The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-11 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURT&

GUILDHALL

John Eagle, the driver of one of the London General
Omnibus Company's Ringsland omnibuses, and William
Priestly, the driver of one of Tilling's omnibuses from
Hackney-road to Camberwell-gate, were summoned before
Alderman Waterlow for wanton driving, at a quarter past
11 o'clock on Tuesday night, the 27th of March last.
Mr. Thomas Beard appeared for Eagle, and Mr. Wontner,
junior, for Priestly.
William Ruck, police constable, 818, said that about a
quarter past 11 o'clock on the evening of the 27th of March
he came out of White Hart-court, Gracechurch-street, and
saw the two defendantsdriving theiromnibuses at afurious
rate put him. They were going like a pair of steam
engine-4 at the rate of fourteen miles an hour,
and all four horses were galloping. When they
came near IFtennett's-place, Eagles omnibus caught
the end of Priestly's, and forced the horses and front
wheels of that vehicle on to the pavement, and sent the
pole into the shop-front of Messrs. Parkinson and Bout's,
chronometer makers. The result was that it smashed the
shutters and shop-front, did a great deal of damage to the
goods in the shop, and when the pole was drawn out of
the window the shutters came tumbling about the horses
and on the pavement. Witness had to keep guard over
the shop all night to protect the property which hail thus
been exposed. Eagle blamed Priestly, and Priestly
blamed Eagle for the collision. There had been a little
rain. but the stones were not very slippery.
This witness was cross-examined at great length by Mr.
Beard and Mr. Wontner, during which he showed that he
was not very clear as to how the collision occurred, but
the main fact that it did take place was admitted on all
hands.

Robt. Trail, carman to Mr. Smith, of Dover-street, Pic-
cadilly, said he saw the collision take place, and when
the two vehicles were locked together he rushed to the
bead of Eagle's horses and called out to him, "Why don't
you stop! You see you have got hold of the other man."
He was then dragging Tilling's omnibus along. He would
not stop, but whipped his horses up as fast as ever he could,
and the effect of that was to drive the pole of Tilling's
omnibus through the window. When he had done so,
witness said, "Now you have done it you will have some-
thing to pay for," and he replied, "Mind your own
business ; you know nothing at all about it."
In cross-examination by Mr. Beard, he said there was
no pretence for saying they were going 14 miles an hour.
Priestly was going about four or five, and Eagle about seven
or eight miles an hour.
. .

Two other witnesses who bad been passengers on
Priestly 's omnibus said they overtook Eagle's shoat
Shoreditch station, and they passed each other on the way
up to Conthill. There they both stopped, Priestly being
first. He went on and took up a passenger at Fenchurch-
street, and had just started on again, when Eagle came
up, tried to pass them, and came into collision with
them. He then whipped his horses, dragged the other
omnibus some yards, and eventually thrust the pole of it
through the shop window. Eagle was not going more
than six or seven miles an hour.

Alderman Waterlow said—l have given the best attention
I could to this case, because it is a very serious one one
that was fraught with great danger to the public. If it
had happened when there were more people about, the
consequences might have been fatal to some of them. I
feel very strongly that you (Eagle) were guilty of furious
driving in the worst sense of the word, because when the
collision took place you whipped your horses, and made
it worse than it was before. It is clear to my mind
that you were going at an unwarrantable pace. I find by
your license that yon were fined very recently for driving
to the common danger, and a fine appears to do you no
The sentence upon you is that you be imprisoned
or 14 days with hard labour, and that your license be
taken away from you. I feel that I should not be pro-
tecting the public as I ought if I did not act as I now do.
Priestly is disc
h
Mr.. Beard sairteelhad been taken by surprise by the
evidence given by the witnesses for Prieetly, and as he had
evidence to bring in favour of Eagle he asked that the
sentence might be made 32 days, so as to cambia him to
_ _

Alderman Waterlow granted the application, at the
same time Temintifmg the defendant that if the conviction
were affirmed, he would then have to serve 32 days instemi
of 14.

Sureties were then put in to prosecute the appeaL