The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-14 00:00:00

[Stamped, ld. Additional.]

LYNN AND HUNSTANTON RAILWAY

ACCIDENT.

LYNN. AUGUR? 13.
The inquest on the body of Mr. John Dennis was
resumed Om morning.
2dr..1. J. Coulson attended on behalf of the relatives of
the deceased. _ . .

The first wittier called wu Mr. Edward Holmes, super-
intendent of the works of the Norfolk Estuary. Had Un-
veiled over the Lynn nod Hunateoton lino three or four times
a week all the year. As to the construction of the line
there is one very bad place indeed in it—a place where two
inclines meet, on Mr. Gay's crossing. That rims about one
in 100, and inclines the same the other way, and there
ought to be at least • chain of level between them. Had
never ridden in a fast trsia since he discovered that, be-
cause he considered it uossfe.
Mr. Edward' saked what bearing this could have upon the
mg
Mr. Coultoo submitted that no evidence offered to the
jury should be excluded.
Whines continued—Had had experience of railways all
his life until he came down to the Estuary works. He
koew of two inclines meeting, although he had heard of
them. Had examined the femes. A fence which looked
like a fence when the hoe was opened had been no fence at
all in the last three mouths. The fences both high sod low
were inferior. He descnbed the fences, which he said were
not sufficient to keep the bullocks out. Hid known
bullocks oo the Great Northern line, and had stopped five
Unfits ova after another to pat bullocks °QV:ulnae.
By Mr. ooultoe—The inspector ought to stop • train to
put • bullock off the line The inspector has as much to do
with the fences as with the permanent way, and he ought
to have reported the state of the fences to his superiors. He
described the ditch at Mr. 'Bonifield's field, and said •
bullock would have no difficulty in walking from that field
to the line. He thought the ditches bad been dry sufficiently
long for the servants of the oomaoy to have called the
atteotion of the company to the fences. He mentioned •
circumstance on the Midland line, in which three bullocks
were lying on the four foot. The driver did not see them,
and ran quite through them. Had never seen bullock' on
the Hunstanton line, but had once seen 40 sheep.
By Mr. Edwards—The fence being put up is • very good
fence. . . . . .

By Mr. Conlton—Ditches, in my opinion, should not have
been leer than 5 feet deep. Four feet six is a common depth.
By Mr. Edwards—l do not know that the only fences on
the Banney and Helms line were ditches which were dry.
By the Jury—The driver of the first train, in his opinion,
could have pulled up to put off the bullock without risk to
the coming train.
By Mr. Edwards—l do not think I should have seen
danger had I seen the bullock by the side of the line.
Mr. E. M. Blomfield, recalled, said he saw his bullocks in
his held on the day of the accident at perhaps 10 or 11 in
the forenoon. Gave no orders for them to be taken out,
nor bad he heard that they were taken out. On the night
of the accident they were not out of the seld, he believed.
On the Tuesday night, he believed, they got out into Mr.
Row'. °eta. Had no doubt his shepherd could say whether
the bullocks were in the field at helf.psat son Monday
evening, and when the accident happened. There is a nar-
row slip at the other end of the field where the bullocks
could be without a man walking on the line seeing them.
By Mr. Coulton-1 have not the least doubt the bullock
killed was mine. . . .

The Rev. W. Heughton gave similar evidence to that
given by him before the county jury.
Mr. It. &eclair, chief engineer to the Greet Eastern Rail-
way, rid—An engineer he had ioapected the Lynn and Hun.
stens°. line. He inspected it before the Great Eastern
took it. Went over the line generally. Was aware of the
gradients. They were practically the same as those in the
parliamentary plans. Remembered the gradient near the
Wootton station especially. There is a change of gradiect at
the place. There would, of course, be a rounding at the
point of janction, bet how much he did not recollect. It
would certainly not be dangerous for such trains as ran on
the Hunstanton line. Wu atLy en when the government in-
specter impacted ths line, and had be observed anything wrong
in any pert of the line be should certainly have called atten-
tion to It. Had seen the fences near the scene of the accident.
They were in a state as described by many witnesses.
Should certainly have said before the night of the accident
it wan a fence that would have kept cattle out. When he
Inspected it, there must have been a considerable depth of
water in it. Considered the ditch a good fence, and the
rail upon it sufficient for a wet ditch. The object of the
rail is to prevent cattle which may get into the ditch from
getting on the line. Considered a rail 11 inches high
sufficient for that purpose. Could not explain how the
bullock got over the rail, en he had not heard it proved that
the bullock did get over. Asked to explain it on the hy-
pothesis that the bullock got over, witness said he could not
explain hypotheses.
By Mr. Edwards—Had seen the Ramsey and Holies
line recently opened. The fence, there were simply a ditch
10 or 12 feet wide without an 7 rail. There were plenty of
such ditches on the Great Northern Railway in low dis-
tricts. . .

By Mr. Coniton—There was no water in some of the
ditches on the Ramsey and Holm* line. There was abso-
lutely no fence beyond a ditch. It would be the business of the
driver of the accident train to have stopped as fast ma he
could. It would be impossible for mortal man to say whether
to have gone on with all speed be would have run over the
bullock. Not one man in a thousand would have h►d the
nerve to do so. Witness himself had run over a horse and
cart at 50 miles an hour and smashed them all to pieces
without sustaining soy injury himself.
The Oaroner went on to put some questions to the wit-
ness so to the Ramsey and Holme line, observing that he
considered the evidence of the inquest closed, and that he
(the Coroner) was now taking and thing that might be offered
as to any company.
Witness (in reply to the jury)—Government inspectors
were gentlemen woo had had experience of railways.
The witness Thornton was next re-called, and repeated
his evidence as to his alleged conversations with Mr. Unmet.
After much trouble it was elicited from the witness that he
did not see 51r. Durraet after the cattle got on the line.
He never saw Mr. Durreint with reference to the fences
after the hoe was opened, but be did before. He was
sorry he had made a mistake in his evidence on the pre-
vious day.
Mr. A. Swatman re-asserted that his last communication
with Thompson about the fences was in May, 1863.

Hardy, Hire shepherd, was next examinee'
Mr. W. W. Wagg said he was in the Hunstariton train on
the night of the accident, in the same carriage as Mr. Laird,
Mr. Dennis, and others, but at the Modal. end. It was
at the hinder end. It was between three and four minutes
past eight, and it was about balf.paat when they turned
over. He should think they travelled at about 30 miles an
hour. The carriages moved attar they turned over. He
heard the whistle distinctly, but be did not think the break
was put oe behind at all.
The court here adjourned for an hoar.

Upon its npathembling,
William Youngman, shepherd to Mr. F.. M. Blom&
was called—He said, on the day of the accident he saw the
bullocks io the field, in the morning at five o'clock. He saw
them again in the same field at half-peat four in the after-
noon, He sew none on the line that day. Did not see them
after that hour. They could get into the driftway through
the drain. Never saw them get from the field on to aired, but
had 1000 them go from the line on to the field. They walked
over the rail through the drain. They did it easily. Had
complained to his master about it. Fourteen days before
the accident he first saw them on the line. They had been
in the field ten days or a fortnight before. Had seen sheep,
but not heads ma the line before. Had never seen Mr.
Hamond'e cattle on the line. Recognised the bullock
killed as Mr. Blornfield's. Saw the bullocks again in the
same field on the ruesilay morning. Oa Wedneoday morn-
ing found them in Mr. How's field. Had no doubt the heifer
walked through the ditch and over the low rail on to the
line. There would be no difEbrulty in her doing that.
Captain Tyler was next examined. He said he was one
of the inspectors of railways under the Board of Trade. He
inspected the Lynn and Huostenton Railway on the 2tith
September, lSd2. Inspected it fully, and made a report to
the Board of Trade on the state of the line. On that report
the Board of Trade allowed the lice to be opened under cer-
tain conditions. (Report produced and read.] He had
observed the fences of the line, and thought they were suffi-
cient for the purpose. Still believed they were then suß.
cient. Had since inspected the fences over the whole line
again. There are many places whets additional protection
iis now required. There s nothing of the nature of au annual
inspection. After the first inspection a line is put under the
entire control of the company. The fence where the
accident happened required additional strengthening. An
animal might go over the fence, but there had been much
exaggeration, as for example, " stepping over it like a
daisy " Did sot doubt the pcesithfity or probability of
the heifer doing as the shepherd said it did. When be went
over a line he could not say whether the ditches would be
dry or not in a dry summer. If he stopped a line on such
grounds, the company, its shareholders, and the public
would call out against what would be considered an arbitrary
proceediat. He then said that the censure cast upon him
by a rerguit verdict had been so unexpected and, as he be-
hared, so unjust,thathe wished tosay a few words to the jury.
He proceeded to do so, contending againet the doctrine laid
down by Mr. Within, the county coroner, that the inspec-
tion of the railway by the government absolved the railway
company from any responsibility as to maintaining the
fences.

There was Do more evideoce, and
Mr. Edwards then addressed the jury for the company.
after which the Coroner summed up, sod in doiog so advised
the jury to throw out of their militia all that had taken
place at the other inquiry.
The jury, after being two boon and a half in
deliberation, found unanimously, " that John Dennis
died from injuries received is an accident caused by
• bullock straying upon the line. They were also
of opinion that the accident was owing to the bumf.
ficieucy of the fences, and the neglect of the seaDe by
the ()rest Eastern Company ; that the driver and guard
sated tothe best of their ability and according to Palm-

[TWOPENCE

tions. The jury strougly rectunmeodet that the earrings
should be sore frequeetly subjected to close examinatiou.
They were further d opiates that Captain Tyler WIN per.
hotly justified ia passim the line is lisptanbwr last."

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

READING RACES.—TatruDAY.

THE EASTHAIIPSTEAD PARK STIJL= of 5 MOM Each,
2 ft, with 30 added ; for 3-yr.olds and upwards ; certain
penalties and allowances. One mile and a half. (11 subs.)
Mr. Itraylere Golden Dust, by West Australlan—The
Broom. 3-Yn, ist Sib uulod. tib extra) ....;Cannon)
Mr. Headman's Foutenoi. ist 31b (Meluding 31b
extra) P. Plumb) 2
Mr. Merry's Lioness, 4-yrs, 7of illb ill. Covey) 3
Tippler vres scratched on the day of the race.
Betting 13 to Bon Golden Dust, 5 to 2 apt Fontenoy.
and 9to 2 apt Lioness. Fontenoy made the moiling by
Lioness for the first quarter of a mile, after which Golden
Dust took second place soul waited upon Fontenoy to the
distance, where Mr. Brayley's filly ran up alongside the
black hors., sad pithier the best of the straggle in • few
strides woe cleverly by • secy. Upona beaten otf.

Tax Reauiso firanis of 15 son. mach, 5 ft, with 50
added., for 2-yr-olds ; colts. Sat 10Ib ; fillies, fist 51b ;
winners extra, awl sultriest allowances. Half • roils. (X 2
subs.)
Mr. fierrts Crisis, by fenateter—Catastrophe, Sot Sib
(H. Cove) 1
(Judd( 2
. 40estaace)

Mr. .1. Powitey's tads Williams, Pat 9b
Mr. W. S. Osstarrisitat'stam, uR 811 i

Betting : 9to 4 on Crisis, 5 to 1 agst Lady Williams, and
6to 1 apt la c& Crisis made the whole of the ronnieg, and
won easily by three-quarters of a length. Lady Williams,
who got second on sufferance, beat lota by a bead, ►nd
Bradamante a moderate third.

TIM KING% ILEAVOW STAKIN (Handicap) of 5 lOW. each,
with :10 added ; wiueets extra. Straight saves furlongs.
(16 subs. )
Mr. Reeves's Topry, by Kingston—Diaet, 3 yrs, 7st
(T. French) 1
Mr. F. Jacob's Liam, 3 yrs. 7st 12lb . .... J. Daley, 2
SD Y. Jobostoim's Tailor, 2 yrs, Lnt 71b (C. Barrett, 3
The following also ran Chart:loam; Tom Sayers,
31argery, tbe Dictator, aed the Reserve.

RettiOg: 100 to 30 agst Topsy, 4 to 1 apt Churchman,
sto 1 each apt Margery and Mutual, 8 to 1 eget Lufra, 10 to
1 apt the Dictator, and 100 to 6 apt the Reserve. After
numerous breaks away, Lufra was first off, followed by
Topsy, Margery, Churchman, and Torn Sayan. This last
lot ran in a cluster round the turn into the straight, where
Churchman and Torn Sayers dropped back, and Tailor
joined the leading trio. At the distance Margery failed to
keep pm* with the hoot rack, and Topsy deprived Lufra of
the load. Hall way up the distance Lufra challenged, but
failing to get up, was beaten, after an exciting race, by •
head ; Tailor two lengths from the snood ; the Dictator
(sot placed) was fourth, and the Reserve and Robins next;
Churchman was pulled up half a dorm lengths In the rear
of Babied, and Torn Sayers and Margery were the last two,
beaten many lengths.
Tin BUIL:MILS STAKES (Handicap), of 20 NOM each,
ft, and only sif declared, with 100 added ; winners extra.
About two man. (35 subs., 17 of whom declared.)
Mr. Whittaker's Change, by Weatherbit—Mlas Aldcrota,
3 yrs. est 71b (J. Orhotbac) 1
Mr. WUllaineon's Blackdown 3 yrs, 7st 41b (bd. 71b extra)
(H. Giiinshavi) 2
Mr. Merry's gby Lora of the false—Wasp, yrs, eat 71b
(H. Corey) $
Betting : 6 to 4 agst Change, 7 to 4 apt Blackdown, 6 to
1 art the Wasp gelding. and 8 to 1 apt Gibraltar. The
latter made play, followed by The Detective, Blackdown,
Change, aid the Wasp gelding. After going half a milts
Gibraltar ran on the wrong side of three paste, but, main-
taining the lead, continued in front until within half • mile
of home, where he bolted, came in contact with some rails,
and was pulled up, the jockey walking him home. After
this accident Blackdown was left with the lead, the Wasp
gelding going on second, and Che third. They ran thus
to the distance, where the Wasp gelding gave way to ha
who, taking close order with Blackdowo, stuck to hiemnalla
reaching opposite the stand, where "Jemmy ^ got • slight
advantage over his brother Harry, wbo was beaten by •
neck, the Wasp gelding a bad third, sod The Detective, who
was simply Matted to make running for his stable companion
Blackdown, finished several lengths in rear of Mr. Merry's
inkling Tux
L•Drea' PLAT', of 25 son, each, added to • sweep-
stakes of 3 sow. each, for all ages ; selling allowances.
Straight five forloop. (10 alba.)
Mr. Merry's Sister to lelsonby, by Chantklecr—Plan-
-

fit 1
Mr. Chanoolloes Wee Aggla, 27ra, bat 711, Orlmahaw, 2
Mr. John Days Eudora, yrs, bat Db (8. Morgan 2
The following also ran Maid of Lincoln c, Canterbury, Buck.
boand, hablole,Falatinep, and Abernelhl.

J. I:ostes weighed fo;:bawdle, but-being towed 21b over-
weight, it was decided not to run the filly.
Betting : 4 to 1 each apt Wee Apse mid Buckhound,
to 1 apt Eudora, 100 to 15 apt Sister to Mebionby, and 10
to 1 apt Abernethy. Slater to Yelconby niadeil
ro thughout and won in • Gaoler by three lengths ; a length
separated the second and third. The Vedette Dolt was
fourth, and Backhound fifth, both beaten off ; and last of
all was Fslaestep. The winner was purchased by Mr. 0.
Raynor (the owner of Wee Aggro) for 2,0 guineas.
Tee NURSERY PLATE (Handicap) of 100 eon., for 2-yr.
olds. Winners extra. Straight nil is, about seven fur-
longs. (El sae.)
r. Trimmer's Verbena, by De Rnyter—Singleton LS
;et (J. Orhashaer; 1
of Hastings' Attraction, by Orlando, 7st 71b
_