The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-19 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT ON LAKE

WINDERMERE.

One of the most distressing accidents which we
have had to record in this locality for some time, occurred
on Tuesday on Lake Windermere, by which the only son of
R. Thieknesse, Esq., M.P. for Wigan, and the only son of
John Woodcock, Esq., banker, of that town, lost their
lives. The
_young men had been rowing on the lake en one
of those skiffs, very light and narrow in construction, a good
deal in use on Windermere; and though the accident was
not observed by any eye-witness, there is little doubt that
the boat was upset by one of the young men standing up
in end overbalancing it The accident occurred about
thirty yards from the shore, in about fourteen feet deep
of water. It was connected with a most distressing cir-
cumstance. The parents of one of the deceased we under-
stand were proceeding in another boat to meet the two
young gentlemen on their return from their boating to din-
ner, and at the place where the unfortunate accident oc-
curred, Ecclerig Cragg, about two miles north of Bowness,
they observed that something extraordinary had happened,
and upon inquiry were informed that two young gentle-
men had beea drowned; that it was not known who they
were, but that a cord had been found upon one of them
bearing the name of Mr. Thomas Woodcock. The sudden
shock and the agonising grief of the parents who thus
learned that their only eon, whom they expected to meet,
had been drowned on that spot, not many minutes before,
cannot he described. As may be imagined, the scene
was heart-rending. Both the young gentlemen were
well known in the neighbourhood, having been for some time
on a visit to Windermere, and the occurrence has ex-
cited universal sympathy and emotion.

THE SUPPLY OF COWL—The Messaygere, of
Modena, publishes a decree of the Minister of Finance of
the Duchy, prohibiting the exportation of corn, and admit.
init wheat, maize, and oats free of duty until rut tber
orders. Nevertheless the Dada in corn and flour is free as
before with those states that belong to the Austrian Customs
Union.

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT IN A SLATE QVARItY.—
A dreadful accident, by which one WOralli has lost her life
and another has received serious injury, has just occurred
at the Siauberis slate quarry. Three females, one a krauts
daughter, and the other two farm servants, •isited the
quarry to witness the operations going on. One of the
quarrymen conducted them over the works. Ho left them
standing at the extremity of a level, desiring them no: to
go further, as some rubbish was about to be cleared from the
top of the quarry. Ina short time, several tons' weight of
rock descended on the paved floor, at considerable distance
from them, but a rebound took place and the rock fell near
where the females stood with great violence, and became
shattered into large fragments which flow in all directions.
One of these struck one of the women in the back, inflicting
a frightful wound. The p .or: creature died in a few
moments without uttering a word. Her fellow-servant was
thrown to the ground and received serious bruises, but W. 1.1
not otherwise injured. The body was removed to the
quarry hospital, where an inquest was held at which a
verdict of accidental desalt was returned.

BARNSTAPLE BRIBERY COMMISSION.

CLOSE OF THE PROCEEDINGS.
BARNSTAPLE, FRIDAY NIORT.
The only evidence of any interest elicited to-day
was that of

Thomas Avery, landlord of the Angel Inn, who stated
that he was a freeman, and voted for Mr. Bremridge and
Lord Ebrington at the last election, but received no money
from, or on behalf of, either. Remembered that on the
morning of t►e nomination Sir Bouchier Wrey came to his
house, and a'ked if certain voters were not in the habit of
using it ? Witness replied, " Yes;" and Sir Bouchier told
shim to get them together. Witness asked if they might
have some beer, and Sir Bouchier said," Yes, if they liked."
Witness thought at the time Sir Bouchier would pay for
the:drink. Might have told his waiter to " Crack it along,
Charley "—(laughter)—but the quantity drank was not
large. The whole bill, including bread and cheese, beer,
and liquors, was only 21. 14s. 3d. Sir Bouehier Wrey did
not positively order it, but still witness thought that he or
his party would pay for it. Had made no demand for the
amount upon any one, but had been waiting for some one
to call and pay it. (Laughter.) Hoped yet that it would
be paid some day by somebody. Mr. Sevilla (conservative
agent) had paid witness 235. or 245. for entertaining voters
two months before the election.

[This case was the one in which the conservative party
laboured so hard, at the beginning of the inquiry, to prove
treating upon the part of Lord Ebrington and Sir B. \Trey.]
Various voters having admitted the receipt of the usual
Gt. after voting for Bremridge and Fraser, the proceedings
were adjourned.

SATURDAY NIG UT.
The commissioners held their final sitting to-day, and
examined several witnesses, who had come from a distance,
but whose evidence was merely admissary of the receipt of
vote money, without presenting any feature of public inte-
rest. At the can.flusion of the examination, the chief com-
missioner thanked the mayor, and other authorities of the
borough, as well as the leading agents of both parties, for
tits facilities afforded by them in the nrosecution of the in-
quiry sod the proceedings terminated.
Tee inquiry has lasted sixteen days, during which about
100 witnesses have been examined, and a frightful amount
of perjury and studied prevarication exhibited. The result
of the inquiry shows that at the last election about 3.0007.
was expended by the rival candidates:—about 2,400/. on
the part of Mr. Bremridge and Sir W. Fraser, in the conser-
vative ; and about 6007. on the part of Lord Ebrington,
in the iberal interest. The gross number of voters upon
the rtgister was 772, of whom about 40 did not vote. Of
these who did vote, 400 polled for Sir W. Fraser, and 395
for Mr. Bremridge, about 250 of whom—or consi-
derably more than one half—were bribed with
sums varying from 101. to 2!. 10s.—the standard
bribe, however, being 61.—upon a regularly organised
system. Lord Ebrington polled 332 vote*, two of which
were secured—but without the cognisance of the noble lord
or any authorised agent—by payments of 61. Of the 2.80
voters this bribed, about 140 were freemen and 110 house- '
holders; but the whole number of freemen upon the
register amounting only to 262, while the householders
amounted to 510; it follows that more than one-halt of
the former were purchaseable by money, while little more
than one-fifth of the latter were open to the same influence;
so far, therefore, the balince of electoral virtu, shows
decidedly on the part of the householders.
N 'thing has been elicited to show that the election of
1817 was corruptly conducted; in fact, it is termed in deri-
sion by the freemen the " tee-total " election ; and, if
pure, is universally allowed to be the only one of that des-
cription remembered by the " oldest inhabitant " of Bern-
' staple. The purity of this election, secured by agreement
between the candidates according to the provisions of the
last under which the commission was appointed, barred'
further inquiry, or a frightful scene of corruption would
i have been displayed by tho election of 1811, the history of
which is altogether remarkable. In the first place, a singular
blunder had occurred in the registration of the previous
year. It so happened that the voting lists were being re-
vised at the same time, both for parliamentary and munici-
pal purposes, and by some strange carelessness one of the
district lists of municipal voters was presented for signa-
ture to the revising barrister, and signed by him in mistake
for the parliamentary list, thus giving the suffrage to a
large number of low-rented householders, who were not
entitled; and it is said that every vote thus obtained was
sold for 151. at the following election, both panics bribing
in an extravagant manner. Tho "figure" at its minimum
was 151., and 201., 251., and even higher sums were freely
given (and as freely taken, it is hardly necessary to say) ;
while, by clever inauceuvring a few voters, well up in
electioneering tactics, contrived to get money from all par-
ties,
and one perjured himself before the committee of the
I House of Commons by saying that he received money
for his vote in his life (but has now admitted the receipt of
money in 1852) is said to have in this way received 701. in
11847. The result of that election was a petition
against the return by the liberals, upon the ground
of bribery and other disqualifying allegations, which
was met by criminal informations for bribery, filed
by the conservative party against several liberals; pro-
ceedings, however, being ultimately stayed by both sides by
way of compromise. The cost of that election was enor-
mous, and between it and the last election the occurrence of
a perfectly pure election, such as 1847 is said to have wit-
nessed, seems to have been impossible, were it not for the
universal agreement in that respect of the evidence given
before the commissioners. As it was, great credit seems to
be due to the leaders of the liberal party for their forbear-
ance at the last election, knowing, as they did, the past his-1
tory of the borough, and the acts to which their opponents
were even then resorting. It is, perhaps, not unimportant
to add, that many of the voters bribed by a payment of 61.1
at the last election were men not only occupying a respect-
able position, but who, in a pecuniary sense, were in'
comfortable, and sometimes even easy circumstances. In
fact, it may be said that the constituency is rotten to the
core, the honest electors being entirely at the merry of the
money-hunters. In municipal elections the same influence'
prevails, although, laf course, the bribes are smaller in I
amount. At the last municipal election prices are said to
have ranged front a pint of beer to 255., and the widest ex- 1
penditure to have secured the greatest number of votes.
Subsequent to his first examination, Lord Ebrington ad-
dressed to the cemmissionen a letter, in which he said :
" Contrary to my expectation, no reference whatever was
made, in the course of Sir W. Fraser's examination, to the
offer conveyed to me on his behalf' and his colleague's, of the
immediate withdrawal of one of them, and my unopposed
return in his stead, on condition of my relinquishing the
petition against them, which was than oar the point of going '
before the committee.

"I can give no better proof of the conscious rectitude
of my proceedings, and of my sincere desire to expose,
with a view to extioguish, the corrupt practices at elections
lin Barnstaple, than the simple fact of my having peremp-
torily rejected this offer, &refusal which, I need hudly say,
cost my father a large sum of money ; and me, exclusion
for an indefinite time from parliament.

This offer, emanating it it did from parties who could
have no right whatever to claim confidential intercourse
with me, I felt bound to keep secret no longer than was
requisite to prevent any possibility of its influencing the
decision of the election committee ; now that this, the only
reason for its concealment, has long ceased to exist, I think
the ends ofjuatice will be promoted by making it known."

No question was put to Lord Ebrington on his second
examination with regard to this attempted compromise,
the commissioner holding that occurrences subsequent to
the election itself could not legitimately be brought within
the scope of the powers conferred upon them by the act of
parliament. It is, however, fortunate that Lord Ebrington
did not accede to the proposition made for a compromise,
the object of offering which could only be a desire to shield
Barnstaple from the searching investigation which has just
come to a close.

In conclusion, it may be added that Thomas Gaydon, the
unhappy freeman who attempted suicide, because, ha'ing
perjured himself before the committee of the House of Com.
mons, he feared the result of an examination by the com-
missioners, is now in a fair way of recovery, although his
appearance in court was of course rendered impossible by
the deed.

THE AM POR THE PREVENTION OP CONTAGIOUS
AND EPIDEMIC Diszasza.—Tho act of parliament under
which the order in council respecting the cholera, was
issued, passed on the 4th September, 1848. It is entitled
" An act to renew and amend an act of the tenth year of
her present Majesty, for the more speedy removal of certain
nuisances and the prevention of contagious and epidemic
diseases." Tho first part of the statute has reference to the
removal of certain nuisances, and the second empowers the
privy council to issue orders for putting in force the provi-
sions relative to contagions and epidemic diseases. The
order having issued for Great Britain for the next six
months, the General Board of Health, by the 10th section,
is empcwered to issue directions for the prevention, as far
as possible, or mitigation of, the. disease. The board may
provide for the frequent and effectual cleansing of streets
and publ,e ways ; for the ventilating and disinfecting of
; for the removal of nuisances, and the speedy in-
terment of the dead, and generally for preventing or miti.
gating such epidemic in such manner as to the board may seem
expedient. Medicines may be dispensed and medical aid
provided. House, can be inspected during the day time,
and anything injurious to health removed. The expenses
are to be paid out of the Poor's rate. There aro Tarim',
provisions to enforce the act, and penalties arc to be
levied and recovered for obstructing its execution. All
orders and regulations are to be laid before parliament
and gazetted.

TRE Ni 01.711 OF THE DANUBS.—The Cronstat
Gazelle states that the steam dredging machine which wu
set to Work on the remonstrance of the foreign captains,
worked un the 16th, 17th, 22nd, and 23rd August, in the
Sulins, and managed to remove 12 barges full of mud dur-
ing the four days. The Vienna Press,: says that the Au•
strian Consul at Galata has received instructions to give
exact information of the real state of things in the Sulina.
When this has been done, a diplomatic scorrespondence on
the subject will immediately be opened with Russia. Under
no circumstances will occasional dredging be considtecd
aufneicnt.

THE FALLING OF A HOUSE IN THE STRAND.

INQUEST THIS DAY.

AI ten o'cicts.
lc this morning, Mr. Langham, deputy-
ster, resumed, at the St. Clement Dane's
Vestry room, the ingth..v into the circumstances attending
coroner for IVestintk
the deaths of Rob, rt Thu'mp'"' Sarah Thompson, Geo.
Dunn, and Geo. Rowe, who,
will be remembered, were
killed by the falling of Use hones fio. ISI, Strand, on
Thursday, the Bth inst. It will be seen .
that evidence of an
important character was produced.
John Fordham Stamford, 9, Arundel-street, Strand,
architect and surveyor, said that he saw the premises en the
Tuesday before the occurrence. He considered that o'
workmen had sunk the earthwork too low, and endangered
the party wall, and he called on Mr. Phillips, Mr. Abra.
hams' clerk, and informed him of it. Did not see Mr.
Abrahams. Mr. Phillips told him that the wall was well
shored up; but witness told him that ho had better go
and look at it. Ile explained to Air. Phillips that on
a similar occasion, some years ago, a house had fallen
contrary to his (Mr. Phillips's) anticipations. He no-
ticed on the Tuesday that the wall was out from i
9 to 18 inches. The wall was supported by several
shores, but he did not notice any jack-sho: es. He consi-
dered that such were required, but would not consider that
had they b,en up it would have been sufficient, as noshereing
could render that wall safe. He would never have excavated
as they had done. He would have taken out a portion of the
earth near the street, and run up a sort of pier, and then
gradually renmeilt he earth a little at a time. Had the
flooring been shored up it would not have been safe, as the
joists of the wall ran into the rooms, and with the excava-
tions then going on the wall must have brought down the
floors. _

By the Jury.—Had the wall been well secured before
the commencement of the excavations, it might have ren-
dered it safe. Ile was certain that he recommended to Mr.
Phillips to pursue the same mode of excavation as he (wit-
ness) would have adopted. Oa the Wednesday when he
passed he saw that nothing had been done upon his sugges-
tions to Mr. Phillips. There was no shoring to the front
of the house in the Strand, but he could not say that that
was necessary. If the foundation was good, the leaning of
one or two inches in the wall would not have beau dan-
gerous. The soil of the foundation appeared to him to be
a loose gravel, but clay would sink quite as soon.
By Mr. Ballantine.—The opportunity of speaking to Mr.
Phillips about the premises was at that gentleman's dikes.
At the time he went to Mr. Phillips's there were no jack-
shores. There were some short shores ; but he did not ob-
serve any jack•shores. Oo his oath ho did not see an
jack shores. He recommended that the excavations should
be done by piecemeal.
William Shrimpnell said—Mr. Rowe, one of the deceased,
acted as clerk of the works, and Mr. Phillips and Mr. Abra-
hams came frequently. There is generally a clerk of the
works on the part of the surveyor and on the part of the
contractor. Mr. Rowe did no work at all, hut attended for
Mr. Lucas and gave witness instructions. Oa the day be-
fore the house tell he did not hear anything from Mr.
Rowe or Mr. Phillips as to the dangerous state of the
wall through the excavations. Mr. Abrahams was there on
the Tuesday. Whatever orders witness received were from
Mr. Rose, who always consulted with Mr. Abrahams.
The inquest was proceeding when we went to press.

FATAL RAILWAY COLLISIOA%

STAFFORD, SATURDAT.

A very serious collision on this line between
the Crewe and Whitmore stations, by which John Rourke
an Irish cattle dealer, lost his life, several other persons
were much injured, and considerable damage daue to
property, formed the subject of an inquiry here yes-'
terday (Friday), before Mr. W. Ward, the coroner, and
a respectable jury. The facts are briefly these:—An
extra train, with cattle, from Holyhead, arrived at Crewe
■bout 1 o'clock on the morning of Thursday, and left there
at 1.20. It was a very heavy one, consisting of 39 carriages,
26 loaded with cattle, and 13 with iron ore ; the deceased,
with Pi' other cattle men, being in :the break-van with
Williamson, the breaksman. In consequence of a fog which
prevailed, the rails were wet and slippery, and the train
proceeded very slowly, perhaps mot more than four or five
miles an hour, until it arrived at Ba•ford, 'when its speed
was increased, and it got to a rate of from 14 to 16 miles an
hour. Some thirty minutes after it had departed from
Crewe, a goods train, comprising 36 waggons, a break-eta,
and two engines, one pilot, was dispatched from the si me
station towards Stafford, and the, condition of the rails
having much improved by the passage of the preceding
cattle train, it travelled 'at the rate of 17 or 18 miles an
hour, and therefore fast gaining upon the one which was
before it. On reaching about half a mile south of Madelcy,
Ore pilot, having succeeded in getting the goods train over
the worst of the road, was detached, and west in advance of
the train so as to shunt ►t Whitmore on to the down line of
rails, and get back to Crewe. It was imagined that the cat-
tle train was farther on the road. Almost immediately
after the pilot had been detached, the driver observed the
rear red lights of tho break van glimmering through the
fog right in front of him. He instantly reversed the engine,
but the distance was not sufficient to avoid collison. The
shock is described to have been of a most severe descrip-
tion; the deceased sustained a fracture of the spine, and
the other men were bruised more or less. He was removed
to the infirmary of this town, where ho died alter much
suffering. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental
death," with an expression of opinion that due caution had
not been exercised by the servants of the comany at Crewe,
and that pilot engines ought not to be taken off trains ex-
cept at stations.