The Express.
London, England, 1868-10-03 00:00:00

TSB IL4ILW4Y sieCIDENT WRAI RUOBY.

The fatal accident which happened near to
Birdingtrury station, on the Rugby, ismington, and
Coventry branch of the London and North Western Rail-
way, shortly after mid-day on Thursday, is said to have
been caused by the defective condition of the permanent
way. The carriage which first left the rails was the next
but one to the engine, and it seen* to have at once
bounded down the embankment, drminErith it the four
next carriage* and break van. carriagu
was
shivered into splinters by the next one falling upon it,
and only the roof and bottom remained. One of the other
carriages reared up against the end of the one
before it, awl the remainder stood upright on the
side of the embankment. The only two persons
killed are Mr. Davis and his son, who reside
at Barnes, Surrey, where they were in business as tailors.
They were accompanied by a nephew, who although in
the same carriage—the one eplintered into fragments
escaped with only slight injunes. Mr. Elsworthy, of
London, who was on his way to the funeral of a relative,
Mr. Woodmacon, of 39, South Parade, Leamington, has
received injuries to his back and a number of contusion..
Ilia case was reported to be serious, but yeiterdny his
medical attendants considered him much better, and to
be picgressing favourably. The two German gentlemen
injured are Herr Paterson, profits** of music, Rugby, and
Andrea; ljung, a teacher of languages, also of Rugby.
The former has eustained injuries to the left foot and
contusions, In addition to being much shaken; and the
latter injuries in the neck and fractured scapula. The
other sufferers, whose injuries nomad of contusions and
cuts,are Mr.snd Mrs. King, a commercial traveller, and his
wife; Mrs. Addison,of Showell, near Rugby; Elizabeth Seer-
ley. a servant at Weleomb-lodge, Stratford-on-Avon; and
Mrs. Styles, the wife of a Bath-chairman,of Augusta-plane,
Leamington. Mr. Davis, senior, wasdead when his body was
found, one of the carriage wheels having laceratel his
abdomen, and his injuries are described as being of a
shocking character. His eon was alive when discovered
am.ng the debris of the carriage, and he lived for a short
time afterwards. Mr. Elsworthy, Mrs. Addison, and
Mrs. Styles were able to be moved home, but the other
injured persons still remain at the Bath Hotel, Leaming-
ton, under medical and surgical treatment. The accident
has caused intense excitement in Leamington and the sur-
rounding district, awl strung opinions are exprewed an to
the condition of the line generally. Yesterday afternoon
Mr. W. Savage Poole, of Kenilworth, the coroner for Cen-
teal
Warwicludare, opened an inquest at the Crown 11,14
High-street, Leamington, on the bodies of Mr. Davis awl
his son. The jury proceeded in a special train to view the
scene of the accident, which is about le miles front Leaming-
ten. The jury also preen dad to Rugby to view the tarriages
which formed the train to which the accident nappened.
Tice inspection of the line dill not afford any clue to the
enure of the accident. The sleepers and chairs appeared to
be r erfectly sound, and it wai stated that this portion of the
line had not longbeen renewed. The bodies of the deceased,
which lay at the Blue Pig, Inayeot, were identified as
those of jeeeph Davis, tailor, of iligh-street, Barnes, arid
John Davis, his son, a young man 90 years of age, who
was a chirping clerk iu the London Docks. In iichlition
to three! mulled, Mr. Beard, of Rugby, a relative cat the
duowit, abeiseverely injured, awl lies in a
condition at his own home. After evidence hal been
taken as to the identity of the decease f, the inquiry was
adjourned until Wcalnesduy next, am Captain Tyler,
tl:e government inspector, who was over the lin • y.,.ter-
ilay, could nut ai range to attend the inquiry at an earlier
date.