The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-10 00:00:00

The Railway Accident at Egham,

EGIII3I, Thursday Night.
This afternoon at 3 o'clock, Mr Woods, the coroner for

the western division of the county of Surrey, opened an

investigation at the Railway Inn, in this town, into the
circumstances attending the death of Richard Wilkie.
Edwin Hall, Joseph Clegg, William Winfield, end John
Coppard, who were killed by the lamentable catastrophe
which occurred on Tuesday evening during the running of
the return trains from the Ascot races.

The investigation created a great amount of excitemezt,
and in consequence of the vast number of persons who
attended it was found necessary to adjourn the inquiry to

• . -
the Reading-rooms.
Mr L. Crombie and Mr L. Clark attended on behalf of
the London ani South-We,tern Railway; and Mr Chubb
(of the firm of Dean, Chubb, and Saunders, of South-square,
Gray's-inn), represented the widow of Mr hall, Mr
Robinson (Robinson and Tomlin), appeared for the relatives
of Joseph Clegg; and Mr Edward Newman represented the
widow and friends of Mr R. Wilkie.

A jury of 15, having been sworn, proceeded to the coach-
house of the Railway Inn, where the remains of the unfor-
tunate deceased, Wilkie, Hall, Clegg. and Coppard, lay in
coffins, while those of Winfield were uncoffined. The de-
ceased Hall had both his legs completely severed from his
body, while the body itself was lacerated in a most fright-
ful manner; Joseph Clegg had his back broken, and his
body fearfully cut about ; Richard Wilkie had frightful
concussions on the head, concussion of the brain, and his
right arm literally torn from the shoulder; the arms of John
Coppard were broken and his body severely contused. The
principal injury to William Winfield was his right band
being torn off at the wrist. More or less the bodies pre-
sented a sickening and ghastly appearance.
The Coroner having severally sworn the jurymen, pro-
ceeded to say he was quite sure the jury would carefully
investigate the cause of the fearful calamity which had hap-
pened, involving the deaths of no less than five individuals
and serious injury to several others, two especially, one of
quite sure
and athneoythwerouinldonfeeeolfwtihteh Ldeoenpdoeno
rhroowspiatuadls .regllreet whom was lying in the neighbourhood in a very precarious
thewas
very painful task they had before them. He had been told
the deaths bad resulted in consequence of a collision of two
trains at the Egham station. Various rumours had reached
him, which he of course discarded, and he attended as
coroner quite unprejadiced and to act impartially to all, as
he trusted they (the jury) would do, The railway company
and their employs,
on exceptional occasions, like those of
the Ascot races, had necessarily imposed upon them most
onerous, anxious, and responsible duties, and the public had
a right on all occasions, exceptional or otherwise, to be
satisfied that the most ample precautions were resorted to
for insuring their safety. Upon the present occasion he did
not purpose going into general evidence, but he thought it
right to assemble the jury on the earliest possible opportu-
nity that the bodies might be delivered up to their friends
for interment. As it would be necessary to adjourn the
investigation, all he then proposed to do was to have the
bodies identified, in order that he might issue his warrant
for their removal.

The jury having viewed tho bodies, the first witness called
was,
Edward Booker, of Steward's-place, King's-road, Chelsea,
corpenter and builder. He said—I have seen the dead
bodies, and I identify amongst them that of Robert Wilkie.
He was a publican, and reaided at 25, Wellington-row,
Chelsea, and kept the Globe Tavern. He was about 51
years of age.
I
James Pattison said—I live in Stratford-mews. am a
jobmaster. I have seen the dead bodies, and I identify
that of Edwin Hall,
who is my brother-in.
law. He was a
corn merchant, residing in Duke-street, Manchester-square.
He was about 40 years old.
Robert Cross, M.D., 20, New-street, Spring-gardens—
I identify the body of Mr Joseph Clegg, who was
a tavern-
keeper, living at 19, Jermyn-street. He was about 66
I know nothing of age. of the yearscircumstances by
which he came to his death, nor have I had an opportunity
of examining the body to ascertoin the actual cause of
death. _

Tames Dewsbury, 86, Mount-street, Grosvenor-square,
servant—l identify the body of William 'Winfield. He
was a bailiff in the employ of Mr Henry Bracebridge, at
Sherbourne, near Warwick. He was about 49 years of
age.

Thomas Coppard, of Henfield, Sussex, said—l identify
the dead body of my brother John, who was about 68 years
of age. Ho was a clerk to Mr Padwick, of Hill-street,
Berkeley-square.

The Coroner and Jury then consulted, and ultimately it
Was arranged that the inquiry should be adjourned tor the
i.roduction of evidence with regard to the t.ignals end other
special arrangements for the traffle daring the Ascot
races.

Mr Crotnbie specially intimated to the coroner that the
company were anxious that every facility should be afforded
for the fullest investigation of the case.

The number of emigrants who ernbarkea c.t Havte
during May was 2,352, of whom 2,293 went to New York,
28 to Rio do la Plata, three to San Francisco, and 28 to
Shanghai.

TZTE FRENCH EMPEROR'S NEW STABLES.—The
Emperor's new stables near the Pont de l'Alma, on the left
bank of the Seine, being completely terminated, the old
onea in the Rue Montaigne, which have been purchased by
the City of Paris, will be pulled down almost immediately,
and the site sold for building ground, The materials of the
constructions will be offered for sale isv auction on the 13th