The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENIN

)rdinary caution been exhibited by the persons in
charge of the luggage train. But if the defect of
the rod was one, not patent so that it could have
been discovered on a close examination, then, of
course, the company would be exonerated from
all blame up to the time of the unfortunate delay.
The next point to be considered in connexion
with the express train will be, whether, on the
unexpected delay, suitable steps were taken to
warn the conductors of that which was known to
be but a short distance behind. On this part of
the case we find that Mr. BARRINGTON immedi-
ttely dispatched the guard and stoker to give the
necessary notice, and Mr. KNAPP saw them meet
the approaching train waving lights, which made
him think it was a signal " everything was right."
Mr. BARRINGTON himself returned into the car-
riage, in which his father and wife were also seated.
It appears, therefore, that he was so satisfied that
what he had done was sufficient to avert any
danger, that he risked his own life and the lives
of those nearest and dearest to him on the result.
There appears to be some doubt as to whether
there were lights at the end of the train, but this
is not so very important, inasmuch, as if the light
waved by the guard was not seen, neither would
those at the back of the train have been dis-
covered.

We now come to the luggage train. If there
had been a careful look-out kept on that, the acci-
dent would have been altogether averted. The
Company is unquestionably prima' facie civilly re-
sponsible for the acts of its servants, but if it can
be shown that reasonable care was taken to place
the train in the care of a man of approved so-
briety, and steady and careful character, it will be
manifest that the Directors adopted every reason-
able precaution to protect the lives and property
entrusted to their care. It is not our desire to
prejudge or anticipate the result of the stringent
and searching inquiries that must be instituted
into the most minute details of the melancholy
event. We have merely indicated the nature of
that investigation, and shown the points that
must chiefly be looked to. If any blame be at-
tachable to the managers of the line, they will
suffer deeply in purse and character. But if, on
the other hand, they have done all that could be
required from men of ordinary prudence, we must
not let the fearful amount of injury inflicted on
innocent individuals prejudice our minds, or bias
our judgments, so as to regard with too much
acerbity that which no degree of caution on the
part of the Directors could have prevented.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.-(THIS DAY.

(Before Mr. Sergeant Adams, at Westminster.)
IMPUDENT ROBBERIES AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE.

Geo. Booth, 28, a respectable-looking man, was in-
dicted for having stolen a quantity of lead, the property
of our Sovereign Lady the Queen.
Mr. Parry prosecuted.
It appeared that, on Tuesday last, the prisoner pre-
sented himself at the mews of Buckingham Palace, and
stating that he was one of the workmen engaged upon
the alterations now going on, was permitted to enter.
Shortly afterwards a man named Brown, a horse-washer
in the Royal stables, saw the prisoner running along
the western gutter leading from the roofing of the mews
in the direction from the skylights, carrying about half a
cwt. of lead. The alarm was given and prisoner secured,
when, upon search being made, it was found that the
lead had been deliberately cut from the roof of the mews.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
Mr. Parry said that, on behalf of the Crown, he was
instructed to state that the Palace had been plundered
in this way to a great extent ; and though it could not
be traced to the prisoner, there was no doubt but that
he was the man, and the extremely impudent way in
which it had been done was the reason he had escaped
detection. He was not engaged upon the works.
Mr. Sergeant Adams sentenced him to six months'
imprisonment with hard labour.