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

The Railway Accident at Eghani,

EGHAM, Thursday Night.
This afternoon at 3 o'clock, Mr Woods, the coroner for
he western division of the county of Surrey, opened an

investigation at the Railway Inn, in this town, into the
circumstances attew.ling the death of Richard Wilkie,
Edwin Hail, joseph Clegg,, William Winfield, and John
Coppard, Nv la o were killed by the lamentable catastr,:phe
which occurred on Tuesday evening du:lug the running of
the return trains from the Ascot races.
The investigation created a great amount of excitement,
and in consequence of the vast number of persons who
attended it wr.s found necessary to adjourn the inquiry to
the Reading-rooms.
• Mr L. Crombi3 and Mr L. Clark attended on behalf of
the London en I South-Weaken ; and Mr Chubb
(of the fittn of Dean, Chubb, and Saunders, of South-square,
Gray's-inn), represented the widow ot. Mr Hall , Mr
Robinson (Robinson and Tomlin), appeared for the relatives
of Joseph Clegg; and Mr Ed ward 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 hand
being torn off at the wrist. More or less the bodies pre-

seated a sickening and ghastly appearance.
The Coroner having severally sworn the jurymen, pro-
ceeded co 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
t
whom was lying in the neighbourhood in a very precarious
state, and another in one of
beforeoftheL them. H
London hospitals.
hitalasd.
belei told
lo
was
quite sure they would feel with deep sorrow and regret the
tvheerydepaatihnsfuhlatd esasrktuhlety haded in consequence of a collision of two
trains at the Egham station. Various rumours had reached
him, which be of course discarded, and he attended as
coroner quite unprejudiced and to act impartially to all, as
he trusted they (the jury) would do. The railway company
and their employes, 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 the bodies, the first witness called
was,

Edward Booker, of Steward's-place, King's-road, Chelsea,
corpenter and builder. He said—l have seen the dead
bodies, and I identify amongst them that of Robert Wilkie,
He was a publican, and resided at 25, Wellington-row,
Chelsea, and kept the Globe Tavern. Tie was about 51
years of age.
James Pattison said—l live in Stratford-mews. lam a
jobmaster. I have seen the dead bodies, and I identify
that of Edwin Hall, who is my brother-in-law. He was a
cern 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-otreet. He was about 65
years of age. I know nothing of tho circumstances by
which he came to his death, nor have I had an opportunity
of examining the body to ascertain the actual cause Of
r
death.
Grosvenor-sclu
James Dewsbury, 86, Mount-street,
Grosvenor-square,
,
S
ssweha
srevr aabnout
bailiff--ri2le, inear identify
etahr elevmt
Warwick.
0 bodyiyek. Ho was about 49 years of
of
3 ofi Henry Braoebridge, at
William Wifield. He
was
age.
Thomas Coppard, of Hentield,
Sussex,
clerk to Mr P‘a' dowwical:, aobfoHetilslB-s)t.reara
Hill-street,
ofth eagdeett.d buoedywoafsmay brother John, who said--I identify
Berkeley-square.

The Coroner and Jury that consulted, and ultimately it
was arranged that the inquiry should be adjourned for the
production of evidence with regard to the signals and other
special arrangements fur the traffic during the Ascot
races.

Mr Crombie specially intimated to the coroner that the
company Were anxious that every
facility should be afforded
for the I.4llest investigation of the case.

The number of emigrants who embarked at Havre
during May was 2,352, of whom 2,293 went to Now York,
2S to Rio do la Plata, three to San Francisco, anti 2S to
Shanghai.
THE FRENCH .EMPEROR'S NEW STABLES.—The
Emperor's new stables near the Pont do l'Alma, on the left
being completely terminated, the old
the Rue Montaigne, which have been purchased by
obnaneskionf the Seine,
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 by auction on the 13th
inst, at th; upset price of 20,0001,