The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-10-29 00:00:00

THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT HALE

This unfortunate affair, which created quite a sensation
in this peacefully rural village of Hale, was investigated yes-
terday before John F. Marshall, Esq., the deputy coroner.
J. E. Blackburne, Esq , the lord of the manor, by virtue of
his charter, which is a very ancient one, is coroner of the
manor, but for some years past the above-named gentleman
has acted as deputy, by appointment. The coroner had
appointed one o'clock for the commencement of the enquiry,
but it was after three o'clock before he arrived from War-
rington, and, in consequence of this want' of punctuality, the
jury and a large number of witnesses were kept waiting—
the jury expressing pretty strong opinions on the point.
This also protracted the inquest up to seven o'clock. The
deceased's name was Hugn Burns, and he was about 30
years of age. The driver of the car, Mathew Smith, was
brought up in custody of Constable Halton, No. 510, who
arrested him on Sunday night. The case excited much in-
terest, and a crowd of people assembled about Mr. Samuel
Rowe's " Childe of Hale" Hotel, where the enquiry was
held. Inspector Green, of Woolton, had charge of the pro-
ceedings, and exhibited much activity in the case. The
jury consisted of the respectable inhabitants of the locality.

THE INQUEST
Was commenced at the time stated, when the following
evidence was given :—The first witness called was Mary
Burns, the wife of deceased. She was dreadfully affected
whilst giving her evidence. She said : I live in Parr-row,
off Gilbert-street, Liverpool. I was with him in a car on
Sunday last, and came from Liverpool to Hale. Thomas
Gaskill, my brother, and a young woman were with us.
The girl's name is Anne Pearson. There was a young man,
named James Quayle, on the box. The prisoner, Mathew
Smith, drove the car. On coming to they" Child of Hale"
Hotel we remained a quarter of an hour, and then went to
a cottage where we got tea. All except the prisoner were
together. We might be an hour in Hale altogether, and
then got into the coach again to return home. Deceased,
witness, her brother, and the girl were in the coach. A
young woman said the coachman had drink, and I observe d
it myself. I judged from his appearance. We were not
more than a quarter of an hour out before it happened. We
were going at an ordinary pace. Saw a white chapel before
us, and the coach passed the white chapel, and my husband
put his head out, and the coach was immediately
upset. I was screaming out that the horse took fright,
and my husband just put out his head to call, stop
the horse, when the young man on the box said he could
not help it, as the driver was gone; the deceased put his
head out at the right window, when the coach was upset.
I screamed out, " Save my child;" when the child and I
were got out, and I was taken to Liverpool in the white-
chapel, and did not know he was then hurt, nor that he was
dead until twelve that night. I never saw him alive after.
I had a glass of gin here. but was quite sober ; the deceased
was rather worse of drink. James Quayle, one of the per-
sons who was of the party, was examined. He is a cooper,
and said he was in the company. It might be half past
four when they got to Hale, and thinks it was between
eight and nine when they left. Thinks they remained at the
" Childe of Hale" about three quarters of an hour ; remained
at the cottage where they had their tea, until after eight,
ad then they remained at the hotel half an hour before
They had a glass a-piece at the hotel, and a

gentleman, who was with them at the tea, had a bottle of
rum in his pocket. and he put some of it in each cup. Had
a glass of sherry before tea, but cannot tell what
the others had, but they hau a glass of something.
They had each a glass a piece coming out at
Garston Hotel, and that was wine or spirits. Saw the
prisoner take three glasses of whiskey—one at Garston, one
when they came out, and one on leaving the hotel.
Thinks it was between half-past eight to nine o'clock when
they got into the car to return. The prisoner drove, and
witness was on the box with him. The prisoner had
drink ou him at the titn,. lie had a good deal of drink,
es witness was certain of. Witness could not say he was

.unk than

gone ten minutes beford the aceilmt took place. The
prisoner acid he did not thick he would know the road,

when witness
NVhitechapel,

told him

to follow Mr

Carver'.

it was going to Liverpool, bet he
did not do so, but tried to pa s it, end only the
shandry pulled one side he would have upset it.
The prisoner drove too fast, when witness told him to
check the horse, but he did not. On passing the White_
chapel the prisoner fell, or was pitched off, but witness
can't tell how or why, as the vehicle was flying about
every way, by the prisoner not keeping in the centre of
the road. The reins went, with the driver, the horse
started, and the coach capsised. The deceased put his
head out of the cab, er) inn, where are you going to ?
when witness said there was no one there but himself, and
then the vehicle was upset. Norte were injured but the
deceased. Called out for help, and when they got the
coach up, they found deceased with his head between the
coach and the road, and his body inside. Got assistance
and took him to the " Childe of Hale" Hotel. He was quite
dead when they got him up. The prisoner could not then
be found, but he afterwards saw him in custody in Park
Road that night. Thomas Gaskill, the brother of
deceased's wife, a cooper, residing in Gilbert-street, was
examined. He said he thought it was from seven to eight
when they left Hale to return, and said the prisoner was
very much in liquor when they left. Witness was a
little worse of liquor. The witness corroborated the
previous evidence generally. In reply to the prisoner,
the witness said you were drunk when you started with
the car from this place. Mr. Charles Carver, 19,
Warren—street, Liverpool, examined : I was in the white.
chapel ou Sunday night, and left Hale about six. It might
be later, but not before, as I did not take particular
notice. I accompanied my father in the whitechapel at a
moderate pace. Thinks it was 200 yards from the hotel
when the accident happened up the lane leading to
Woolton. The car was behind us, and was driven very fast.
Called out twice to drive slow, or they would be on the
top of us. They went past as we drew up and let them.
Saw the car go into the hedge-bottom, but did not observe if
the driver was on the box. Saw the car cross over on
the road again, and then I lost sight of them ; but a few
yards further saw the coach upset across the road. It
was very dark at the time. Mr. John Carver, publican,
was examined, and said : As near as he could tell,
without taking notice, it was about seven o'clock when
they left Hale. The witness said, although the prisoner
had a little drink, he did not consider him incapable
of doing his hilliness. I was sober. He corrobo
rated the evidence of his son, and said the prisoner
was on the box when the car passed his vehicle,
but he did not see him after. Anne Taylor, examined :
Said she saw the prisoner about half.past seven o'clock
on Sunday night last, np the village beside the school.
She thought he seemed tipsy, and asked if she saw a car
with a grey mare ? and she replied yes. He said he did
not know which way it had gone, and asked her the way
to Garston, and she pointed it out. Joseph Diekenson
said he saw the prisoner about a quarter to seven o'clock,
and he asked witness the way to Garston, and he told
him. The prisoner seemed quite sober. Tames Hutton,
510, of the Liverpool police, said he arrested the prisoner
about eleven o'clock at night, on the charge of Mr.
Walker, of Brunswick-buildings. The prisoner seenwd
sober, but stupid, as if from a fall. Mr. James Allen,
surgeon, said, a little after seven o'clock on Sunday night
he saw the deceased, about three-quarters of a mile from
the village where the transaction took place.
He was in the car, doubled un in one corner.
Had him removed to Mrs. Jones's, next house, 'and
examined the body. There was a slight wound on the
right cheek, and a severe one on the ear. Found the neck
dislocated from the first dorsal vertebra, and that was
the immediate cause of death. He was dead when I saw
him. This concluded the evidence, and the prisoner called
William Tusdale, who rents the Garston Hotel yard,
who said the prisoner came to him on Sunday, and told
him what had happened, but unless it was a stone on the
road that threw him off, he could not tell. He was sober
at the time. William Butcher, an hostler at the 44 Childe of
Hale" Hotel, proved that the prisoner was sober, as he
considered. .Tames Mills said he considered the prisoner
to be sober. Mr. Samuel Rowe, proprietor of the " Childe
of Hale," said he should say the prisoner was sober at the
time. Ellen Hall, the barmaid at the Hotel, said the
prisoner was sober. The coroner then summed up, and
said the question was, was the car upset by negligence of
the prisoner ? The jury, after .an absence of ten minutes,
returned, when the foreman said they were unanimous in
a verdict of accidental death. The prisoner was dis-
charged.

heolfd PyelsitceY holders of
the yesterday, at the
A
An:em,earsosuusrlayncaettcenodinepdanmy,eewtiansg
offices of the company, 9, Eldon Chambers, South John-
street, to receive a deputation of directors of the
Engineers' and Age Assurance Societies, upon the occasion of
the amalgamation of the two societies. W. F. Dobson,
Mei., the chairman of the Engineers, and the Rev. G.
Roberts, the late chairman of the Age Company, entered
fully into the matter of the amalgamation, and the posi-
tion and prospects of the two companies; and,C on the motion
of Dr. Taylor, seconded by Mr. Harding, a resolution
approving the amalgamation, and pledging the members
to advance the interests of the conjoined societies, was
unanimously adopted. Great credit was given to the
chief agent for Liverpool, Mr. R. R. Hutchinson, for the
zeal and ability displayed by him in advancing the local
interests of the Age ; and, after a vote of thanks to the
9hairin44 end depitmi9n3 the PI9CPS separated?