The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-18 00:00:00

The Late Fatal Omnibus Accident.

Yesterday Mr. Payne resumed the inquiry, at
Bartholomew's St. Hospital, respecting the death of Chas.
Fox. aged 37, an omnibus conductor, who was run over on
Thursday last by another omnibus on Holborn-hill, and
morning
killed on the spot. It being alleged that the accident was
caused by racing, the driver of the second omnibus had
been apprehended, but was admitted to bail on Friday last.
William Wray, living at 7, Furnival's Inn, said— On
Thursday last, about half-past three, I was standing at the
corner of Furnival's Inn, when my attention was called to
two omnibuses racing towards the City, one being slightly
before the other. That part of Holborn is very broad. I be-
lieve they were going at the rate of eight or nine miles an
hour. The horses of the second omnibus were about level
with the body of the first, but it passed the other on the
near side at a rapid pace, and the deceased having alighted
and attempted to pass in front of the horses of the second
omnibus, was knocked down by the horses, and the hind
off wheel passed over him. The second omnibus, after
stopping a short time, proceeded on its journey.
In cross-examination this witness said—l saw the deceased
immediately he alighted. There was a very short distance
indeed between the tail of the first omnibus and the horses'
heads of the second ; perhaps between two and three yards.
When I first saw them they were near Gray's-inn-lane, but
I cannot say which was the first. The deceased's omnibus
pulled up as he was getting off the monkey-board. I did
not see him get off, but he was knocked down by the off-side
horse just as his omnibus stopped. Ido not consider there
was sufficient room for the second omnibus to pass the first
on the near side, as the second was obliged to squeeze past.
I should think there was a space of about 12 or 15 feet be-
tween the deceased's omnibus and the kerb. There is a
cab-rank just there, and there were cabs on it, but I cannot
tell the distance between the first omnibus and the cabs on
the off side.

Dr. Jones, who resides at 1, Montague-place, Kentish
Town, said—l was in the omnibus of which the deceased
was conductor. There appeared to be a great hurry to get
forward, as there was another omnibus about 40 or 50 yards
behind it. The one I was in went on the Leather-lane side
of the cab-stand, At this time the second omnibus was
coming up fast, and I heard the deceased continually urge
his own driver to greater speed. This was when the light
green omnibus was about 20 yards behind. When they
came opposite Furnival's Inn both omnibuses were racing.
A female passenger was standing by the side of the kerb,
and one omnibus was drawn up about a foot from the public
convenience in the centre of the road. The conductor got
down, and went in flout of his omnibus, telling the coach-
man to pull across, saying, " Pull them across, and stop
them "—pointing to the omnibus then advancing. Witness
seeing, from the speed of the advancing omnibus, that there
might be a dangerous collision, took measures for making
his escape. The conductor at this time continued to exhort
his driver to pull across, at the same time walking back-
wards in a way that he was unable to perceive the approach-
ing omnibus. At this time a female (the wife of the de-
ceased), who was in his omnibus screamed violently. I
looked at the conauctor, and saw the pole of the second
omnibus strike him in the back. He was by this whirled
round the horse. collar, and fell on his head. He was then
struck by the horsb's fore off leg, and on the ear by his hind
off-leg. The deceased seemed to struggle to free himself,
when the wheel passed over the chest by the side of the head
from the shoulder, ard down the centre of the body. He
was at once removed on to the path, when there was a per-
ceptible tremor in the body, the blood pouring in great
quantities from his mouth. I saw there was no hope for
him, and at once gave directions for having the driver of the
second omnibus taken into custody. I consider that the
driver of the second omnibus must have seen the deceased
before he was knocked down, as there was nothing else in
the way. There was not space for the two omnibuses to
pass without running over the deceased, and the second
omnibus could not have passed round the other without
danger of upsetting his own vehicle. The deceased had his
back to the second omnibus, and was evidently not aware
of its approach, for he backed on to the chains of it. The
driver of the second omnibus had time to stop before the