The Express.
London, England, 1852-09-18 00:00:00

FATAL COACH ACCIDENT NEAR DENBIGH.

On Friday, the 18th instant, an inquest was held
on the body of Mr. Carmichael, who had been killed on the
peaklike Monday, by the overturning of a coach running
between Rhyl end Denbigh, and called the " Derby Dilly."
The following evidence was taken :
Robert Jenkins, an Innkeeper at Rhyl, was on the
Derby Dilly on Monday last, along with the deceased.
They were both outside passengers. There were fourteen
ere_ftsen passengers, five or six of whom were outside.
Wilmes" sat on the of-side, behind the driver. The de-
an/4 Francis Carmichael, sat on the back end of the
=Weside seat. deceased got up at the corner of
Teen-hall. The drag was on In going down Vale-
alleeet, and witness thought they were going rather fast.
Tie dose was taken up in the usual place. Felt the
eilisb mein Maw too much ; went slow for some time
dist *lig of the dreg, and went taster as they went
ea. Tbe • Irmaiike gate was open, and the coach
aet elegh Whams when he found the coach rocking
:Zak nude an observation to the passengers that they
haws an accident. The coach was going to and fro
u a shits et sea. The passengers began screaming. The
driver then attempted to pull up. The coach went at too
gnat • speed to be stopped of a sadden. Heard the de-
emed falling at the time the driver was pulling up, and
when the coach was in motion. After going about twenty
yards further the coach fell, and was dragged on the side
about a yard and a half. Witness went to the deceased,
who was lying on the left side of the road. The nab
upset en the right side of the reed, and all the pas-
sengers on that side, except the deceased. Witness spoke to
the deceased, but he d.d not answer. He was bleediug
and witness found him on his aids ; he then went back
to ruin the inside passengers to come out. The
driver was flat on the face, as if dead. He afterwards saw
him on his feet, and looking very wild, and witness told
him that a serious thing had happened, that Mr. Car-
melitesl was dead. Witness does not know whether de-
eming was sober or drunk. He got on the coach without
imislinue. The coach was considerably behind the other
auk Om Vieel was crushed, the hind wheel on the of
elk. NONNI fell at the time the people were screaming.
=mw but eery little of the driver, Edward Hughes.
inigesseion was that the deceased was sober. The
mash was galas at full speed, and the driver was whip-
gigojail: was down hill a little, and the oscillation was in-
ias they were going down. The driver pulled up
when witness called out that there would be en accident.
Heard no crack in the coach from the time deceased fell,
until it was upset. The spokes of the wheel were broken,
but the fellies and the hoop were perfect. Was of opinion
that if the coach was driven at an ordinary pace it would
have reached its destination without an accident. Had
been in the habit of travelling by coach, and it was the
custom of driven to go fast down n clip, so as to be bear
able to ascend the hill opposite. Could not say due the
wheel was entire from the time deceased fell ma the
coach was upset. Did not complain to the &War dos be
was driving too fast, though he was sitting dial to Ma
The driver was sober. The coach was in W saddle et
the road, and the driver kept the Mese eigeeher, and
they were well driven. Cannot say that the hams driving
was the cause of the deceased failing.
Mr. T. W. Williams, surgeon, said that about five o'clock
on Monday last, he found the deceased lying on the side of
the read, beyond the turnpike.gate • also found Dr. Pima
there. Found him bleeding froin'the nose, mouth, and
ears; the pupils were dilated. Those symptoms indicate •
fracture of the base of the skull. Left him in a dying
state ; he lived two or three hours.
Edward Hughes, the driver of the coach, said that before
starting from Ithyl, Mr. Roberts, the proprietor, had or-
dered him not to take more than 14 or 16 passengers as
the wheel was:bad. Left Denbigh at half-past 4—half an
hour after the time. Had 15 passengers. Put the drag on
in going down the strut, and was going to the turnpike-
read at a sharp trot. The cause of the upset-
ting was the wheel giving way. Did not perceive an
rocking in the coach, nor any seesaw Mg until the coach
was upset. Had 20 or more passengers that morning com-
ing to St. Aleph. The passengers forced themselves on the
coach. Came down the steel at a decent rate with the
damaged wheel locked. The street was not in good order
after the rain. Did not increase speed after going through
the gate. The coach always rocked, but did so a little more
then, and he pullet up. Did not know that the deceased
had fallen until he (witness) came to himself after the NI.
Was not in the constant employ of Pegg and Roberts.
The coroner briefly addressed the jury, who, after con-
sulting together for upwards of half an hour, returned*
verdict of " Manslaughter" against the coachman, Edward
Hughes. He was immediately taken into custody, and for-
mally committed to take his trial at the next Ruthin assizes.
—North Wales Paper.