The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-29 00:00:00

PROP INCIAL.

TIIE COLLISION OIt7TLTE PRESTON AND LANCASTER
RAILWAv.—The adjourned investigation as to this collision
took place yesterday before Mr. B. Gardner, in the Town-
hall, Lancaster. The evidence given on the first occasion
appeared in our paper of Friday, when the proceedings
were adjourned to enalde Capt. Laffan to view the scene of
the accident —James Atherton, an engine-driver, said, on
Monday afternoon last I left Preston with the 3.45 train
about • minute to four o'clock. Our proper time for starting
was a quarter before four. I raw nothing of the express
train until I was coming under Itotherwells bridge. When
we arrived at the Bayhorse bridge we were about our proper
time. We remained there about two minutes, which is the 1
proper tune, when the express train hove in sight. The
reason of my train starting 14 minutes after its time was
that there were the Fleetwood and the Windermere trains to
Fo out, and the express should have gone nut before us, but
it had not arrived. Our company is under the dictation of
Mr. Byrnes, and I have no power to estrt with my train with-
out his order. After I heard the express engine-whistle and
sow the train approaching through the bridge I apprehended
dancer. It sd the guard the express train wag coming. He said,
" Thtn they must stop till we are really," A cob of coal was
got for me to enable me to keep up the speed to Lane cater.
We did not attempt to get out of the way of the express
train until the guard shouted to me to go on. That was
after he said the express train must stop till OUT train was
ready. I had a difficulty in keeping up my steam, and
knowing that tbe expre:s train was behind I was desirous of
getting on as fast as I eould to Lancaster. That was the
reason the cob of coal was got. I have caused coal to be got
at the same place on previous occasions. When the guard
told me to go on I put my full steam on, and had made
about three strokes when the express ran into us. The three
strokes would take us on about six yards. The signal wan up
in its usual way at the time we were coming into the
station.—The Coroner wished to know if it was the
intention of Mr. Wagstaff, the solictor of the company.
to call any willies** ?—Mr. Waestaff : Certainly. It is
my
.intention to call the station-master at Preston, tshe
engine.driver, fireman, and guard of the express train, and
also some passengers.—The Coroner hardly saw the rums-
sity of such a proceeding, as the fact had been disAupui
prortrl that the der-eased had lost her life by the col',Luou.—
Mr. Wagstaff said it would be all very well if the j•ory would
consent to return a verdict of accidental death, 'and that no
person should be rendered liable for the col/Minn. Then, he
admitted, there would be no necessity fo r pursuing the in-
quiry further. If, however, a verdict or, manslaughter was
likely to be recorded ageing any peaties, either in the
employ of the Preston and Lancaa'ser Company or in the
employ of the Preston and Carlisle rJocapany, then he consi-
dered it was absolutely necessary that all the evidence which
could should be produced on both sides, in order to show to
the jury when was really in fau'd .—Tlie Coroner said there
were so many partite implicate(!, including even the direc-
tors of both companies, that a vroper solution of the investi-
gation was an exceedingly complicated and difficMt matter,
and he therefore thought it would be better that the jury
should at once come to a couc'ausion which would not impli-
cate anybody.—Mr. Horseceuft, solicitor of Preston, said he
attended by sufferance on the part of one of the persons
injured, and he must say the very reason which the coroner
had adduced for concluding the inquiry, namely, that even
the directors of both ~ximpanies were implicated, was the
very reason why the west searching investigation was neces-
sary.--The Foreman said it was the wen of the jury
IRELAND. 'i'he Coronerin observed iltly h e inh
at: fullestle tegyrtron-ITI
prove a felony in the cue such tis would renowderothe weinoe of
------
Maine, Al7O. 28. the parties inculpated amenalAe to the law. He admitted,
however, that there was a von of laxity on this line that was
There has been another failure in the Irish savingsbowever,
highlyimProper. The 'Anne were allowed to run one after
another, and to stop *.me 'another in such a way that he
banks. Fermoy is found in default with the depositors
rmlvbelieved that, if the facts of the case were reported to
In Wexford we are told it is a melancholy fact that
half the tubers will be unfit for human woe. 'That the SeeretarY Of State fOT the Home Departent, he
crop is indeed seriously injured in that fertile would take r;oeh measures as would effectually put a stop to
county. Some time since they were rrbdilaulargeli the stets 0: things which had for a long time existed between
luxuriant The wheat crop in also nine the t'do companies running their trains between
• s' Pre..."
." fixing the culpabilitdy.— The great difficulty in the case was
htr. Wagstaff entirely agreed with
but the barley and oats have as yet escaped. A Ingo ... . and Lancaster. ,
authority estimates that even with the most favour- -
efts coroner as to the Acuity arising from there being so
able weather corn would Ix, one-third below ass many parties implicated, and he bagged to state that he held
average. Unhappily the weather in that locality in his hands copy of Capt. Leff
fact
repert on the socklest, in
continues unpropitious Ipable, but that the difficulty was In Domini to aeon.
elusion as to who was really so.—Mr. liameercit hoped that
Yesterday was very fine in Dublin and the, country' wnhel";'hcube entiMY
oncur"
in
the
hd
that
gainy
Parties
adjacent—lust the weather for riPerdn• To-day the influence of the companies would not allow Ws inikrAry
I there is high wind, with rain and a does atmosphere. sobs smothered. A similar iaquiry lad em a Pestego,

sufferers.
CAPTAIN MURDOCK has addressed a letter to the Liver-
pool Albion of yesterday, in which he says " I have just
read an article in the Linden Times, and also some ob
serrations made in the House of Commons by Hr. Hume,
tending to ca‘t scrious reflection on the conduct of the
captains of the steamers Cambria and Orion, for not having
rendered their assistance in rescuing the passengers
my filleted ship, and as I believe these imputations were
made under a misapprehension of the facts, I am most
anxious to relieve them from any unfair snare
of blame.
I know that both vessels had passed me severe miles before
the fire was observed by them, and, against wind and
tide, it would have taken an hour and a half, for them to
reach me • and being greatly crowded on their decks, as I
understoo'd they were, by passengers, and seeing a large
steamer an
other vessel close at band, without know-
ing.the emergency of the case from the great number of
emigrants on board, they might fairly suppose that I should
have received ample aasistence before they could have rea-
dered any service to us. Ido not, therefore, attach blame to
them, and I should wish through the medium of your
' journal to express thus much to the public and to your cos-
' temporarythe editor of the London Times"