The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-05 00:00:00

THE ACCIDENT AT KING'S-CROSS.

Yesterday afternoon Dr. Lankester, the coroner
for the central division of Middlesex, resumed the
inquiry at the Royal Free Hospital, Gray's-inn-
road, relative to the death of Richard Coggan, aged
45, late in the employ of Messrs. Nicholson, dis-
tillers, of St. John-street-road, who was killed on
the 18th ult. at the goods station of the Midland
Railway at King's-cross. Mr. Reid, instructed by
Mr. Layton, represented the firm of Messrs. Nichol-
son, and the widow and family of the deceased ; Mr.
Giffard, instructed by Mr. Jeffery, attended for the
Midland Railway Company ; and Mr. Wontner,
solicitor, -was present for the Great Northern Com-
pany, on whose line the Midland had running
powers. It appeared that on the 18th ult. the
deceased, who was a carman, went to the Midland
goods station with a waggon and three horses to
bring away some empty casks, and, having arrived
at the dock, he hamped the leading horse, the two
abreast, in consequence of the scarcity of room,
standing partly across the rails. About two o'clock
in the afternoon an arriving train was signalled,
when the line was duly cleared, and in about 20
minutes after a second train, consisting of 33 trucks,
principally laden with iron, and driven forward by
two engines, dashed into the station at the rate of
eight or ten miles an hour, witlout having received
the necessary signals, whereby the unfortunate
deceased, while endeavouring to save the horses in
the almost momentary notice of danger, was struck
down by the foremost truck, the wheels of which
passed over his body, as also those of the second
truck. On reversing the train, the wheels again
passed over his body. When extricated he was taken
to the Royal Free Hospital, where it was subse-
quently found that all his ribs, limbs, and collar bone
were fractured, that he had sustained injuries to the
head and congestion of the brain, and rupture of
the liver. Mr. Beckett, the houscesurgeon, pro-
nounccd death to have been caused by the shock
to the system from the injuries. With reference
to the accident, it was shown that the mode of sig-
nalling an approaching train was, first, by a shunter
ringing a bell, on which a policeman on the Great
Northern line put chains at the gates, tied saw to
the clearing of the line, which occupied from three
to five minutes. He then gave the signal" All clear"
to the shunter, who communi• ated to the shunters
on the train, which would be approaching at a slow
pace round the sharp curve. A man named Davis
had to ring the bell, which he did not do until the
first truck was level with the bell. He then gave
the danger signal, but unfortunately too late. The
three other shunters, Bosworth, Hans, and Speed,
who accompanied the train, passed on the signals
as received to the engine drivers. The train and all
the servants belonged to the Midland Company.
After hearing the evidence, and being locked up a
considerable time, the jury returned a verdict to the
effect that the death of Richard Coggan was caused
by accidental circumstances. They appended to it
the following expression of their feeling:a-4, 1. The
jury regard the conduct of Alfred Davis in neglect-
ing to give the proper signals as highly censurable,
and approaching to criminality in the carelessness
of his conduct. 2. They desire to pass their severest
censure on the Midland Company for employing
young and inexperienced men in the important
duties of shunters and the general mismanagement
of the truck department of the Great Northern ter-
minus. 3. They also would censure the Great

Northern Company for the bad construction of their

premises, and particularly the contiguity of the dock
where the accident took place. 4. The jury would
also censure both companies for not having a better
system of direction in the traffic of their station."
The proceedings then terminated.