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

The Late Fatal Omnibus Accident

been killed
Williamee apprehended,
otebnrydthaeV srPa
3 Thatliving
first,
but it
pass is
second There
Wls4aibvtlesry
short, distance
Payne resumed the inquiry, at
morning
Hospital, respecting the death of Chas.
St. Bartholomew
omnibus conductor, who was run over on
Fox, aged 37, an c another omnibus on Holborn-hill, and
Thursday last by
It being alleged that the accident was
31r.
at 7, Furnival's Inn, said—On
the driver of the second omnibus had
half-past three, I was standing at the
racing,
but was admitted to bail on Friday last.
one o n
beinglv as calledsligh slightly
when my attention cau
passed
ids verywtheereother broad.o:
tbhe
e-
clolarnuersrdoaly
.ul,ausrtn,
javbarstlnn,
to
two omnibuses racing
of Holborn •
her.
before the ot •
ine• at the rate of eight or nine miles an
Hove they were g° "
about level
with the body of the
him. The .
the
eeased having alighted
near side at a rapid pace,
ein front of t
and attempted
horses of the second
knocked down by the horses, and the hind
omnibus, was
e; uip perhaps
n
second omnibus, after
time, proceeded on its journey
stopping a short
this witness• - '
said—l saw the deceased
In cross-examination
immediately he alighted.tail of the
between two and three yards.
indeed between the h first omnibus and the horses'
0 ff
wh eel The
eahsi
passed
dsoeps
over
v e r
When I first saw them near Gray's-inn-lane, but
was ts4ha'
o'but e was knocked down by the off-side
which was
pulled up as he was getting off the monkey-board. I did
aenrhddrssthtte•hedTCehietld, deceased's omnibus
not see un ~
stns
1
• tas hisomnibus pped. Ido not consider there
horse jus
Ih ecaadnsn eo
hit
.say the secondt
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.eank just thwere, and there were cabs on it, but I cannot
tell the distance between the first omnibus and the cabs on
Jones,said— who lawoasreisaidthese
omnibus
nl;blAlsloonftawguheic-hplatt,
deceased
the off side.
Dr.
nductor• There appeared to be a great hurry to get
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 front of his omnibus, telling the coach-
man to pull across, saying,
them "—Pointing to the omnibus then advancing. Witness
" Pull them across, and stop
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
omnibus .in a way that he was unable to perceive the approach-
ing At this time a female (the wife of the de-
ceased), who was in his omnibus screamed violently, I
looked at the conductor, and saw the pole of the second
omnibus strike him in the back. He was by this whirled
round the horso.•collar, and fell on his head. He was then
struck by the horse's fore off-leg, and on the car 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, and 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 ras 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 ths 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