The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-30 00:00:00

TR, RAILWAY ACOLDJUIT AT CROYDON.

Rebel liisspasts, 83, engine-driver, sorrendered to take
his trial upon three charges of manslaughter.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Barrow appeared for the premoni-
tion ; Kr. B. James, Q.C.,, Mr. Knapp, and Mr. Raymond
were for the prisoner.
The charge against the defendant area out of the unfor-
tunate accident whisk took place last August at the Croydon
station, when three persons were killed and others seriously
injured. Although the nominal prosecutor of the indict-
ments wee Mr. Land, the superintendent of police, the real
prosesstege were stated to be the Brighton Railway Com-
pany. The preens killed were travelling in a train belong-
ing to the feleal•ieeters Company, and it appears that
nearly 13,000 i. have bad so be paid by that company to the
legal nereesutatime of the deceased and injured perms.
The question is on which of the two companies above-
'anted mast the less of ale large sum fall. The trial took
up the whole day, Meths facts lie in a small compass. The
fleath-Rostera Company had made arrangements for a
sposial train hem Dover to the Crystal Pelee'. At Ashford
it wee baud ammeary to divide it into two portions, the
first of mkt& went es and arrived safely at its dee-
tinadem ; the other (of which prisoner was the
driver) rum into a holiest engine belonging to the
BOOM eampsay_ which was standing on the line
at tie °mats Illtellen taking in water. The facts relied
lupin he the peassetion appeared to be that the defendant
was ping very Ark and that be had paned a danger signal
either nesitgently. or duos& prevent improper speed
eould Imp the teats is Wm to a For
the dame it we' Oehiellill4 that had the line been free
from ishatrucdoe there was not **least danger in travelling
at the aped mentioned; that as the management of the
Maass, and all the signals, ita, devolved entirely
et ralas line, it was the duty of their sensate to
limelhi dear. That by a very small outlay the necessity
n% eagimes ea to the line for water at the station
bale semeved. That every precaution bad boom
taken by the servants of the South-Eastera Company to
prevent aselient, in easing a red tail-beard to the fret
traka themagehowies that another might be soon =petard,
and is seeneh station to the succeeding one
the a etas essead portion of the hula. Is addi-
tion, t was shown, spinet the Brighton Company, that a
sigael intimating the line was clear, was actually exhibited
when the ensuMen train arrived, while the spot where the
second (danger) signal was displayed was too near to give the
prisoner time to being his train to a stand.
The primmer it appeared bad been tea years in the en-
vies of the limith-Restera Company, and bore the character
of a sterner weal driver.
Hr. Imes maim a most able and wergetio address to the
jury ea behalf ad the paiseam. Ha said it was 'Whale= to
supwas that the polies bed smylideg to de wM this
ea ; for although fir. Lead, the superiatwileat, Yd bees
put leeward by his learned friend as the prameutor, and be
would haw the Jury believe that he was merely acting fa
the Menet hilejestieo_ the widows me& it abandandy
clear that tbe Beltway Oimpay ewe the real pro-
secutes% ail WM they sem& teeescidee the poor aeon at the
bar, in the hope that thereby they Wald save their own
pockets, sad Whew themselves Irma ges sewown
of
the w idest. whisk was cleanly essedened by
peas willows* sad bed sesasimeeiat. Aftbrregli eery
sadeawar had been made Se amain the fast ofv ths
Brighton Company being the ponesnlesei sessile deosive the
jury in that respect, he (Hr. Jamm) walla net follow each
an MINK sad be NM be weld frankly tell the jury that
he sad hllsemeell Meads was instructed to defend the
, prima by the Sea& Realm Railway Company, who felt
that they
_eight ass to allow aam to be sacrilsed who, is
' theta Weis% had periermal his duty properly, and had
Stan Whew The learned counsel thsa pro.
to maimed Viet the safectunate occurrence was w-
ady essediaed by the gross sentence of the fields at
the Croydea sad he said that everything diet was
d M be demo to prevent accident had beta time by the
=susgesy, sad never weld haw mearnd
=samisen Ca
eagles hat sit bees pissed_ upon the lies at
1110 very weasat whoa it was known that the eyelid kola
Ws abseil hi arrive. He asked what Mid be a 11110“
WMOW SW ill We as mime matinally
alla ege• tbe webs ano al it Mid velem fort
Mr liaise bed le pees amity Ile isp; sad be
ibe jury that It bad boss admitted that by a vary mail ex-
pose the weemity of tabby wow Is a
th pea the oda line
at ell might be eagthat notwi thh the
MOM= Oswpwy. Weil • viest w elf ing
making
Wei de. that they was tm wrong, still seWacathe
d psalm The leaned cowed ales milled the ea.
N the bey particularly to the faddist a telegraph
wedge had egiadly been met fans the Stoat's Rost to
the Croyd
em MOW a aneandag the feet that the train was
on its way. to the latter, and yet as Asps were taken to pre-
vent accident.
Mr. Baron Platt having summed up, a verdict of Not
Cuiky was immediately returned, the foreman adding that
it was the opiates of the jury that the prisms: was wow-
rated fres all biome in the Wasastioa.
There was mew saviors in the court when the verdict
was ridureed, mad upon its being summoned the learned
jades eddeemed the 'Masan wail said, „The jury have
Tea
lowa
m yea g
net Why, and I entirelyentirelyswear to that verdict.
bs
Violists of 1M dwilty were thee recorded in each of the
sew, gad the Oman left the wart.