The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-26 00:00:00

VERDICT OF MANSLAUGHTER AGAINST

THE CHAIRMAN AND SUPERINTENDENT OF
THE SOUTH-WASTERN RAILWAY.

On Tuesday morning Mr. C. J. Woods, the coroner
for West Surrey, resumed at the London and South-
Western Railway Arms Hotel, Farnham, the adjourned
inquiry respecting the death of Charles Canning, aged 20,
who was killed by being run over, on the 14th inst., by a
special survey train, near the Farnham station of the Lon-
don and South-Western Railway.
Amongst those present were Captain Simmons and
Captain Gallon, of the railway department of the Board of
Trade; the lion. F. Scott, the chairman of the company ;
Mr. Crombie, the secretary; Mr. Oodston, Mr. Beattie,
&desist Gaselee, &e.
James Edwards, the gatekeeper, was called and exa-
mined. lie said that he had been in his situation four
years next October. There were six passenger trains to
Farnham, all of which stopped at the station, and then
proceeded on to Alton. No ordinary passengers' train
passed without stopping. When he heard the train
approaching which caused the accident, he thought it was
the ordinary train. He had received no notice that a
special train was expected, and until it had passed him he
had no idea of one coming. One of the regulations of the
compsny was that the whistle should be blown be-
fore the train came in sight, but be did not know
whether any particular distance was named. When the
five o'clock train from London arrived, the whistle was
sounded as usual. They had sometimes a verbal and
sometimes a written message, that special trains were
comin7, and generally a red board at the end of the train
preceding them.
Mr. Crombie denied that the train in question was a spe-
cial one ; it was a service train for the company's servants.
Several other witnesses having been examined,
The Coroner proceeded to sum up. They bad a most
painful duty to perform, bat they must perform it con-
scientiously, according to the best of their judgments.
Should he say anything harsh or unkind, he trusted that it
would not be considered as meant personally, as his only
wish was to do his duty honestly to the jury and to the
public. They had heard that a stipulation bad been
entered into with the Board of Trade that only one engine
should be on the line at a time ; and that sttpulation ap-
pearing to have been broken, a question would arise be-
tween the directors and the Board of Trade on the subject,
with which they had nothing to do. The coroner then
proceeded to recapitulate the circumstances attending the
accident of the 14th instant, and stated that, if the jury
were of opinion that blame attached to any parties, it must
be to the Hon. Francis Scott and Mr. Beattie who were
in a survey train on the line at a time when another train
was expected, and, indeed, for which train it was taken by
every person but one, Mr. Tbynne, who, seeing by its
length that it was not the regular train, had caused the
danger signal to be shown against that train. There could
be little doubt that the survey train being taken for the re-
gular train was the primary cause of the accident ; but he
could not divest himself of the opinion that the unfortunate
deceased himself had been guilty of great negligence and
carelessness. Should they find that blame attached to any
one it must be to the Hon. Mr. Scott and Mr. Beattie, who
were on the line in a carriage, without any apparent mo-
tive which should render it necessary for them to have been
there just as another train was due; and they must altoge-
ther acquit of blame Messrs. Eaton and Ireton, who ap-
peared to bare performed their duty carefully and properly,
the primary cause of the accident being, as he had stated,
the mistaking the survey for the passenger train.

THE VERDICT.

The jury having been in deliberation upwards of two
hours,
The coroner, at about half-put twelve o'clock, stated it
became his painful duty to announce that the jury had
found a verdict of manslaughter against the Hon. Francis
Scott, M.P., and Mr. Beattie—the verdict having been
agreed to by twelve jurymen, and there being five dis-
sentients. . . . . .

In reply to a question, it was stated that both gentlemen
left Farnham by the half-past seven o'clock train.
lir. Crombie undertook that they would be forthcoming
wh they were required, and the coroner stated, that
though it would be his duty to issue his warrant for their
apprehension, he would take care, as far us he was con-
cerned, to give them as little as possible inconvenience, and
to afford Mr. Crombie every facility in moving for a cer-
tiorari, and having them admitted to bail.
The verdict having been signed, the jury separated about
ono o'clock on Wednesday morning.

DAILY WEATHER TABLE.
TlllB DAY, Noom
00 aw of Whia. Mega of Wind. State of the Went e..
13. cam. Tine.

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