The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-18 00:00:00

lamp. I walked round the tail of the train, and saw the
usual signal lamps burning, the one tail light and the two
side lights (red). I returned to the carriage on finding all
was right, and took my seat. Finding the train did net
proceed, I again got out and went to the engine. Mr.
Young said he had sent for a pilot engine, which he
expected every minute. I then saw a white light at a Con-
s! erable distance up the Fernley embankment coming from
Southampton. We had been stationary &quarter of an hour
or twenty minutes. I went to Mr. Young, and said this
cannot be the pilot. He replied, " No, that would come
from Woking ; it must he the good, train, but the guard is
far enough ahead of it to stop it in time." I then west
back to the engine driver, Markland, why with another man
was underneath the engine, and was driving a pie or con-
necting a coupling iron with the axle. Whiting, a guard, was
there, kneeling down, holding alight, and the other man who
was under the engine (the stoker) then got out of the way,
leaving Markland underneath the engine lying on his right
side. Marklaad said to the guard (Whiting), "By the time
your passengers are seated I shall be all ?ilea." I then re-
turned to my seat, and had scarcely got seated when a tre-
mendous crush came, by which I was thrown forward and
sustained some injury. I did not hear the other train ap-
proaching, but felt confident all was safe. When I got into
the carriage I saw the white light, which was still at a con-
siderable distance. The noise of the steam on our engine
might have prevented my hearing the approach of the
luggage-train. By the concussion the carriage in which I
was became disconnected and went forward, leaving a part
of the train much behind. When I again got out of
the carriage, I saw a man lying between the rails.
It was the deceased. I assisted in removing him trom the
rails. He was quite dead. The train then proceeded on its
journey towards Woking, by the aid of a pilot engine, and
on its arrival there the body of the man was deposited in
the harness-room. It was a luggage train that ran into ours.
There were no passengers in it. It was along luggage train,
comprising a van number of trucks. I had known deceased
ever since the opening of the line as a well-informed and
study driver. I have understood since that he has left a
wife and four children.
(It was stated in the jury-room, but not in evidence, that
Markland was the man usually chosen to drive the engine
when the Queen or Prince Albert travelled on this line,
and that he was known as one of the best and most intelli-
gent driven in the company's employ.]
A Juror: Do you think there is any doubt about the red
light being seen by those in charge of the luggage train ?
Witness : Certainly not, if the engine-driver and stoker
of the goods train were looking out as they ought to have
been. I could not of course see the red light, as it was be-
hind me. It was full fifteen minutes from the time I saw
the light of the goods train before the collision took place.
Our train consisted of six or seven passenger carriages, and
two trucks. There was a truck next the engine and another i
or a guard van in the rear of the train.
Mr. Dalrymple: After the passenger train had been
stopped, was the proper precaution to signal the coming
train taken ? Witness: Yes.—Mr. Dalrymple wished to
ask if after the collision every attention was paid? Witness
had reason to speak highly of the attention paid by the
company's officers after the accident, net only at %Yoking,
but at all the stations at which the train afterwards stopped,
and also at the terminus at Nine Elms.—By the coroner:
After Mr. Young had said he had sent the under guard back
with the signal, I saw the figure of a man in the distance
advancing towards the goods train, and I could also see the
reflection of light from the lamp he held in his hand,
Mr. Thomas Lawrence Beehan, editor of the Iliminhire
Inelepenrkal, was a passenger by the 6 p.m. up train from
Southampton on Friday last. Mr. Young and myself and
another gentleman, a pay clerk belonging to the company,
who joined us after we left Southampton, were the only per.
eons in the same compartment of the carriage in which I
rode. The trait stopped at a paint between Farnborough
and Woking. I felt no alarm, knowing Mr. Young, the
superintendent, was in the train. Afterwards I got out, and
found that the deceased was repairing the engine. I un-
derstood from Mr. Young that a goods train was approach-
ing; bat on being told that a man had been sent back to
signal it to stop, I was satisfied. After some time, having
returned to my seat, I felt the earriage receive motion from
behind,' and it appeared to be lifted up. It was all over in
an instant. I escaped unhurt. I left the carriage then,
and saw the last witting stumbling from another compart-
ment. I saw that the carriages of the train were separated.
The carriage I was in was but little injured, but some of
the other carriages were much shattered. The weather was
sufficiently clear to enable one to distinguish object* at a
considerable distance, but it did net strike me as being a
moonlight night.
By the Foreman : I did not examine the luggage-train
after the accident, nor did I see whether the driver or stoker
were on the engine. The people who were injured were
conveyed at a slow pace to Woking. Mr. Young did not re-
turn to the carriage,
but went to the engine, on which he
remained during the rest of the journey.
Mr. Nicholson reexamined : I went back to the luggage-
train after the accident, but did not see the driver or stoker.
Mr. William Wadham Young: I am assistant-superin-
tendent of the London and South Western Railway Com-
pany. I wan passenger by the 5 p.m. up train from South-
ampton on Friday last. The train stopped about six miles
on the Lyndon side of Farnborough. I got oat of the car-
riage in which I had been Fitting to ascertain the reason.
The head guard, M. Whiting, and the deceased engine-
driver, told me that some part of the engine was out of order.
The engine-driver said he did not think the accident would
detain the train long. I went back to the carriage, and
told Mr. Beehan what was the matter, and while in the
carriage. saw Brownsmith, the under guard, go back.
On inquiring found that Brownsinith had been sent back
to signal thegoods train. I did not see the light in Brown.
smith's hand, but saw him go to his van. I assisted in
lighting the deceased and the stoker Calvert while repairing
the engine. I gave directions for procuring &pilot engine
from Woking. I should say the stopnage altogether lasted
25 minutes, and 10 or 15, minutes after the guard had been
sent back with the signal. The usual red lights
were attached to our train. There were five red
lights altogether ; two about the middle of the train
and three at the rear. On the approach of
the coming train, it appearing to me that it did not shut off
its steam as it ought, I requested Mr. Ward, the gentleman
who was in the carriage with Mr. Beaten and myself, to run
down the line. I followed him, as did a labourer. On ar-
riving at some distance down, I heard a shouting, and then
the whistle of the luggage-train. I turned back to go to-
wards the passenger-train and the luggage-train mimed me,
going at a great rate. I cannot undertake to say at what
rate of erased it was going at the time. The whistle continued
to mound as it passed me. I was about twenty yards from the
trains when they came into collision. I ran forward and found
that part of the passenger train had broken away. On in-
quiry, I found that the engine-driver, Markland, was killed.
I am pretty well acquainted with the rules and regulations
of the line. The train was due at Waking at eight. It was
as near eight IPA possible when we came to a stand-still ;we
were then between 2 and 3 miles from the Woking station.
I did not observe that the train slackened its pace previoes
to stopping. Ido not remember passing the luggage train.
The Coroner : What are the regulations as to sigma
lights ?
Witness : Each passenger train has a red tail light, and at
least two side lights of the same colour, that is, one at each
side of the train. There is no regulation as to the parti-
cular carriages on which the side lights shall be placed, but
they are usually placed near the guard's box, as being the
most conspicuous part. In the case of a train ooming to an
unexpected stand, there are certain regulations to be
observed, a copy of which is furnished to every servant
of the company. (It appeared by a copy of these
regulations which was handed in by the witness, that
one of their rules was, that, in case of any accident oc-
curring, the under guard should place a signal to stop not
less than 600 yards from the rear of the train, and also place
detonating en the line of any approaching train.) The
detonating fog signal lights were not placed on the line in
this case. I do net know why. The under guard bad
them. The number of persons charge of a train are the
head guard, the brakesman, the engineer, and the stoker.
The head guard is next the engine, the brakeeman nearly
at the end of the train. (The usual regulations to be ob-
served by the guards, firemen, &c., were then read.)
A man of the name of W. Jones was the engine-driver of
the luggage train on Friday night; Lewis Fleming was the
stoker; Fortescue was the guard; and the brakesman was
Hudd.
The Coroner suggeeted that the evidence which had been
given made it most important to have the two men, Jones
and Fleming, brought forward, whether to be d
iexamine as
witnesses, or whether to be present as parties rplicated, it was not for him then to say. It would,
however, be highly improper to continue the inquiry
in their absence; and he would, therefore, make
the necessary application to the magistrates of Lambeth
police office to enable them to attend. It was impossible to
close the inquiry that evening, and as he would issue his
wanent for the immediate removal of the body, there would
be no inconvenience by the delay. He was also anxious to
have an opportunity of looking through the rules and regu-
lations laid down by the company for the guidance of their
servants, before proceeding further with the investigation.
Examination resumed.—A Juror Was everything done
that ought to be done for the safety of the passenger train ?
—Witness : As far as I saw, it was.—Juror Is there any
means of communication between the guard and driver along
the carriages to the engine ?—Witness : No.—Juror : When
you saw the luggage train coming on, where were the
driver and stoker ?—Witness : On the engineh ;
were
the
one was blowing his whistle, tad bot
looking ahead.—Juror; Were they in liquor or not?
—Witness; I have not the least idea.—The Coroner :
That is an important part of the inquiry ; and I hope the
gentlemen connected with the railway will obtain informa-
tion on that point.—Mr. Dalrymple : I shall take care to do
so.—A Juror : Not only as to their sate on their arrival at
Woking and in London, but while at the last previous sta-
tion at which they stopped .—The Coroner : I understand
Thomas Fortescue, the guard of the luggage train, is seriously
hurt ?—Mr. Young :He is.—Mr. Fletcher. a medical gen-
tleman, said Fortescue would not in all probability be able
to attend for the next month or six weeks.
The inquiry was then adjourned to Thursday morning, at
o'clock.

IRELAND.
Duzuw, JAN. 16.
Bills of indictment have been prepared in six dis-
tinct cases of murder at the Clare commission. At
the adjourned commission for Limerick there remain
for trial twelve cases of murder and of conspiracy to
murder. Including this batch there are altogether in
Limerick gaol 93 persons awaiting the return of I
the commission. The catalogue is both long and dark.
There are 375 prisoners in Clonmel gaol, of whom 20
are charged with murder.
Ryan (Pack), Dee, and Renahan, who are to die
on the 7th of February, have all acknowledged their