The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-24 00:00:00

ALLEGED MANSLAUGHTER.

An inquiry was concluded yesterday morning
by Mr. W. J. Payne, deputy coroner for the city
of London and Southwark, at Guy's Hospital,
respecting the death of William Hayles, aged 35,
who was alleged to have been killed under circum-
stances of great brutality. Mrs. Caroline Jones,
wife of a clerk, said that on last Friday fortnight,
about two o'clock in the afternoon, she saw near
London-bridge a dray driving right across a Green-
wich omnibus, in order to get on its o am side of the
way. They were both just under the new railm
bridge near the Wellington clock, and were going
in the direction of St. George's Church, Borough.
The back of the dray touched one of the omnibus
horses, witness believed, but it did no damage. The
omnibus driver then turned his vehicle out of its
course in order to fix the dray against a lamp-post.
He then cut the drayhorse with his whip fearfully
about the breast, covering it with blood and wheals.
There were two draymen on the dray, and the driver
of the omnibus struck savagely at one of them, and
cut him dreadfully and nearly took his eye out.
Deceased then jumped off the dray and caught hold
of the omnibus horses' heads. The omnibus man
made his horses rear up, and then lashed them for-
wards. Deceased was of course thrown down, and
the omnibus went over him. The dray would also
have gone over him, but that witness rushed for-
ward and pulled him out of the way by the leg.
The omnibus man attempted to drive off, but was
stopped by several persons. When deceased was
under the omnibus a person on the roof said, " You
you got on the omnibus on purpose to be run
over !" -Witness caused him to be removed to the
hospital, where he died. The omnibus had been
driven with such force against the dray as to smash
the spokes of the wheels of the latter. Charles
Brooks gave similar evidence. Witness remon-
strated with the driver of the omnibus for his
inmuasainngh, his
sn h t whipe against the two draymen
only laughed and said,
crueltyin
such a manner,
" What is it to you ?" Witness replied, "It is most
unchristian, and if you NN ere down here I would
punch your head." Mr. G. T. Dunbar, 38, Lime-
street, said that he was sitting on the box by the
driver. The drayman had asked the latter to go on,
but he was told to go on himself. The omnibus driver
only flicked his whip" to prevent the dray crushing
his horses. He did not strike deceased—his whip
was not long enough. Deceased gave a flying leap at
the side of the omnibus to attack the driver, and fell
under the ,a heels. The driver pulled up directly.
No one spoke on the omnibus but a person who
called the driver " a -- hound." Witness did not
know why the driver was called " a -- hound."
Witness would have used his whip under similar
circumstances. The medical evidence proved that
deceased died from the injuries received, and that
there were marks from the cuts of a whip on his
person. After very conflicting evidence, John
Bokes, driver of Wheatley's Greenwich omnibus
6,543, denied having struck deceased. He only
switched his whip at him. The dray nearly knocked
the omnibus over the curb. He did not see how
deceased was killed. The Coroner having summed
up, the jury returned a verdict of " Manslaughter
against John Bokes, for killing and slaying 11'm.
Hayles." The accused was then committed to
Newgate, but it was understood that substantial
bail would be tendered and accepted during the
forenoon.

MR. AND MRS. CHARLES KEAN'S VISIT TO Aus-
TRALIA.—A letter from Sydney says : " Play-
goers are much pleased at the prospect of having Mr. and
Mrs. C. Kean among us. As part of the puff preliminary,'
the following extracts from a letter from Mr. Kean have
been published in a circular asking for subscriptions :—' To
G. Coppin, Esq,—Sir, I will perform (my party, besides
teysslf, consisting of Mrs. Kean, Miss Chapmen, and Mr,
George Everett) one hundred and twenty (120) nights, to
be disposed of as you think advisable, (luring the period I
have named (five months), for which I will accept your
bond for the certain sum of eight thousand five hundred
pounds (£8,500 sterling). YOu will .understand that my
short visit to Australia will be the only one that we cam
ever make previous to our final retirement from the Eritish
stage. Play bear in mind that the engagement in Australia
cannot, by any possibility, be prolonged beyond the time I
have mentioned! After closing the Princess's I made a
nine months' tour through the provinces, acting (160) one
hundred and sixty nights, and my share of the proceeds
amounted to ten thousand pounds (£10,000). Each season
since has given me over eight thousand pounds (£8,000).
Very truly yours—CHARLES KEAN.'

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