The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-08 00:00:00

THE LATE ACCIDENT ON THE

NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.

the minds of all parties who had friends passing over
To relieve the anxiety which Cannot fail to exist in
the railway on Saturday, we proceed to give an accurate
list of the sufferers by the catastrophe ; the names given
yesterday being not only incomplete, but incorrect in
some important particulars. The number stated to have
been killed by thS
,collision was correctly stated yester-
day as seven individuals ; besides these, there are four
others more or less seriously injured, who still remain
at the Wolverton station. Only two of the deceased
parries have as yet been owned by their friends. The
other five have been identified by marks and papers
found on their persons.
The following is a list of the
PASSENGERS KILLED.
Mr. John Simpson Sherratt, of Lichfield, formerly
secretary to the Lichfield and Birmingham Railway
Company.
Mr. T. Makinsoti, a graduate of Magdalen Hall,
Oxford.

Mr. J. Clifton, silk mercer, who was on his road to
Leamington.
Mr. J. B. Rattray, of the firm of Keay and Rattray,
of the Lily Bank Foundry, Dundee.
Mr. Miller, honorary secretary to the Ragged School,
held at 107, Breadwa,ll, London.
Mr. Cope, a young gentleman, apparently about 20
years of age, who was on his way to Wolverhampton.
And a Mr. Henry Smith, a remarkably fine man,
who, from the ticket found in his
pocket, is supposed to
have booked himself for Birmingham.
Of the above Mr. Sherratt and Mr. Makinson have
alone been regagnised br their respective friends. Mr.
Clifton was identified tNa Saturday night by a friend,
who was in-the same train, but who went on shortly
after the accident, and has not since been heard of. Mr.
Rattray is known by letters and cards found on his
person. Mr. Miller carried with him a small pocket
Bible, having his-name, as secretary to the Ragged School
above alluded to, inscribed therein. The identity of Mr.
Cope is proved by his name being legibly written in
each glove, and by subsequent inquiries which have been
made for him ; and that of Mr. Henry Smith rests on
the marks which appear on his linen, where the name
of " Henry Smith, No. 6, 1843," is inscribed at full
length. As the latter body is the only one as to which
there can be the slightest doubt, it may be as well to
mention that the unfortunate gentleman wore a very
handsome gold watch, the maker's initials being "W.
D.," and the number " 12.275." His watch key is at-
tached to a ring, on which were three common keys, the
one belonging to a Bramah lock. In the centre of the
watch key is a green stone, on which is engraved, in
the form of a crest, a " heron's head and neck, having
a fish in its mouth." A blue purse, containing gold and
silver moneys, was also found on the deceased's
person.

- The above are the only fatal cases. We subjoin a list
of those parties injured by the collision who still remain
at Wolverton:—

Mr. Turner, agent to Lord Bagot, of BlythOeld House,
Staffordshire.

A journeyman baker, named Edawes, in the service of
the proprietor of the Royal Hotel, Leamington.
A person named Shannon, residing at Manchester, and
A person named Fielin, a native of Dublin.

These four were the only persons seriously injured,
several who sustained only slight contusions by the shock
having proceeded on their journeys shortly after the me-
lancholy occurrence. What may be the ultimate result
in the four cases it is impossible at present to say, owing
to the degree of inflammation existing about the injured
parts; but, as it has been ascertained that no serious
fractures exist in any case, great hopes are entertained
that all may recover.
It is unnecessary to repeat in detail the manner in
which the collision took place. The report furnished
by Captain Huish details, with all the exactness which
can at present be arrived at, the mode in which one car
riage rose from the rails, and forced itself completely
through the body of that immediately behind it, jam-
ming together all the passengers so as to deprive seven
of their number of life almost instantaneously, and
severely injure several others. Any attempt further to
describe the collision would also be improper pend-
ing the investigation before the coroner, where evi-
dence of all the facts will be adduced Suffice it that
from all that has been ascertained there cannot be the
slightest doubt the accident has arisen entirely from the
carelessness—whether wilful or otherwise remains to be
proved—of the policeman who had charge of the signal
on the London side of Wolverton. This man, as al-
ready stated, has been given into custody, and it is
further stated that he has made such extraordinary ad-
missions since his apprehension as to justify the autho-
rities in entertaing some suspicion of his conduct having
been other than accidental. In brief, it is stated, that
when taken into custody, after having ascertained the
extent of mischief he had caused, he remarked, " Well,
then, I hope I shall be transported, for that is what I
want." Against this admission, in justice to the sus-
pected party, it should be added, that the reporter was
yesterday informed by a constable who described himself
as having been one of the first to see the accused after
the accident, that on his remarking to him on the extent
of the catastrophe, be replied, "I know it well, and if I
had had a knite in my puket you would not have found
me a living man." The absence of all motive in the case
renders it very difficult to suppose that the man's conduct
could have been wilful. The general character given of
him by his superiors is highly favourable to his atten-
tion to duty. He has been stationed at the same signal
post three months, and only on one occasion has any
dereliction of duty been proved against him. This was
about ten days since, when he wrongfully passed an ex-
cursion train on to a siding, under the impression, as he
then stated to the officers, that it was a train of empty
carriages. The result of the investigation which took
place into this circumstance was the infliction of the
nominal fine of one shilling on the man, it being con-
sidered that extenuating circumstances had been proved
by him in his defence. This small fine appears to have
been felt as a disgrace by the man, and it is, perhaps,
not impossible that it may have had the effect of render-
ing him nervous in the performance of his duty on
Saturday night. However, further speculation on this
subject would be useless pending the inquiry, now com-
menced. The circumstances have been considered suffi-
ciaitly suspicious to retain the man in custody, and he
has been already handed over by the railway company
to the civil authorities.

Information of the melancholy occurrence having been
forwarded to Mr. Cowley, the coroner for Buckingham-
shire, that gentleman arrived at Wolverton early on
Sunday morning, and after inspecting the scene Of the
accident made arrangements for commencing an investi-
gation yesterday.
A jury of twenty-five most respectable inhabitants of
the surrounding parishes accordingly met the learned
gentleman yesterday at twelve o'clock, in the workman's
reading-room attacned to the station.
Mr. Brugeres, the superintendent of the railway; Mr.
M'Connell, of the locomotive department; and Mr. Bed-
ford, ofi the company's police, were present by arrange-
ment.
Mr. Barnewall, of the firm of Parker and Co., of Lin-
eoln's Inn, solicitors to the company, also attended to
watch the proceedings; but as it was understood the
inquiry would be carried no further than to identify the
bodies, none of the directors nor the secretary attended.
The Coroner and jury proceeded in the first instance
to view the bodies, which were lying in one of the prin-
cipal apartments of the station, and presented one of
the most deplorable sights which it is possible to ima-
gine. Their bodies were to all appearance scarcely
injured, and, so far as could be observed, not a bone was
fractured ; their blackened faces, however, but too
plainly showed the frightful nature of their death, viz.,
suffocation.
The jury retired as quickly as possible from the per-
formance of their painful duty, and proceeded to view
the locality where the accident occurred. Carriages
intended to represent the two trains had been placed on
the siding, in order to make the manner in which the
accigent occurred more clearly intelligible, and every
explanation required was most readily afforded by the
railway officials.
On returning to the inquest-room, after an absence of
nearly two hours,
The CORONER remarked, that as it would be impos-
sibletoc
to adjournloset case
thsete proceedings
he thought it would be
desirable at once. The jury
having viewed the bodies, there would be no necessity'
for keeping them above ground after they had been re-
spectively owned, and this had been one of his reasons
for calling them together so soon. The time had, how-
ever, been very short since the occurrence of the melan-
choly catastrophe, and there had been little opportunity
of collecting evidence; in addition to which he had rea-
son to believe that, in a case of so serious a nature, the
Government would no doubt wish to have an officer in
attendance to watch the proceedings. Up to the present
time they had no intimation of the inquiry being about
to be commenced, and he therefore thought it strongly
advisable that all further proceedings in the matter should
be delayed for a few days.
After some discussion it was unanimously agreed to
adjourn the inquiry until Friday next, on which day the
jury are to assemble at nine o'clock in the morning.

the
mtheeetlingsti9tf supporters of the
institution, Hanover-square.
ROYAL COLLEGE OF CHEMlSTRY,—Yesterclay after-
nabv
°on
e the
college n u
B. B. Cabbell, Esq., MY., the treasurer, was in the chair.
The council, in their report, read by Air. Johnson, the secre-
oanal
was generalheld
at
tary, stated that the laboratories of the college, the founda-
tion-stone of which was laid by his Royal Highness Prince
Albert in June last, were now completed ; end, for the pur-
poses of teaching practical chemistry, and pursuing original
rese.irches in every department of the science, the
in council
believed that more commodious or better arranged labora-
tories were not to be found this or any other country. The
number of pupils in the college was 38, making the total
since the formation of the institution 147. The auditors'
report stated the receipts to have amounted to 6,846/. 7 s.,
being more than the expenditure by 6.22/. 188. There was,
however, a large sum due up ?n the building account. The
report having been adopted, it was announced that a mem-
ber of the council had invested the sum of 1,9001. to be given
to any student in chemistry who, during the ensuing five
years, should discover a method of preventing iron from
rusting, and if not discovered witnin that period, to be given
in sums of not less than 501. each for any other important
(iiscove ries.
HAvRE, JuisE 4.—Lord Robert. Grosvenor, Lady
Grosvenor, and suite, landed
.last evening, from the Menai
steamer' which left Brighton it tin atternm,