The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-03 00:00:00

THE &IN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 3, 1862.

MURDER 01 A SHIPMASTER.

SHIELDS, WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

Mr. Reed, the coroner for South Northumber-
land, held an adjourned inquest, in North Shields,
this afternoon, upon the body of Mr. Richard
Sprague, shipmaster, belonging to Brigham, who
died on the 18th September last, from a fracture of
the skull, inflicted upon him by some person who
had attempted to rob him, on the night of the 13th,
in the Borough-road.
Two brothers, named John and Robert Arm-
strong, gave very singular and confused statements
of what they knew of the transa3tion.
J. Armstrong stated that he was c ming down
the Borough-road, about a quarter past 11 p.m.
when he heard cries of " police," and observed a
man fall and another run away. He followed the
man that ran away, but lost him amongst some
new buildings. He said that he then returned to
the mau that he saw falling, and asked him—mean-
ing the injuries to his head--“ what had done it."
He replied nothing, and he (Armstrong) left him,
as he would not make himself bloody by touching
him. But he had given another version, namely,
that when he ran to that part of the road from
whence the cries of " police" emanated, he found
the deceased attacked by two men and a woman,
and that the woman put her hand into his (Arm-
strong's) mouth, and tore it. The other brother
stated that he was coming down the Borough-road
between 10 and 11 o'clock on the night of the 13th,
when he saw a man running away, with five men
chasing him. He ran after the man, but lost him,
and he got away. He denied that he ever saw his
brother that night in the Borough-road ; and both
these men, strange to say, had flatly denied to the
superintendent of police that they knew aught of
the attack on Mr. Sprague at all.
Mr. Bates, surgeon, proved that Mr. Sprague
died from a severe fracture of the skull, the result
of a blow from a stone, and Mr. Bates stated that
before deceased became unconscious, and being told
of the dangerous condition he was in, he told him,
the doctor, that the wound on his head had been
inflicted by some one striking him on the head with
a stone or stick, and he admitted that he was in
company that he ought not to have been in when
he received the injury.

The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder"
against some person or persons unknown.—Leeds
Mercury.

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT
NORTH ERN RAILIVAY.

Early on Tuesday morning a terrible accident
occurred at the station of the little village of Offord,
on this line of rail way. It appears that an up coal-
train, consisting of 30 coal-trucks and a break-van,
was on its way towards Offord, and just about
reached the station when the engine came in colli-
sion with some hard substance on the line, which
threw the engine off the line. It moved on some
little distance, and came into collision with the
wooden platform, about 200 yards of which it de-
stroyed, breaking it up completely. The tender got
on the down line, and the engine rolled over down
the embankment, where it lay reversed on its side,
or wheels upwards. Several of the trucks were
fhivered, and tons of coals thrown on the line.
The engine-driver and stoker were killed, the former
instantly—his body was fearfully mangled—and
the latter only lived about an hour afterwards. The
debris blocked the up line until about 11 o'clock, at
which time the engine had not been removed. The
cause of the accident was the flywheel of a thrash-
ing-machine, which machine had been conveyed on
a down train, and from some cause the wheel had,
unknown to the driver and guard of the down train,
come off and fallen on the up line. The accident
is rather an unusual one, and has created great sen-
sation in the neighbourhood. There does not ap-
pear at present any blame attached to the Great
Northern officials.

Mr. Mellor held an inquest on the poor unfor-
tunate driver and stoker, which was adjourned for
further evidence respecting the fly-wheel. The
driver was a married man, and has left two chil-
dren. The following evidence was given at the
inquest.
John Brown, on being sworn, said—l live at
Millfield, near Peterborough. lam a guard in the
employ of the Great Northern Railway Company,
and usually accompany a coal train. I knew the
deceased John Johnson, who was about 27 years of
age, and the driver of the engine of a coal-train, I
also knew the deceased, Henry Lee, who was about
27 years of age. He was the fireman. Last night
we left Peterborough, about 11 40, with a coal-
train, consisting of engine, tender, 30 trucks laden
with coals, and the guard's break. We stopped at
the Huntingdon station to take in water, and then
proceeded on our way towards London. It rained
very hard when we were at Huntingdon. I had my
great-coat on. When we were getting near to
Offord station I took off my coat, and was hanging
it to a nail when I felt a shock. It did not throw
me down, but it threw me against the side of the
break. I went outside immediately, and rut the
break on. After I had got the break on there was
another shock. The train had then came to a stand-
still. I got from the break on to the line, and went
towards the fore part of the train. I could not see
the engine—only the tender. I went on the off-
side of the train. The tender was upset, and on
the down line. I called to the signalman on duty
to put np all signals. I then proceeded back to put
fog signals on the metals. I then came back to the
train. Two of the trucks were broken to pieces. A
great part of the platform was destroyed, and the
engine was lying broadside on the bank on the
other side of the up line, the back part being in
front. I and the signalman then went in search of
Johnson and Lee. We found Johnson under a
truck ; he was quite dead. We found Lee also
under a truck, I believe the same truck. He was
crying out. He wished us not to move him. He
was moved into the porter's room at the station,
and he died in about an hour. When 1 was going
back to put the fog signals on the line I observed a
large iron wheel, which was broken. A part of
it was lying close to the metals on the up line,
and the other part on the six-foot. I believe
the wheel I have spoken of was the cause of our
coming off the road. I am certain of it. 1 have
examined the off-wheel of the engine. I observe
that a piece of the flange of the wheel is nearly
broken out. We had been 15 minutes in travelling
from Huntingdon to Offord. Before we reached
Huntingdon, and when in the Woodwalton cutting,
we passed a train consisting of some trucks laden
with, I think, machinery in front part and empty
coal waggons behind. This was about 20 minutes
to one, as near as I can guess. It was a very dark
night.
Amos Coomber, on being sworn, said,—l am
porter in the employ of the Great Northern Rail-
way Company, at Offord Station. I went on duty
last night at 7 o'clock. About half-past 12 o'clock
a train went down the line towards Peterborough.
I noticed there were about three trucks laden as
with machinery, which were next the engine. The
rest of the train consisted of empty coal-trucks.
About nine minutes after one o'clock an up coal-
train was approaching the station. I put up the
distance signal, and was going down to put up the
station signal when she passed, and 1 heard a rum-
bling noise. As the engine got near to the station,
the steam came out, and she struck the platform of
the station, and then turned up, throwing the fire
and steam out. I immediately put up all the danger
signals, and then went to see what was the matter.
I found the tender lying on its side on the down
line. I went further on and there saw the guard.
I sent him back to put down fog signals so us to stop
the other trains. 1 saw Henry Lee, the fireman, he
was lying on the ground under a truck, coals were
upon him, and one of the wheels of the truck was
upon one of his legs. We got assistance, and had
him removed to the station. We then went in
search of Johnson. We found him a little distance
off, lying on his face with either part of a broken
ecurred.
truck or part of the broken platform upon him. He
was dead. The engine was turned over and lying
broadside on the bank. We found both the de-
ceased about 10 or 12 yards from the engine. The
John
Ofireman did not give any account of how the accident
call to me to put up the 4 . I but they were up
before he came.
The guard of the train, John Brown, did
NeWnham Woolley, surgeon, of Buckda,