The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-30 00:00:00

quite certain that the passenger train had not left the line
before the collision took place. There were in fact two
shocks of the collision. The first sent the break and a por-
tion of the carriages across the line and the six-foot way,
and thus rendered the catastrophe less dreadful than it
would otherwise have been. In fact, had not this been the
case, the break and the carriages attached to it must have
been completely smashed up, and the passengers in thoes
carriages killed.l

Mr Woollett called attention to the 405th regulation of
the company, which is as follows :—" The under guard must
act under the direction of the bead guard in all matters not
inconsistent with the duties laid down in these rules. They
will be expected to mutually co-operate with each other to
ensure proper disposal of business and prevent delay at
stations. At the same time they will be jointly responsible
for the observance of these rules.

William Ware, of Edward-street, New-ct oss, said he is in
the employ of the South-Eastern Railway Company as tra-
velling inspector. On the 16th inst. he was at Woolwich,
and entered the passenger train from Maidstone at the
Dockyard station. The train arrived at the Dockyard punc-
tually at the proper time. lie usually rode in the break,
but on this occasion he fortunately entered a compartment
of a second-clase.carrmge. The train on arriving at the
Charlton station was delayed for some time, and witness in
the performance of his duties got out and entered the sta-
tion, but did not see the station master. He remained at
the station until the signal was received of "All clear up,"
and then entered a second-class carriage and proceeded on
with the train. lie sat facing the engine, and when about
three parts through the tunnel the collision took place. He
was very much shaken, but not otherwise injured. As soon
as possible he got out of the carriage to render what assist-
ance he could. He saw the head guard, Squires, lying on
the ground, and asked him if he was so much injured as to
be unable to go through the tunnel to Blackheath and
form the station master of the accident, in order to stop all
traffic up and down. Squires replied that he was too much
hurt to do so, and witness and others then went up the line
to the station,

The witness then gave corroborative evidenoe as to the
removal of the witnesses from the tunnel, and stated that
the break carriage of the ballast train had lights, as the
lamps had been found since the accident.
The Coroner—There appears to be no question with re-
gard to that point, as the signal man at Angerstein junction
stated that he saw the tail lamps on the break of the ballast
train when that train passed his signal box.
Mr Eborall, general manager of the South Eastern Rail-
way Company, said the engine attached to the ballast train
was up to the time of the accident in an efficient state. Its
weight was 27} tons, and it had six wheels. The total
weight of the train, including engine, tender, trucks. fuel,
&c., was 240 tons. The engine could be worked to a pres-
sure of 1201 be to the inch,

Mr Cudworth, superintendent and manager of the South
Eastern Railway Company's engineering works and loco-
motive factory at Ashford, was then r,-examined,and stated
that the engine was of the most efficient description and in
good order. It was quite capable of propelling a load of 300
tons.

The witness was cross-examined by Mr Woollett and the
jury without any material result.
Some conversation then took plane with reference to the
head guard of the ballast train, Lancaster, riding on the en_
gine instead of being in the break during the transit of the
train from Charlton to the spot where the collision occurred,
and the jury considered it desirable that some information
should be given as to the regulations of the company on this
point.

Mr Knight, traffic superintendent to the company, said—
It was in accordance with the regulations that the head
guard of a ballast train should have the train under his
control and give: directions to others. Whenever a head
guard went for duty on the engine another man was put
into the break to supply his place.
By the Coroner—The guard of the ballast train therefore
acted not only as the head guard, but as an inspector of the
train.

Some of the witnesses were recalled, and replied to ques-
tions from the coroner an I jury, the result being chiefly cor-
roberative of the evidence previously given. It may be
observed, however that one of the most noticable features of
the present inquiry was the marked difference and flit con-
tradiction between the evidence of the head guard of the
ballast train, Lancaster, and the witnesses who were in the
carriage next to the break at the time of the accident.
The Coroner, after referring to his notes, also alluded to
the variation between some of the statements he made on
the present occasion, and the evidence he had previously
given.

In reply to a question, Lancaster said he could only ac-
count for the difference between his statement and those of
the witnesses who were in the ballast train, by the supposi-
tion that they were in such a state of alarm as to be un-
able to show what precisely took place.
In reply to the Coroner, it was stated by Mr Freeland
that the fireman Randall was still in a very bad state, and
would not be able to attend for at least several days.
The Coroner and Jury having retired for about half an
hour, returned into court, when the Coroner said that all
the evidence at present avai!able had been received, and the
jury and himself, after deliberation, were of opinion that a
satisfactory conclusion could not be arrived at without
hearing the evidence of Randall and that of Captain I:3ler,
R E., the Government inspector of railways, as to the re-
sult of his inspection of the line. It would be wise to ad.
journ the inquiry for some time, so that it might bo con-
cluded on the next occasion. He therefore proposed to ad-
journ the inquest until that day fortnight, and after all the
additional evidence had been taken the Court would then be
ready to receive any statement that Jones, the signalman
at the Blackheath station (who forwarded a wrong signal to
Charlton), might think proper to make.

Mr Woollett said, on behalf of Jones, that ho was quite
ready to meet the case, and he (Hr Woollett) had thou in
his possession a written statement by Jones, which ho was
prepared to submit to the Court.
The Coroner said he could not receive such a statement
at present, and it was possible that Jones might during
tbo next fortnight alter his mind.

The inquiry was then adjourned until this day fortnight,
at three o'clock.

The Derby Murder,

Yesterday (Thursday) at noon James Potter, who mur-
dered his wife at Derby, between 12 and 1 o'clock on Fri-
day morning, by stabbing her through the heart with a
sword CA 1., was brought up on remand, befJre the local
magistratep, at the county gaol, for examination.
Iho magistrates present were the Mayor (Mr T. Roe) Dr
Heygate, Mr Bainbrigge, Mr Pegg, Mr W. I'. Cox, and
Mr T. B. Forman.

Tho prisoner was brought into the room in the custody
of a turnkey, and appeared to be calm and collected, and on
being told the nature of the charge against him, he made
no answer.

Sergeant Thorpe repeated the evidence which he gave
before the coroner, as to his meeting Potter near his home
en the morning of the murder, going home with him and
finding the body upon the bed. Ho described searching the
prisoner, and during this portion of his evidence was in-
terrup'ed by the prisoner, who said, "You don't say any-
thing about the 4s I had in my pocket."
The Mayor—Have you any remark to make?
Prisoner—Yes. I had 3s 101 d, and four keys fastened
together on a ring, and four silver buttons fastened to a
ring, a penknife with two blades, a pocket knife, and a
whistle. That was about all, I think. Stay, there was a
spectacle caee. I could not find my waistcoat, but it was
sent to me yesterday.
The Bench—Anything more ?
Thorpe—A knife with a broken blade.
Prisoner—Yes ; that's right. The blade was broken the
day I bad it. Will you, let me have a chair ? I am very
weakly.
A chair was handed to him, and the Court took the evi-
dence of

Benjamin Foam, detective inspector of police, who had
not been previously examined before the coroner. He said
—I received the prisoner into my custody at his own home
about 20 minutes enter ono o'clock on the morning of the 22d
inst. He was in the bedroom where the corpse lay when I
first saw him. When I got him into the street I said,
" Potter—l charge you with the murder of your wife." He
replied, " She has run me into debt. That man we met on
the stairs did it," We had met no one on the stairs, and I
said so to him. Just as we went out of the house a man
named Stone, who lodges there, came down behind us. As
I was leaving the house I told, the constable in charge of
the premises not to leave until daylight, as prisoner might
have thrown the weapon into the street. Potter, who heard
the remark, said "He will not find it there." I then took
him to the station and locked him up.
By Dr Hoygate—Stone was partly dressed ; he had no
coat on, and seemed as though he had just got up.
Prisoner—Stone was fresh washed, was he not ?
Fearn—l don't know.
Prisoner—You ought to know then.
Fearn—He looked to me as though he bad just got out of
bed. He did not appear to have been fresh washed.
By the Bench—Prisoner appeared to be sober. He spoke
in a similar way to what be does now. He appeared to be
very low, much as he does now.
E:izabeth Clements, the prisoner's daughter, gave the
evidence which has before appeared.
Prisoner asked his daughter whether her mother had not,
when in a bad state of mind, lifted up a carving•knife and
threatened to take his life.

Witness replied she had not.
Prisoner—" Oh, dear I it is base of you to say so." Ile
then put up Lis hands to his face and beghn to cry.
Henry James P, ..ter, grandson of the prisoner, who was
not examined at the inquest, said he had lived all his life
with the prisoner. Went to bed on Thursday night at seven
o'clock. Was awakened at one by hearing his grandmother
cry out "Murder I" several times. He heard no other voice.
Was frightened, and lay still for about an hour, when his
mother came to him. The dagger produced is his grand-
father's, who kept it in his bedroom, against the drawers.
He saw the dagger on Friday morning bent as it was then.
Other witnesses who gave evidence at the inquest having
been examined,

Stone, the lodger, was called—He denied any improper
intimacy with the deceased. He was a warried man, and his
wife was a nurse at the Derby Infirmary.