The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-26 00:00:00

MELANCDOI,T ACCIDENT.

In our last we gave an account of the diem/sing death of a lady
on the flounalow road, near the powder milk, on Wedneaday last.
The fillosing are ionic Midi I Willi int Scubas and the report of
the Coroner's Inquest, which was held oo the body of the ill-fated
lady on ttaturday.
A gentleman of great respectability, named Perno, residing at
Egluum.bili, was pmceeding from London in his one-hone chaise,
accompanied by a lady named Ruth Mackoul ; when attempting to,
i pass un the near side of Drown and Co.'s iVineanton waggon, to
avoid the dust, he met with a repulse froin the driver, who draw-
ing his fore-horse across the raid, obliged Alr. Perim to back his
horse and moot on the other side- What the driver's object was
: does not appear, for no *eerier had Mr. Perna reached the fore-
'horse on the other aide dia.: the animal tumed aside, in consequence
art' what is alleged to have been done by the driver, and became
entangled in the harness of Al r. Perno's horse. The driver, aware,
it is said, of the entanglement. still proceeded, and in a short time
the gig was upset. AD. Pcmo and Mrs. Al ackoul were thrown out
with great violence, and, dreadful to state, the off-wheels of the
waggou passed over her head. We need scarcely add that she was
immediately killed. The reader mar Mrni sonic idea of the
dreadful condition of this unfortunate lady, when we state that her
head was crualsci and flattened under the broad wheels of a seven_
borne waggon, heavily laden. Mr. P. was much &Limiest at the ac-
cident. and unable to render anTamdstance. The conductors of the
waggon, it is Alleged, made no inquiry after the fate of the lady,
but drove off. The body wait conveyed to the Duke's Ilead Inn,
'at Ikilfont, and Mr. Stirling, the Coroner, having issued Its war-
rant, an Inquest was on Satunlay held on the body, at the above
kinky.

The tkiliciine for the Mint attended professionally for Mr. Perno,
and another gentleman toe thew eggon office. The following was
the evidence adduced
William Burnett sworn—lle resided at East Btdfont, and was
xeard of Joint's Whitchurch waggon. On Wednesday evening
he was coning from London with his waggon, and proceeding
&wit the mad towards Bedtime, he observed Brown and Brice is
Wtreanton waggon, and a sand cart before them. The gig which
contained the deceased and Mr. Perno, was also coaling front
London, a:AI both waggon and sand-cart were proceeding at a
moderate pace ; the gig was proceeding at the rate of four or five
mirky an hour, and passed the waggon and sand-cart in perfect
safety. Brown and Brice's waggon was drawn by seven horses,
and walking at a ;toed pace; when the gig came up to this waggon
it attempt to pass on the near aide, but the guard, who was
driving, pulled in hiv horses to the near aide of the roA, preventing
the gentleman pasaing on that side, and he then went to the off
side to pass; the fore horse of the waggon by,some means went
to that side, and became entangled with the harness of the gig.
They had prat-ailed hut a very short distance when the gig was
berate ; Ise went up to it, and found the broad wheels of the
waggon had gone over the head, the waggon at the time
going on, entangled in the gig harness; he lifted the deceased from
the ground, and found she was quite dead. The guard who hail
the conducting of the waggon went on as far as and
although he was aware of the accident, did not stop. Ile did not
appear in the leaic intoxicated, nor was the waggoner, although he
'Hid in the waggon asleep; but, upon hearing the cry raised when
the gig and horses became entangled, he got out and came to the
bdy. The reason the gentleman gave tOr passing on the near
side was to avoid the dust, but the stoppage on both sides must
have been occasioned by the waggoner, who said something to the
horses. In answer to the questions from the Jury, he said it was
a 'nailed waggon, aid although the waggoner and guard saw the
accident, they did not atop, hut proceeded on theirjoumey.
W. Pullman, of Kew, said, lie was on the road at the time the
accident took place, and observed Mr. Perno attempt to pass on the
near side; the waggoner observing it, called his horses to him.
The gentleman finding he could not pass on that side, came on the
offside; he had just got up with his chaise to nearly the head of
the fore horse, and in consequence of the waggon horses going in a
slanting direction, they came in contact with the chaise horse ; the
off wheel of the waggon also came in ammo with the off wheel of
the chaise ; it was immediately overturned, the lady was pitched to
the ground, and both the off wheels of the waggon passed over her
head, causing her instant death.
Cororier--Do you not think the driver must have been aware that
the gig wax in contact with the waggon
Iriiness---I do not knno, but I think he must have known it.

t ll'as there not TOOlll for the waggon to go along the aide without
I Aming either way ? —The waggon appeared in a direct line, but
he hers^s were turned otf abruptly ; the gentleman had a tight rein
to keep his horse off the waggon, bat front what was dots by the
driver. the waggon fore-huroe turned sharply roun.l in a square
with the road, and touching the chaise whnl., occasioned them to
come in contact with the waggon; the gentleman was merely at the
tail of the waggon, not in fact at the side, but, observing there was
no room, be won on the tither aide. . .

The Jury were anxious to astertsin how near the waggoner was
to the near side. _

The beadle said it was exactly a yard and a half from the path,
' which rendered it rather singular Mr. Perm, should make an at-
I tempt to pass on that side.
Several of the Jury observed It was plain the waggoner intended
in the first ir.stance to prevent Mr. Pemo miming, and the question
was, whither the horses were drove wilfully on the other side.
The witness said the horses were turned very hastily round, and
when the accident was discovered by the waggoner and guard, they
went on at a trot,the horses going out of their regular track until
they Caine into ie middle of the road, and rather on the other side,
neither of the men stopping to see what damage they bad done, or
whether they hail Coleitaitted any or not.
James ('Duper, the landlord of the Ihike's Head Inn, 11341, on the
night of the accident the waggoner and guard stopped at the house.
Robert (Awes, the waggoner, said they had had a sad accident on
the heath, having run over a lady and killed her. The witness
said " Did you stop and assist it" to which Lawes replied—" No,
we did not: The witness said lie had done wrong in not stopping,
to which he replied he believed he had.
Mr. Pemo was then called into the room. On entering he seemed
quite overpowered by his feelings, ail bald he hoped the Jury
would bare spared his attendance.
The Coati:mien said their object was to ascertain the real fact,
and as Mr. Perms was the only person actually on the spot, it was
his evidence alone that would either convict the man or exculpate
him. They did not wish to hurt his feelings by calling him into
the room, but it was a ditty they owed to the public to make erery
inquiry, and that justice might be done to all parties.
Mr. Peron then stated, that observing a vast cloud of dust raised
on the oftside, he came up to the Wincanton waggon, mid con.
caving there MU rooni, attempted to pas, tat the wrong side, the
driver prevented hint by drawing his fore horses towards the ditch ;
' had he tint done so, lie could have passed, there being abundance
of room ; he immediately passed to his own side, and drove on to.
wards the leaders' beads, Intending to expostulate with hint on his
conduct. 'rite driver itonnaliately rut at his horses, and they as
quickly flew bark from the ditch, enclosing the gig and entangling
the harness; the man did not attempt to stop the horses, but drag.
ged his gig several yards—it was at length overturned, and both
were thrown out, deceased being killed on the spot.
William Dean, the driver of the sand cart, was next examined.—
His evidence was corroborative of the former evidence, with this
variation, that he considered the waggon was three or four yards
groin the ne:r side when Mr. Pemo attempted to pass, nor did he
see the waggoner flog the horses, bust observed him trot than after
the accide.nt. He gave his decided opinion, that provided the wag-
goner was in his proper place—beside his horses—there was tie
' room for the gig to pass.
Thu driver, William Pettit, was then called ia. He said, the
gentled obi attempted to pass the waggon, when he brunght 116
horses to the twin' side, and the gentleman went on the miter
I aide, and came up to the heads of his horses, intending to thrive
him on the stones: he apprehended danger, and gave him a cut
with his whip; they then went on at a trot, and he was unable to
11:011 them. IVhC:llts had got a short distance, he kinked behind,
and saw the lady lying in the road; but did nut return, apprehend_
ing there was no danger.
The Jury censured hints in the extreme, for his improper eon.
dos t, and pm:ceded to teke a view of the body ; the spt omit; it
pre itiited ws dismasing, it being impossible to distat.guish a
it ;le fr:itti:c; in fact, the head was pressed quite Bat.
Tine Foimer, atter Ghsetving upon t':e regulation of the road,
left the ease for the Jury's conateeration, to say whether it was in.
tentimo.i or accidental.

.Itirr ...urt eunnthstion. the Jury returned a verdict of " Mau-
s'..tn•zist,r agaiisst William Perrin, the driver of the wAggoo."
Tin: 1 aqu....t ncruyi:d near five hours.,

EN olt AI ill,S FlSti.—On Tuesday last a sturgeon was ex-
pc. c.l hi this market which was right fret and one inch lone,
awi 15611 is weight. AVG understand it was tiiken in the
stake nets at Heysham, near Lancaster, and is the first fish
of the kind known to hi.ve been there.--AlluiteheAlrr Guar-

There are four lartze hulks now lying °tithe Dock yard
at Woolnielt, filled with the convicts that were removed
some time a4o from the Penitentiary, 111ilbank ; mat since i
their arrival they hate ;111 v%p:rictic‘.4l a great ituproveinent
in th.:ir I;e:tith.
Tit AM FS AND S.—We talk of the Thames and the
Isis. Titere is no smelt river as the Isis, either in cur old
gatigraplty, ar in moletit tradition ; 1 mean, tim:iltteated
tradition. This Is.at is a mere invention of petiantrt, i. 14111
tile name of thaOtts,,, s stream Cut runs into tile Thainc,.
• Walpviiatta.

TO THE EDITOR OF 'I HE BRITISH PRESS.

811...1 sent yesterday to the Editor of the Morniug Ilrrald the
following letter, but as he has not complied with my demand. I
now request the insertion of it in your Paper as a favour, and at
the same time as an act of justice from the public press, to
Your obedient Servant,
CHARLES TENNANT.

62, Russell-mit:ire, April 21.
EniTom—la a work first miblishecl nn Monday last, I of-
fered to the public- cop;cs of certain original letters in my prissec-
sion, from Napoleon Bonaparte tu his wife Josephine, with English
translations. Ihi 'Wethit 'slay the 4;l"riang Chronicle noticed this
publication, and gave a few extrixts frees the letters.
In your Paper of the fulluwi'g day you copied the translations
,of the Afarnimg Chnutielc. apparently ler the purpose of intro-
• during an assertion not warranted in fact, and certainly not justi-
; liable by the laws of fair CthICINIII. You observe that " these
letters bear on the face of them every mark of being got up for the
purpose of sale."
The writer in the .Horning Chrinfirle (who has not followed my
translation, hut has adopted one of his own), can have had but
little time for reference to the work itself, but you must have co.
pied from his paper on the very day it appeared, and you have
thought fit to adopt his translation, not stmt. hence I have rea-
son for concluding that you had not even seen the book when you
admitted into your journal the words just quoted.
Now, with every fair allowance for any inadvertency attending
tam batty composition of a Daily Newspaper, you, Sir, have made
yourself answerable tome and to the public (if you wish to retain
your own reputation for impartiality), to defend the expression al-
luded to, which conveys to every one who may read it an impute-
Son upon my moral character. Defore that public I, therefore,
call upon you to justify, either by feet or fair argument, the slan-
derous imputation Cols cast upon an individual, who must be
wholly unknown to you, or to make a suitable apology.
I also expect you to insert this demand in your next Paper.
I am, your humble Servant,
CHARLES TENNANT.
62, Russell-squarc, April 13, 1824.

SPORTING 12VTELLIGENCE.

NEWMARKET CRAVEN 3IEETING.

FRIDAY. ATRIL 23.—(rirru DAT.)
Sweepstakes of bOgs. each, 3 ft. for fillies out of mires that never
produced a sumer (recovicg forfeit not deemed winning), flist.
Jib. each, It. M.
Lord Excites 1. by Cato, out of Oinphale (walked over).
Mr. Itatson's b. by Cadtrel, out of Pranks, withdrew her stake.
Mr. Rush's b. f. by kioncer, out of Discord, withdrew her stake.
Mr. Fox's ch. Double-Entendre, by Conlin, withdrew her stake.
Mr. Fraser's Amhrusine, by Ouy Mannering, out of Alias
and Mr. R. Wilson's f. (dead) by ditto, out of Antelope, by :for-
mer, paid forfeit.

:sweepstakes of 200 gs. each, h. ft. for fillies, Itst 51b. T.Y.C.
Duke of York's Humbug, by Iledley or Styinour, out of Ufa-
mane . -

Sir J. Shelley's f. by Blucher. out of Houghton lass - 2
Duke of ltuthstid's by Soothsayer, out of Elisabeth, and Lord
Jere y% sister to Oracle (dead), paid forfeit. Goodisson rode the
Duke's, azid Sir John's was rode by Rubinson. A good race, and
won cagy at last by a length. 6tol on bit John's.