The Express.
London, England, 1852-02-12 00:00:00

FATAL AND EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT

AT BRIGHTON.

We (Brig,'lon Guardian) have to place on record
the particulars of a startling and appalling accident which
occurred on Tuesday afternoon, and which resulted in eon-
eiderable personal injury and a violent death.
On Sunday night, "a raw and gusty" night, the porter
at the gates of the Brighton Pavilion grounds (Mr. !When
Snow), went out at the usual hour to close them. The
gates aro very massive, heavy, double gates; and as they
do not run on rollers, es it is desirable such ponderous
gates should, it is difficult in rough weather either to open
Of close them. On this occasion the porter, attacked by
a sudden gust of wind from the teeth, was unequal to
the task ; while he grasped the lett hand gate going
from the grounds, it overmastered him, and swung to
with a bang, he being almost knocked down by the thee*.
By this suddereosovement what is called the upper " ride,"
that is, the hinge by which the gate is suspended from its
hook, snapped asunder; so that the gate was only kept up
by the lower "hook and ride." This state of things, we
understand, he duly tenoned: at all events, on our needing
through the gateway on Monday evening we found this lett
gate closed, and some men were employed in shoring it up,
fur which purpose they used a piece of 3in. deal seam eta
feet in length, one end pressing under a panel in the gate
and the other resting on the ground.
The left gate was in this position on Tuesday. The wea-
ther was uncertain, and towards four o'clock in the after-
noon the sky threatened rain. A law drops began to fall,
then the rain came down pretty ammtly, and several ladies
and gentlemen, as well as some children, made for the
shelter of the gateway. The wind was blowing coldly end
sharply direct tram tee north ; and to escape both the cold
and the rain, the little group, which was king momen-
tarily augmented in number, sought the shelter afforded
by this closed door, and gathered behind it.
A person living in the neighbourhood says that at this
moment, as she stood at her window, she heard a sudden
skull sound, as of a low burst of thur.der, immediately fol.
breed by ehticks and cries for help; and on running out
sad Making Cur the archway she saw the huge gate lying
ma theground, and the upper part of the body of • lady, ap-
parently dead, the legs being under the fallen moss. Seve-
ral Kneel. around wets seteaming with pain and terror. A
sudden burst of wind had in fact brought the gate down,
asd some of those behind had been nimble to get clear of it.
As soon as sufficient ualstanee could be obtained the lady
ma the ground was extricated and conveyed into one of the
ledge., where she was speedily recognised as Mi.. Michel-
son, a lady about 30 years of age. the daughter of a gentle.
man residing at 10, brand-parole. She had been standing
very near the gate, and when it fell she had with those
around her sought telly from it, but had not gone far enough
before it struck her in its descent, knocking her down, fall-
ins upon the lower part of her hotly. She was very se-
riously injured and quite insensible. Mr. Lawrence was
immediately sent fur, and chancing to be at home (living
close by), come to the spot promptly, but from the first be
gave nu hopes of her surviving the accident. Temporary
remedies of a reetoretive character were applied ; and on
the arrival of the poor lady's unfortunate parent, Mr. Mi-
chelson, she was placed in a tip and conveyed to her home.
She only survived half an-hour.
Mr. Sherrill, a gentleman residing at 10, Lewes crescent,
Kemp-town, was near the gate, which in descending caught
kis leg and broke it. Ile oua:ained other injuries. Several
surgical gentlemen were soot, upon the spat; they set the
limb, and the sufferer was conveyed to his residence. An-
other unfortunate was Miss Langridee, a little girl, related
to Mr. Laugridge, Clerk of the Peace for Sussex, who
occupies No. 1, Marlborough-place. She was struck in the
face, and it was at Heat supposed that her injuries were of a
very severe nature ; but we subsequently learned that this was
not so, her wounds being comparatively trilling. Several
other pervious, whose names we have nut been enabled to
learn, received contusions, and were otherwise hurt,—one
lady being etruek on the dhow, and another on the side of
the face ; but in neither of these cases was serious incon.
venience felt.

The position in which the deceased fell in all probability
saved the lite of the little girl, Miss Lmigridge, as the sic).
knee of the blow which she received must have linen mate-
rially weakened by the gate having first fallen upon the
deceased. As it *as, Miss Lingridse was so severely hurt
that concussion of the brain resulted, though we are happy
to state that, in the opinion of her medical attendant, she Is
not at present in any imminent danger. Mr. Sheriff's
in4uries are of a serious character. Ile has suffered a com-
minuted fracture of the lilt collar-bone, and a very severe
fracture of both bones of the right leg near the antic.