The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-02 00:00:00

ORANGES IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.

BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL.—Messrs. Thomas
Berry, Robert Laws, Frederick George Hillman, Joshua
Linnell Rowe, Charles Pettet, and Charles William
Brooksby, have been appointed to the junior class of
supplementary clerks.
CIISTOMS.—The appointment of principal coast officer
at Burghead, Inverness, N.N., is vacant, caused by the
decease of Mr. Robert Spence. Mr. R. Staples has been
appointed searcher at Belfast ; Mr. C. J. Mark has been
appointed clerk for general business in London.
GEORGE HIDE, Esq., late chief clerk in the Receiver
General's Office, in the General Post office, has been ap-
pointed receiver and accountant general to the Post-
office department.

ADMIRALTY, SOMERSET-HOUSE.—Mr. J. J. Brown,
third class clerk in Devonport Dockyard, has been trans-
ferred to the surveyor of the Navy's office, Somerset
House.

INLAND REVENUE DEPAIITMENT.— Government have
authorised the appointment of twenty more supernu-
merary surveyors of Inland Revenue for Scotland ; Mr.
S. W. Davies, officer of Usk Ride, Hereford collection,
his been promoted to be officer of Witney division, Ox-
ford collection ; Mr. W. Evans, officer of Abergavenny
district, has been promoted to be second clerk, Wales
East collection • Mr. J. Saunders Bye, officer of Wim-
borne Ride, Dorset collection, has been promoted to be
officer of Abergavenny division, Wales East collection ;
Mr. G. B. Henderson, officer of Poole Ride, has been
promoted to be officer of Southwark fifth division, Lon-
don south collection ; Mr. Ostell, division officer at
Paisley, is appointed to the rank of supervisor ; Mr.
Bown, officer at Merthyr, is, at his own desire, appointed
to be officer of Bristol second division ; Mr. Wagstaff,
division officer at Paisley, is appointed for promotion to
the rank of examiner ; Mr. John Hawkins, expectant of
Salop collection, is appointed an expectant in Here-
ford collection, to officiate in Chepstow First Ride, the
officer of that station having been appointed hop
supervisor of Leomingter second district,--0411 Service
Gazette.

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE LONDON
AND NORTH- WESTERN BAIL WAY.

Mr. W. Payne yesterday held an inquest at St. Tho-
mas's Hospital, on the body of J. W. King, aged 52,
who died from Injuries received on the London and South-
Western Railway.
William Rouse, of Sussex-place, Battersea-fields, said
he was an engine-driver on the South-Western Railway.
Oa the 30th July, at about 25 minutes past four in the
afternoon, he was proceeding from Hampton Court to
London, with as empty train. When the engine ar
proached the Thames Ditton station, he saw a man sud-
denly emerge from the upper end of the platform, on the
down side of the line. He was about 60 or 70 yards
from the station when he first observed him. He blew
the whistle, but the deceased still proceeded from the
down to the up line (the same way witness's train wag
going.) When the whistle was blown the man made a
pause, looked at the engine, and then resumed thecourse
he was taking on the up line. The line was here per
lectly straight, so that the deceased could have no
doubt whatever which line the engine was on. Before
they could stop the engine passed over him. When be
was first seen they were going at the rate of 15 or 20
miles an hour. Witness at the same time as he blew his
whistle shut of the steam and reversed the engine, and
when the engine passed over the deceased they were not
going at the rate of four or five miles an hour. As soon
as they stopped witness and his fireman went and
picked
up the deceased and laid him on the platform, and they
fuund that one leg was found nearly severed from his
body. A doctor was sent for, who advised his immediate
removal to the hospital.
Edward Williams, fireman on the engine on the day in
question, corroborated the evidence of the engine driver,
and added that he applied the break when he saw the
dece tsed on the line. He appeared to be perfectly sober
at the time.
Thomas Wm. King, brother of the deceased, said be
had seen his brother in the hospital, and had had con•
ven-ation with him'as to how this happened, but as his
mind was affected he could obtain no satisfactory
statement from him. He had been to Esher to dine
with a friend, and left there at half-past three perfectly
sober.
Mr. Sydney Jones, house surgeon, said the deceased
was brought into the hospital on the 30th of July, witllA
a compound comminuted fracture of the left leg, an
amputation was performed the same day. He went on
pretty well for some time, but as he had been in the
habit of drinking, delirium tremens came On, and be died
on Thursday morning. The cause of death was
" deli-
rium tremens," produced by the injury.
The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."

SINGULAR OCCURRENCE ON A
RAILWAY.

An accident of an unusual character occurred yestf
day morning on the Great Western Railway, at Bir-
mingham. Immediately beyond the station in the
centre of the town the line crosses Great Charles-streeto
about 10 feet above the crown of the public road ; there
are sidings leading from engine sheds and out of the
main line up to the verge of the embankment, overlook-
ing the public street, to which the embankment is en
tirely open. Within six or eight yards of the edge a
turn-table is fixed. At an early hour in the morning
an engine left one of the sheds in charge of the stoker, *
youth, and proceeded in the direction of the turn-table,
at a speed of five or six miles an hour. From some cause
or other (possibly from a slight mistake in directing the
movement) the engine was not brought to a stand at tl!e
turn-table, but ran over it, and the next moment it
plungedrompletely off the line into the street beneath. In,
its flight, the engine tore down a considerable portion 0
thick brick wall built for the protection of the embank'
merit ; upon a portion of this one end of it finally rested,
and the other embedded itself in the footpath below--
the. engine, in fact, resting upon one end and nearly UP'
right. Of course it has sustained very great damage.
The youth in charge of the engine, seeing what vv.35
going to happen, jumped off, and escaped without in;
jury. Had the accident occurred at a later period 01
the day, it is by no means improbable that, in so great a
public thoroughfare, there might have been passers-by
on whom the engine might have fallen. The publics
safety requires that some means shall be adopted to put
an end to all possibility of the recurrence of such a*
accident.

THE SUICIDE IN A RAILWAY

CARRIAGE.

~~

IS*
The circumstances in connection with the above event
which have arisen since our last publication have only
tended to shroud it in still greater mystery. One fact,
however, has been elicited, that the "missing" at the
present time amount to several, Mr. Hitchins having
received 11 letters from various parts inquiring for par-
ticulars. Among them, one conveyed information which
induced f'irther correspondence, and, as it appeared,
carried some convictions in the minds of those more im-
mediately interested ; so much so that their solicitor was
requested to visit Lincoln, and obtain detailed informa-
tion. On Sunday he arrived at the Great Northern
Hotel, and had an interview with the superintendent of
police, who is in possession of the articles found in the
carriage, and of the clothes worn by the deceased. In
consequence of what Mr. Mason ascertained, an inter-
view took place with the coroner, who stated to the soli-
citor that the circumstances attending the discovery of
the deceased were not confined to the act of suicide, but
such as the public felt a deep interest in, and which
must, as far as it could be done, set .at rest or confirm
the suspicion which prevailed, and that it was also
equally as momentous to the family of the deceased.
The solicitor fully concurred, and stated that he had
noted down some questions which he was desirous on
the part of the family to have answered, and which he
would name.—" Had the deceased a mark under his
chin as if it had been cut ?" " Yes, he had, but it was
now cicatrised."—[The solicitor here stated that some
weeks ago the person he was inquiring for left hornet
and had tried to destroy himself by cutting his throat.]
—" Was he dressed in black V' "He was, with apPa;
rently a new suit, and a black great coat."—" Lieu
he shaved- his whiskers off, and was his hair black
and of -a natural curl ?" "He had, and his hair
was as described."—" Had he a portion of female bait
about his person ?" "Yes, he had."—[This question
arose from the circumstance, as stated, of his having re-
tained some hair upon the death of a sister to whom he
was much attached ]—" Had he a red rosette of ivory er
bone ?" "Yes, he had, as if it had been' used as
shawl pin."—The solicitor expressed surprise, and Pre"
ceeded to ask whether the deceased bad with him 16
volume of " Paley's Natural Theology ?" On beiogie-
formed that he had, he said it was most singular, as the
person he was concerned about had on leaving hone
taken a volume, but it was a bound one, and the on
found in the carriage was unbound. Upon the clothes
being shown, particularly the boots, be said they strucic
him to be his, from the smallness of the foot. VP°
being asked how he could account for the blood on his
boots and on his clothes, the solicitor admitted that be
could not, but he stated that, from what he knew of the
party he was inquiring for, he would be the last roan 13'-' e
commit an act of violence on any one, though, from
indulgences, he was unfit to be alone when suffering
from delirium tremens. The solicitor then said that the
facts now made apparent certainly conveyed to some e!:
tent an identity, but fully to convince him that he I‘3
the party it was desirable he should see the body. The
coroner observed that if it was merely for the identity 0f
.
the individual as a suicide it could not be permitted, but
as circumstances of a different character were necessary
to be elucidated, there would not be an objection, Ye_,
he should wish to consult the clergyman of the paroil_
as he (the coroner) had a great dislike to disturb the
quiet of the grave-yard. The Rev. C. Nairne Wing
from home, between four and five o'clock in the moreinreg.
of Tuesday the body was exhumed. Decomposn Pt
vented a facial recognition, but the mark remain
under the chin, and on the shoulder blade there Jae"
been a mark or wound, which had been passed over by
the woman who swore she washed him over, and d
no bruise or wounds. The slurring over of this Nvenel;.,
by decomposition prevented it being so stro
stated
marked as he expected, and gave him, as he sTtej
some doubts as to his identity. The coroner
to him that whatever doubts there might be, sthveiore.
was a combination of facts sufficient to carry On used
tion to the mind of any one. It was not to be supqaci,
that two men would have cuts under the chic, b,beir
curled hair, whiskers shaved off, female hair on
persons, ivory or bone red rosettes, " Paley's 14etd the
Theology," and other matters. The solicitor admitte,
Lea
facts as evidences of circumstances strongly askedooneec
with the party inquired for. The coroner then father
whether deceased, if he was the person, had a A
alive ? The solicitor stated that his father was 'Il;
but the mother was still living, and the deceased,
party, was about to be married, and the lady to whome
he was affianced had only a mother living. " pray !ee'cl-
said the coroner, showing the letter which contateo,
the Si. note, do you know the handwriting ?" Tee the
citor did not know it, and he was confident thatt,,r.
letter so written, and forwarded by post, was not
warded by any relative of the deceased. The letter
.1!_17
certainly struck him as most remarkable ; no inforraeateo
had been received about the person about whom hccro
anxious since the 9th of August, when he left hty
nor did he believe he would write to any one. The Pi,o'2..
for whom he was inquiring had with him a tin box
also
his clothes, and not a carpet bag as found. Se had ,us,
with him 1831. in Bank of England notes, and a Teen
able gold watch ; but yet all these might bave 'who
taken from him when under delirium tremens.
letter, the coroner observed, stated that the per:o
ferred to had been religiously trained, that his i sanity
.was from over study, and that he must die, and thaib_ht
would die near Derby, in a railway carriage in the4tor,
train. "The party lam seeking for," said the son loot
" was not a great reader, and most certainly
connected by ties of relationship with the writerv7ort_b,nll
letter. He was the landlord of a large hotel, and bur; a
the last few months he had furnished it an expensvr,
5,0001.; his establishment employed 30 servants; he
about to be married to an amiable young lady, toh.
ea%
having been fixed, and the meeting en route was t b !e
the station. He arrived first, and stated that some
ladies would be there by the next train ; but the train. _
arriving so soon as he expected, he ordered a cab,. w%
away his luggage, and upon the arrival of the train
the
was gone." We have refrained from giving nem°_!.och
propriety of which will be admitted while so
Clratie
mystery, intricacy, and difficulty exists ; but as.
bearing so strong a semblance to truth has been onlrbo
eventually it may be cleared up. The solicitor
_len
next morning, and further communications will 7_710
changed, and more certainty of identity, it is hoped
be obtained. The letter sent from London occaelro
much difficulty, and whether intended to mislead er
annot bo facortaine4,--Momforo Morcurg. .•
•

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