit of a luau named Charles Hackett,
engaged in the nail trade at Halesowen, who had beca
the United States in 1866, where he learned from Arabi.
bald Graham, an intimate friend of deceased, Ma the
late Samuel Macaulay, the eupposed husbund of ths pte.
sent plaintiff, had a wife and two children than livie4la
Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, and ha stated UM
reason he had separated from her was in ecinaegneass of
her extravagence to dress and living, and swapseted irs•
morality on her part.
Mr. Baron Bramwell: When did he perform the mar.
riage ceremony with his supposed wife in thil Colllary
Mr. Powell . On the 3rd October, 1872. The deceased
was a nailruaker, and on his return from Ilse States he
went to reiride at the Bell Inn, Halesoweik where be
made the acquaintance of the landlord's daughter, dee pr„,,
sent plaintiff, and representing himself as 4 single ewe
he married her.
Another affidavit, sworn to by George ambits, ek.
brother of Charles Hackett, verified the hie% deposed to
by his brother as to the marriage in Americo,
[hr Court granted a rule nisi to show cause.