The Express.
London, England, 1862-09-06 00:00:00

PATAL G'OLLIBION ON THB MIDLAND

RAILWAY.

MARKET HARBOROUGH, FRIDAY.

The adjourned inquest wan resumed at 9 o'clock
this morning. The Midland Counties Company was again
represented by Mr. Marigold, solicitor, and Mr. Needham,
the superintendeet of the line ; and the Loaders and North
V.'estern Company by„Mr. Metcalfe; and Mr. Ewins Ben-
nett, barrister, and Mr. G. H. Fisher, solicitor, appeared
lorseveral of the injured paweeigers. Mr. Frederick Goodyer,
the chief constable for Leicestershire, was also present.
Mr. Thomas Large, watchmaker and jeweller, Melton
Mowbray, who was a passenger in the second, or Manton,
train, was the first witness, and was followed by the gate-
keeper at Little Bowden level crossing, two porters, and the
station-master at Market Harborongh.
The Rev. William Woods, of Leicester, was next called,
and he prefaced his evidence by statiog that be did not know
who had sent for him, but he was there to answer any ques-
tions that were put to him. He then stated—l was • pas-
imager in the second excursion train on the night in ques-
tion. Saw the first train several times on the journey. Saw
it first at the Melvin station, but previous to that several
passengers in my carriage bad stated that they had seen
the train before them. 1 wee in the first compart-
ment of the second carriage from the engine. Between
Ilitchin and Bedford I looked out and saw the'
tail lights of a train before U. I cannot tell
bow near it was, but it was sufficiently near us to make the
passengers in our carriage feel nervous. At Bedford, as we
entered the station, I sew the first train at the other end of
the station. Inmy judgment it was standing still. Our
train stopped at Bedford station. I have said at home it
stared five minutes. If I bad known it would have stayed
Po long I should have got out and refilled my bottle.
(Laughter.) We took in water there.
Mr. Metcalfe—The engine and you ? (Laughter.)
Witnear—Nothing bat water. After I got into the car. '
Tine I stood all the time. I was so nervous that I could not
sit down. I bad suffered once from • railway accident
before. I saw the first train ahead of us between
Bedford and Harborough. We had travelled from London
to Kettering very carefully. After leaving Kettering
we passed two stations very rapidly. By and
by I heard the sound of the whistle. It was
shrill and long continued. Then there was • slight
pause. The whistle then gave several short, sharp cries, a
alight pause, and then a prolonged whistle again ; then a
succession of shrieks twice repeated. It seemed to me
—I never heard the devil laugh—but it seemed to me
like the laugh of • demon. It seemed like the mocking
laugh of some demon. I turned to my wife and said to
her, " Give me the child." I took it, and it seemed to me
a sound like the crushing of • hat box, then a tremendous
jerk that threw me on the oppositeside of the carriage. The
carriage stopped. I opened the door. There was no one
serioualy hurt. My thumb was hurt with coming in coo-
tact with the other side of the carriage. [He had his arm
in a sling.] When I stepped out of the carriage I trod on
the leg of some man who was under one of the
carriages. We had no lights in our carriage. I
got out and went towards the end of the train
and k caked round. I did not at that moment
see any one out of the carriages except myself. There were
two great red lights at the station facing me. I looked in
the other direction and saw what seemed to me to lies blue
light. I went from carriage to carriage. At moat of the
doors for the first fifteen carriages I said, "We have an
accident ;we do not know what is the matter. Keep your
Flame, we shall have lights presently." Some one came up
and said, "Can Ido anything?" I said, "Get the people
to keep their mats." I went to the end of the train, and
some one said, "Let us have • fire." With my pocket
handkerchief and some paper and wood we kindled a fire.
I saw one of the passengers who was hurt. It was Mr.
Morley, and lie asked me for water. I jumped over the
fence and got a jug of water at the Railway Hotel.
Another gentleman got • bottle of brandy. and
be took the brandy and I the water, and we
returned to the station. Some one said, " Your friend
Stinson is dead." I went to the goods shed and found him
there and his brother. I stayed till the last train departed,
and then went on to Leicester.
By Mr. Metcalfe—l wrote • letter to the Leicester Mer-
cury, and I suppose it was in consequence of that that I was
sent for to come hare. We sensibly increased our speed
after we pawed Kettering. We passed Desborough very
rapidly.
By Mr. Marigold—l do not know Mr. Bedford.
Mr. *Amite said Mr. Bedford was an officer of the Lon.
don and North Western Company, and was sent over to
Leicester yesterday at his suggestion to procure the atteocl-
&nee of the witmes, in consequence of his letter which ap-
peared in the newspaper.
By a juror—The first train appeared to me to start just
an we entered the Bedford station. When we were half a
mile from the Harborough station some one in our carriage
▪ "We shall have to stop at Harborougb, the signal is
on." Before that time our whistle had been blown.
By Mr. Fisher—l saw the first excursion train start from
king's-cross. It started from 54 minute* to six minutes
before the second train. I timed it by my watch. I wish
to add that when the whistle was first sounded the breaks
were on, and I looked out, and there was as it were a stream
of fire rcen the breaks.

Henry Hauer, the signalman, was then called, and after
receiving the usual caution from the coroner that his evi-
deuce might be used against himself, and that he was not
obliged to criminate himself, be said—l have been in the
service of the London and North Western Railway Com-
pany as signalman eight years. On the night of Thursday,
August the 11th, 1 came on duty at 7 p.m., at the Market
ifarborongh station junction. I am stationed in a box
seven feet high, at the south end of the station. I sig-
nalled several trains by, but do not remember how many.
The signal worked quite correctly. At 10.53 there came
down a Midland special passenger train. It gave the usnal
signal, two whistlee. When we are all clear in the stations
we lower the signals for the train to come in. I did so
with this train. As soon as the train passes the distance
signal, it is my duty to put the signal on again to danger,
and I put it on when this train pared, and as soon as the
engine ounce in front of the semaphore or maitoanals,
which are over my box,
danger there also. When I put on the si at
t the driver of e train
pissed in front of my box, he said, "I am going to
stop for water." I said, "All right." He also said, "I
have shown the gatehouse man • red signal. I told him
I am going to stop for water." After this conversation, I
noticed my signals. They had gone beck. I could see the
auxiliary light. It shows a green light. At two minutes
past eleven another down special train came. It gave two
whistles as usual. The distance and the main signal were
kept at danger. When the driver of the second train came
in sight of the distance signal he gave ore long whistle. I
could see the train. He had passed the gate, but was at
a considerable distance from the back signal. He then
gave a number of sharp whistle., shriek., and both driver
and guards applied the breaks, and the sparks Hew in all
directions. He hept on with ;the sharp whistle till he got
nearly into the first train, which was still standing in the
station. In addition to my two signals, which I had on at
danger. I had my hand signal lamp, which I waved violently
in front of the driver. Some little time elapsed after the
collision, and no one came near me until the station master.
Mr. Rich, came and asked for the keys of the office. I
noticed the distance signal spin after the collision had
taken place, and • green light was shown. Sometimes we
stand for an hour or two together looking out. At the time
Mr. Rich asked use for the keys he asked if my signals
were all right. I said yea, they were all right at danger.
No one came near me after that, only • few wounded
passengers. Then Mr. Rich came again and told me to pat
a man out and stop all coming trains each way. He autho-
rised me to leave my box for that purpose.
The Cormier—Was there any complaint made to you last
Tuesday that the signal did not work?
Witness—Mr. Rich came and told me that the signal did
not work, and I told him it did work, and that I had found
it work correctly all the evening. I asked him was it off,
and he said " No."

By • juror—The distance signal works by the hand.
There is • lever which stands up when the signal is at
danger. When we take it off we pais the lever down to-
wards the ground, and that causes the white light to show.
It will stop down of itself. To replace the signal at danger
we raise the lever.
A juror—When Mr. Bich came to you and asked if your
signal was all right, did you look
Witness—l looked and saw the green light.
By Mr. Metcalfe—When the lever is down it is much in
the way in the box, so that for my own convenience I should
put up the signal at danger, which it always stands at except
when it is lowered to let • train in. The main signal is
worked by the foot. The driver of the first train did not
tell me there was another train coming. The signals were
not moved after the accident, nor till the next morning.
always find the distance signal work correctly. I do not
remember when it was last repaired. but it is within the
last twelve 'north,. The sparks were flying when the
second train was coming. That indicates that they are
going at a rapid speed. I have been working those signals
in that box five years last May.
By Mr. Fisher—l em on duty twelve hours at rt time.
One week at nights, and one week in the days. lam eighteen
hoary on on the Monday. Suppose I had been on all night
I should go off, and then came on again at dinner time. I
am never on duty more than twelve consecutive hours.
By a juror—l bare never had an accident through the
irregular working of the signal.
r. Samuel Symington—l am a commercial traveller, and
inside at Little Bowden. There in • signal post about 1211
yards from my house. [The auxiliary, or distance signal. in
question.) (At Thursday night, about eleven, my attention
was attracted by the usualtwo whistles given on the approach
of a trails. A sheet time afterwards I beard a short or
danger whistle. lam speaking of the second train. I had
seen the first train go by. My impression was it had passed
seven minutes when the second train came up. but I hear it
was longer. I observed tomy wife, "There will boa smash."
and I went oat of doors to look at the signal. I then
saw the light which I had always supposed to be • reflec-
tion from the rod light, but which I now know is a green
light. I than saw the train about ten or twenty yards
*oath of the sign/ I then went into the side garden, with
the object of seeing if the first train was standing outside
the station, as I supposed it was. Finding it was not, I
went into the pod. and saw the train. I could not see the
collision, bat I board the noise. I have so doubt what-
ever that the dagger signal was on before the second train
Lad passed. linen I west into the side garden the train
easy just caugaing the bridge, some 50 yards pant the signal,
and 1 saw the sparks Sy, from the breaks being applied.