The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-12 00:00:00

THE FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT NEAR
OXFORD.

OXFORD, TUESDAY EVENING.—The inquiry into the
circumstances attending the late fatal catastrophe on the
London and North-Western Railway, near this city, was
resumed at half-past ten o'clock this morning, by ad-
journment from Thursday lasts
Mr. F. P. Thompson, solicitor, appeared for Joseph
Kinch, the guard of the 5.30 passenger train from
Oxford.

The Coroner—We shall require evidence as to the
cause of the delay of the coal train. It has been given
in evidence that the coal train arrived 20 minutes too
late at Bletchley.
Mr. Blott--The time occupied by the coal train in
passing between Islip and Oxford was as follows :—Dec.
17th, 23 min.; 18th, 27 min.; 20th, 20 min.; 21st, 20
rain.; 22d, 25 min.; 23d, 25 min.; 27th, 25 min.; 30th,
24 min.; 31st, 19 min.; January Ist, 20 min. The
average of the whole is 23 minutes. I wish to explain
part of my previous evidence. After I got up to the
scene of the collision I returned to Oxford, and took a
fly to procure. medical assistance. In the meanwhile, I
sent my own clerk, Robinson, on with a red light to the
Oxford-road, to stop the down train, and then I followed
him myself to the Oxford-road.
John Lee, driver of the coal train, recalled : I brought
the coal train from Bletchley on Monday week. I can-
not exactly say what was the cause of the delay in start-
ing from Bletchley. I have a printed time-bill for the
coal train. It was light when we started from Bletchley.
Our orders are to light the lamps at sunset. They were
all lighted at Bicester. My own lights on the engine
were lighted. Mine were a green light in front, and on
the side of the tender a white light showing a red light
behind. They were lighted at Bicester. I cannot
speak as to the break lights. I got off my engine at
the Oxford-road station. I saw the side lights on the
tender of the first engine and my own lights. I cannot
say that I saw the lights on the break. I did not go in
front of the first engine, and cannot say what lights it
had. Watts was the breaksman. When I saw the
break first after the accident there were no lights upon
it. I saw a coloured blue light on the left-hand side of
the break as the train was passing between the Wol-
vercot-tunnel and the spot where the accident oc-
curred. lam quite certain it was not a policeman's
light, but the light on the break. The guard has a hand-
lamp, but it was not that that I saw,
,because it would
have been either a white, a red, or a green light, and the
light that I saw was a blue one. A sudden collision
will put out the lights. When we started from Bletch-
ley we had three engines. There is a very steep incline
towards Winslow, and we generally have an extra en-
gine there. I was well acquainted with John Tarry,
the engine-driver. His home is at Bletchley. I live at
Bletchley also, and have done so for a twelvemonth. I
never saw Tarry " fresh." I have never known him to
be reported for any irregularity.
Richard Brooks was next called—l am employed as a
supernumerary policeman on the Great Western Rail-
way, and have been in the employ of that company for
two years. On Monday week I was stationed at the
level crossing near Sheriff's-bridge where the two rail-
ways are close to each other. Mye duty was to keep
people off the line. I was sitting in my box when the
5.30 p.m. train on the London and North-Western
Railway started out of the station. I heard the beat of
the engine, and thus knew that it had started. I was
looking towards Wolvercot at the time, but as the train
approached, as I thought, very fast, I got up, and came
out of my box to look at it. I saw it coming very fast.
The engine was beating very hard at the time. After the
train had passed, on looking up the North-Western line,
I saw the coal train coming in the opposite direction
from Wolvercot. I saw the light from the fire-box, but
did not observe any lamps in front of the engine. I
heard a whistle directly after from the coal train. I
heard none from the passenger train. I was stationed
about a quarter of a mile from where the collision took
place. I saw only the light from one engine. I ran to
the spot the moment the accident happened. I walked
up our line as far as the coal train reached, to see that
our rails were clear. The lamps on the break van were
burning properly at that time. There was no green
lamp on the buffer of the first coal train engine, or I
should have seen it earlier than I did, and held up my
lamp to stop the passenger train. I could have seen a
buffer light a quarter of a mile on the Wolvercot side of
the bridge. I saw the ballast engine come into the Ox-
ford Station. I have been stationed at the Sheriff's-
bridge crossing every night for the last three months,
and have seen the 5.30 p.m. train leave Oxford, and the
coal train come in on the London and North-Wes-
tern Railway. The 5.30 p.m. train has been very
regular. The coal train has not been so regular ;
sometimes it came in before the 5.30 p.m. went out, and'
sometimes after it. If I had shown a red light I believe
the London and North-Western servants would have
paid attention to my danger signal, because I should
have gone on to their line to exhibit it.
William Harvey, policeman in the service of the
London and North-Western Railway, sailed—My sta-
tion is between the plaitform shed and the swing bridge.
I can see a train leave the station, and until it gets forty
yards beyond the bridge, when it is hidden by a curve
and the engine shed. I can see the trains when they
stop at the ticket platform. Every train coming into
Oxford must come to the ticket platform. On the
night of the accident I saw the ballast engines come
in about half-past five. It came on the down line,
and passed over the bridge towards the engine-house.
I am sure it was not the coal train. This was before
Hayes came to my box. Pargeter, the porter, was
the first to come to me. He asked me whether the
coal train was in. I said no. He went on towards
the ticket platform, and presently returned towards the
station. I was aware that the 5.30 p.m. train had not
started at this time. I have a red signal lamp to use in
case of danger. I had that lamp with me on Monday
night trimmed and lighted. lam aware that since the
traffic was worked on the single line only it has been usual
to detain the 5.30 p.m. train until after the coal train
had arrived. I have no instructions from the office
clerks as to the starting of trains from Islip or Oxford-
road. The only means I have of knowing of the arrival
of the coal train is at the ticket platform—if it does not
cross the points, the up line is clear for traffic ; and be-
tween the end of the ticket platform and Islip there
is only one light. I saw the 5.30 p.m. train start on
this evening. I knew the coal train had not arrived. I
was not aware there was any danger, because I did not
know that the coal train had left Islip. I showed my
red light, but only because the red light was up at the
bridge. I do the same to every train that passes while the
red light is on the bridge. I have been on duty where I
now am seven months. I never before knew a train start
when the red light was shown at the bridge. It is some-
times up when they want to start, but the driver whistles
before starting, and if the line is clear the green light is
turned on, and would remain until the train had passed
the bridge. The first time I saw Hayes was after the
train bad passed me. He told me to turn on the red
light, and stop the train if I possibly could. The train
was going much faster than usual—faster thin I ever
saw a train leave the platform before. My precise duty
is to attend to the points near where I am stationed, and
to see that all is right between the bridge and the sta-
tion. I went to the scene of the accident directly after
it had occurred.

Francis Cooper was next called—l am in the employ
of Mr. Ayton, contractor for the permanent way on
the London and North-Western Railway. On the
evening of the accident, between five and six o'clock,
I was walking between Heyfields Hut and the Port
Meadow Bridge. Just as I got to the bottom of
the lane, near Rackham's Corner, I heard a train
coming out of the station. I heard it coming over
the iron bridge. It was coming at a goodish rate,
and appeared to increase in speed. I caught a glance
of the lights on the train through the trees as it passed.
I turned my head to look after it, and then I saw the
coal train coming in an opposite direction. It had a
green light in front of the buffer. I stood on the foot
road when I saw this, and could see up the railway some
distance beyond the bridge. I believe the coal train was
100 yards on the Wolvercot side of the bridge when I
first saw the green light. Ther• was a white light on
the side of the tender. Ido not remember seeing any
light to a second engine. It was too dark for me to see
whether there were two engines. Mr. Smith, foreman
to the engines at Oxford, requested me to come and give
this evidence on Saturday last. He asked me if I saw
the coal train, and whether I saw the lights. I told
him what I have told you now. He did not tell me that
he had been examined here as a witness himself.

The Coroner indicated a doubt as to the credibility o
the witness.

Mr. Hester protested against the imputation thrown
out.

The Coroner (warmly)—As judge of this Court I
have a right to express an opinion, and I tell you can-
didly I do not believe him.—(Sensation).
A juror (Mr. Washer)—No more do I.
The Foreman did not see why the evidence of the
witness was to be doubted. He thought he had given
his evidence as truthfully as any other who had been
called, and he considered it only justice to say as much.
George Bates was next called—He was a policeman
in the service of the London and North-Western Rail-
way. Was on duty at the Oxford road Station on Mon-
day, the 3d of January. The coal train arrived at 5.15
p.m., and left four trucks of coal. It remained from
five to seven minutes at the Oxford-road Station.
After it had left, I was going into my hut to tele-
graph to Oxford that the coal train had left, when I met
my mate, who informed me that he had already
done so. There was a green light on the buffer plank
of the first engine when the train arrived, and also when
it left. This was an addition to white lights on the ten-
der. The break had three lights on behind. If the
lights had not been there, I should have given notice of
the fact. It would have been my duty to do so.
. .

At this point an adjournment took place for a couple
of hours.

On the re-assembling of the jury,
Joseph Kinch, the guard of the 5.30 passenger train
from Oxford, was examined—l am a guard in the employ
of the London and North-Western Railway. I was
guard of the 5.30 Oxford train that left Oxford on Mon-
day week. It is my duty to give directions for the
starting of the train. The train did not start at 5.33.
It did not start in consequence of the coal train which
had left Islip not having arrived. Mr. Blott, the
station master, came to me on the station, and told
me the coal train had left Islip nearly half an hour.
He said we could not go till the coal train arrived.
He then went into his office without saying anything

more. I did not see Mr. Blott again before the
train started. Mr. Blott did not, to the best of
my recollection, say that if the coal train was sighted,
I might go on. In the course of two or three minutes
after I saw Mr. Blott. I went to the driver, Tarry, and
told him that Mr. Blott had informed me the coal tram
had left Islip nearly half an hour, and that we could not
go till it came in. I had hold of the hand rails of do
engine, and stood on the step of the platform at the
time I was talking to Tarry. I did' not get on the'
engine at all. This was after Hayes had looked at the
tickets. I then walked down the platform toward; the
break. I was not speaking to Tarry more ihan a
minute. I looked back towards the swing bridge signal
as I went aft to my break. I looked to see if the signal
was turned off. The red signal was on at the bridge.
It is my duty not to start a train while that red signal
is shown. I again went to Tarry at the engine, but did
not get on it, and asked him for its tickets, which I am
in the habit of making out for him, as he is no scholar.
The tickets are of arrival and departure, and he said he
would give them to me in the morning, and as I got
off the steps I said, "All right." He quite under-
stood me that when I said " All right," I referred to
the tickets. The red signal was then on. I walked
towards my break, and had not been there more than a
minute or a minute and a half, when he opened his
whistle and started. I was then on the platform, and
I immediately got into my van. I had not given any
directions for starting. I did not put on my break
till I found he was going ahead, for I did not know
whether he was or not drawing ahead to attach some-
thing to the train. I could not tell whether he had
been called on by Mr. Hayes to attach something
behind my van. It is a frequent practice to put car-
riages on behind my van. The train went on towards
the bridge. I saw the red light. I saw Hayes and a 1
porter coming from the hotel platform with lamps in
their hands, and I was about to ask them, as Hayes
had told me the ballast train had just come in, why the
train had started ? and I heard him say something
about " ballast train." I understood he meant to say
the coal train was not in, and I put on my break
and did not take it off again. This ought to have re-
tarded the train, but Tarry had put on all the steam he
could put on, I think. I also showed my red signal
from the lamp, but the train kept increasing its speed.
The driver could not increase the speed with the break
on, as the train was a light one. There were no means,
except the break being put on and the red light being
shown, to stop the train. I saw the policeman's red
light after I passed the hut, and saw the swing bridge
red signal change just before we got to the bridge. I
saw the ballast train in a coal siding on this (Oxford)
side of the bridge. I know the rule of the company
(21st rule), which states the guard must put on his Ilreak
and suddenly release it, in order to arrest the attention
of the driver, but if I had done this, I could not heave
shown my signal light, which I had to show on the off
side, in consequence of the curve at that part of the line.
I also saw the coal train a mile a-head. I knew it by
the green signal. The coal train was quite a mile off
when I first saw it. I did all that could be done to stop
the driver. Time would not have allowed me to put
on and take off the break, and had I done so the driver
would not have seen my red light or danger signal had
he looked back. I should say that a minute
and a half elapsed from my first seeing the coal
train to the accident occuring—two minutes at the
most. I was in my van at the time of the collision, I
cannot say whether I was thrown out or carried out of
the van. I never saw any one afterwards. I cannot
recollect what occurred after the collision. I do not
know what became of me. I do not know anything
that happened that night. Ido not recollect being upon
the line, and speaking to Lee. I have some slight re-
collection of being conveyed to the Oxford-road Station
by fly or omnibus. I think there was a policeman with
me, but I do not recollect Carrier, the driver, being
there. I have some slight recollection of seeing Mr.
Blott there. I think he spoke to me, but Ido not re-
collect what it was he said. I was much injured in the
head, and my arms, thigks, and back were much bruised
and hurt, and I was rendered almost insensible. Ido
not recollect Mr. Blott asking. me how the accident
occurred, nor what I said to him ; nor do I recollect
that Mr. Blott told somebody to take notice of what he
said to me, and what I said to him. Ido not recollect
whether I wished to be taken home. Ido not know
how I got home. Tarry did not make any signal, nor
shut off his steam, before the collision took place.
By the Jury—l saw the driver Tarry before he
started, and he seemed quite fit for duty. If he had
been looking ahead or behind he must have seen that
something was coming. I never knew him to start &Om
Oxford without the signal. I did not sound my-whistle
when the train started, and I never started a train
without whistling. I should not have started the train
after the green light was put on at the swing bridge,
until I had got the signal to start. I consider the green
light at the swing bridge to signify that the line as well
as the bridge is clear. As soon as the coal train is in
the green light is put on. The whistle of the engine is
always sounded before the engine starts. If the red
light is on the bridge, and it is not turned to green the
driver whistles again, and the green light is put on if all
is right.

By the Coroner—l have known Tarry seven years. I
heard that on the day Tarry was killed there was a warrant
out against him for assaulting a female. His wife came to
my_house on Sunday, and said she dare not go into her
house. I would not see her, and she went next door to
Inglis, the inspector of police. I did not hear Tarry say
that before he came home that night he would have a
smash. Tarry started quicker than he ever started be-
fore. The train being as it was seven minutes late,
would not require Tarry to run at a high rate of speed.
By Mr. Thompson—l was miserable the whole of the
Monday night of the accident. I have heard Tarry say
the engine attached to the 5.30 train was a very power-
ful and great one. I have been in the company's service
nearly eight years. I received a testimonal from the
company for good conduct about four years ago.
By Mr. Small—l swear that I never said to Tarry—
" She's in ; it's all right, Jack, go on." I could not
have said so, as I had not seen anything come in. I saw
a man named Cumridge, a filler at Bletchley, at my house
on Saturday night. I did not, to the test of my recol-
lection, say anything to Cumridge on the subject of the
accident. I did not have any conversation with Cum-
ridge from the time of the accident till Saturday night
—not to my recollection.
By Captain Wynn—The proper signal for starting
the train is my sounding my whistle.
By the Coroner—lf a driver chooses to start, there
are no means of stopping him with a light train, if he
neglects to attend to the regulations. I swear that I
never started a train from Oxford without sounding my
guard's whistle.

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I had seen him, or Hayes, or Gynne, and obtained the
signal to start.
William Ellister examined—l am a police officer at
Bicester. I was at Oxford on Monday week last. I re-
turned by the eight o'clock goods train from the Barnsley-
road station. I went in a first carriage to Bicester, with
Kinch, whom I knew. Before we started I saw Mr.
Blott, who came into the carriage, and asked Kinch how
he came to be on the engine. Kinch said, " I lieg
your pardon, sir ; I was not on the engines at all." Mr.
Blott asked him how he came to start, and what orders
he had received. He said to Mr. Biltt, " You told
me the coal train had started 25 minutes, or half an
hour, and when she came in sight I could start -" and
Kinch added, "I saw an engine coming in, and I said
to Jack, 'She's in ; put on the whistle ; she's all right,
go on ;' and I saw the green light from the signal.
Shortly ac er I saw the ballast engine, Fairy, and I im-
mediately put on the break, and held it till the collision
took place." Mr. Blott requested me and Cairen, the
engine driver, to notice what had been said. Kinch
seemed to be hint very much ; but I think he knew
what he was saying. This conversation lasted five or
ten minutes. Kinch was helped into the carriage. He
complained very much of his head, but spoke rationally
enough.. When I got home I made a note in my
pocket-book of the conversation that had taken place.
By the Jury.—Kinch seemed flurried. I think he
knew what he was saying when he gave the answers I
have detailed. He went on from Bicester alone. I did
not think he required anybody to take care of him.
William Carrier, engine-driver, in the employ of the
London and North-Western Company, examined. I
brought the 4.45 passenger train from Bletchley on Mon-
day week. That train was stopped at Islip, in conse-
quence of the accident to the 5.30 up-train. After some
delay, we came on to the Oxford-road station. While I
was there Kinch came to the spot in an omnibus. I
believe I first saw him being led from an omnibus t#
wards the train. He was placed in a first-class carriage
to be taken to Bletchley. He seemed to be suffering
from the injuries he had received, and was rather low-
spirited. I rather think he knew what he was saying,
I spoke to him, and he answered me sensibly. I heard
Mr. Blott ask this question, "Kinch, what did Mr.
Hayes say to you ?" His answer was, "I do not know
what he did say. I heard him say something, but what
it was I did not hear. Mr. Blott then said, " I told
you that you were not to start till the coal train ar-
rived, and that it had left Islip half an hour." Kinch
said, " Yes, sir, I know you did, and I had told Tarry so.
Then I saw the ballast-engine come down, and go into
the siding, and I mistook it for the coal train. I said,
There she is, Jack; open your whistle, and go on.' A
green light was put on at the bridge, and we started.
As soon as I saw it was the Fairy ballast-engine, and
not the coal train, I put on my break and never loosened
it till the collision took place." I think Kinc knew
what he was saying. He was c•ol and quith e calm.
Kinch, before he got into the carriage, told me he be-
lieved that the six other drivers and stokers were
killed, and that only he was saved. This was in answer
to a question I put as to whether Tarry was dead.
William Watts, breaksman to the coal train which
came into collision with the 5.30 passenger train, was
next examined. I saw the 5.30 train approaching us, and
then put on the break and laid fast hold of the van
to save myself. Both my lamps were put out by‘ the
collision which smashed my hand-lamp. I got a
I saw Kinch near his own break, standing on the line.
He had his lamp in his hand. I spoke to him. I asked
him the reason 'of his train meeting us and he said the
green light was turned on at the bridge, and he gave
Tarry orders to start. He was very much shaken, but r
believe he knew what he was saying. I went up the line
till I met the policeman at the north end of the tunnel.
I saw Hamil again at the rear of the coal train ; he was
standing by himself on the line, and had a red light in
his hand. I consider that Remit knew very well what
he was about when I spoke to him. We were detained
at Bletchley waiting for the 1.15 train from Rugby.
The inquiry was adjourned till twelve o'clock to-day.

FEMALE PROFESSOR.—Miss Pennell, niece of the
Honourable Horace Mann, of Massachusetts, has been
appointed Pofessor of the Latin language and literature
in Antioch College, Ohio, of which Mr. Mann is elected
President.