The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-24 00:00:00

On Saturday t coroner's inquest wu held at the
Dell Inn, Hadlow, near Tunbridge; to investigate the
of a disaster by which at least 34 persons lost

their lives.

For some little time put, Mr. Cox, an extensive farmer
and hop grower of Hadlow, has had a number of persons,
principally from the counties of Surrey and Berks, in his
employ, picking hops, in addition to the resident labourer'.
It hu been customary, when the picking has been finished
for the day, to convey the people home to the village in
waggons. On Thursday evening, between six and seven
o'clock, one of these waggons left the hop grounds and pro-
ceeded towards 'rudely, crossing the Upper Great liartlake-
bridge in safety. This bridge is very old, and is built
principally of wood ; it has a descent on eith-r side of about
8 feet in 40, with a close boarded fence between two and
three feet in height; and on the rudely side the road
carves a little to the left, oak slabs, in • rotten state,
supporting it for some little distance. At this spot,
there is a depth from the road of about eight feet, which
Is generally dry, but owing to the recent rains, it is now
severed with water, and thus the width as well u the
depth of the river is materially increased. The bridge is
42 feet across, and 9 feet 3 inches wide. The second
waggon which contained upwards of 40 persons, was driven
by a man on the fore horse, and the bailiff sat on the tail-
board. As it approached the bridge the waggoner desired
the people to desist from singing, as it might frighten the
horses, and they immediately did so. The fore-horse had
crossed the crown of the bridge and was descending on the
'rudely side, when its foot slipped from the pieces of iron
placed on the roadway to give a sure footing, and by a sud-
den plunge disconnected itself from the waggon. The
shaft-horse at the same time leaned a little to the right,
and this had tke effect of forcing the hind part of the wag-
gon against the fence on the off-side, which partly gave
way, and the waggon was precipitated into the river be-
neath. The scene that instantly presented itself was beyond
description. Assistance was promptly obtain, d, and by the
aid of lanterns, the river was examined, but it was too
late, the mass of human beings with the exception of 8,
had sunk to the bottom. For upwards of half-sn-hour after
the occurrence, cries for help were heard, but the unhappy
creatures could not be discovered. One little Irish lad
was found about twenty yards down the stream, with a
piece of fence, which he had clung to in his agony, still
fixed in his hand. He was speedily rescued. The poor
fellow's garments were torn to shreds, by the unfortunate
creatures clinging to them for support, and there is no
doubt, that had his clothes consisted of a lets fragile mate-
rials, his life would also have been sacrificed. The
waggoner's mate was sitting on the side of the waggon,
talking to his little boy, just as the accident hsppened, and
although he attempted to snatch bin child from the waggon
he was unable to do so, owing to the close manner in which
itlwu packed, and he only escaped by throwing himself
in the opposite direction. The bailiff's life was saved in a
similar manner. During Thursday night and Friday, the
river was searched in all directions, and six bodies were re-
covered, namely those of Charlotte Leatherland, Comfort
Leatherlsnd, Nora Donovan, James Massey, Selina Hearne,
and Kitty Roach.
The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death," with
a recommendation to the River Medway Company to erect
a new bridge. _

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While the inquest was being held a seventh body wu
discovered, and active esertious are being used to had the
others.
- - • • •

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The following is a list of the penons who are now miming:
—Sam!. Leatherland and five children, Mrs. Bruslington,
Mary Mahony, Mary Bruslington, Sarah Taylor, Mrs.
Howard, Jeremiah Murphy, Catherine Donovan, Mary
Quin, Bridget King, Matthew King, Ellen Collins, Cathe-
rine Roach, Harry Donovan, Stephen Taylor, Taylor
(child), Wm. Easley, Mary Risley (wife), Ellen Donovan,
Knight (child), a man, woman, and child unknown.
It is estimated that the weight of the waggon, with its
contents, was about two tons, and the waggoner says be
has pawed over the bridge with four tons.

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND Ant
—The following appointments have been made in the
Science and Art Department of the Board of Trade: Mr.
Norman M'Leod, late Assistant-Secretary to the Directors
of Convict Prisons, to be registrar ; Captain Owen, R.E.,
inspector ; and, in connexion with the Committee of Coon-
di on Education, Mr. J. J. Mayo, assistant-accountant.—
Observer.

ACCIDENT ON THE BORDEAUX RAILWAY.—On
Wednesday night a passenger train coming from Bordeaux
ran into a goods train. The shock was terrible. The loco-
motive went over the last waggons of the goods train, and
the tender went over the locomotive. The engine driver
was killed on the spot. All his limbs were broken, and his
body was horribly mutilated. The stoker had his two legs
broken, and the flesh of the legs and of one of his hands
was detached by the hot water. He died about six hours
after, in a state of dreadful suffering. The principal guard
of the train received in the groin a meet serious injury.
As to the pamengers, about fifteen received injuries or con-
tusions, but they were slight. The night was very dark,
and, uin the accident the wires of the electric telegraph
were broken, intelligence could not be sent either to Orleans
or Blois. M. Degngny, chief of the station at Orleans,
uneasy at not seeing the expected train arrive, sent out •
locomotive to ascertain the cause of the delay. This 1000-
motive soon returned with information of the accident, and
persons to render assistance were sent off. After paying
attention to the victims, the workmen began to clear the
line. The confusion was very great. The locomotive, in
breaking the waggons, covered the line with all sorts of
things—wheat, goods, luggage, &c.; it was feared at
one moment that all these objects would be set on fire by
She fire in the locomotive. But this was prevented by
spreading sand over them.
FATAL CAB ACCIDENT.—On Saturday an accident
which resulted in almost instant death, occurred on Rol-
-1 born-hill. Francis Homer, a cab driver, had taken up a
fare on the Bentonville rank, and bad proceeded as far as
Holborn-hill, which he was descending ;at an easy pace,
when two boys, who were drawing a truck, endeavoured to
cross his horse's head. Horner tried to slacken his speed,
in order to prevent a collision ; in this he was partially suc-
cessful ; nevertheless, he was thrown from his seat with
fearful violence to the ground, and the wheels passing over
him inflicted such serious injuries that he was rendered
perfectly insensible, and he was conveyed to tit. Bartholo-
mew's Hospital, but in about a quarter of an hour expired.
Horner is represented to have been a steady man, and a
most careful driver. He has left a widow and young family
who were entirely dependent upon hie exertions.