The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-27 00:00:00

W OR SHIP- STREET.

A respectably-dressed middle-aged man, who gave
the name of William Jameson upon the charge-sheet,
but whose real name was afterwards ascertained to
be Was. Ashcroft, residing in Albert-square, Com-
mercial-road, was charged with having wantonly and
maliciously thrown a number of large blocks of
granite upon the rails of the Eastern Counties Rail-
way, and endangered the lives of nearly two hundred
passengers by the down-train to Broxbourne.
Immediately upon taking his place in the dock, and
the case being called on, the prisoner, addressing the
magistrate with great coolness and composure, said
—" I admit at once
,having placed the stones upon
the line, and, to avoid giving unnecessary trou'Jle,
wish to plead guilty to the charge."
The MAGISTRATE, however, told him that the mere
confession of a prisoner charged with such a serious
offence was insufficient, and ordered the evidence to
be proceeded with.
Mr. Charles Johnson, a gentleman residing at
Layton, was then called, and stated that while fishing
in the River Lea, near the Stratford marshes, and
about 200 yards from the railway, between four and
five o'clock on the preceding afternoon, he saw .the
prisoner climb over a side gate, and approach a pile of
large granite paving stones, contiguous to the rail,
several of which he deliberately picked up and pitched
over the embankment on to the line. The witness
distinctly heard the roll of them in their descent, and
the prisoner, after thus lodging there a great number,
clambered over the embankment after them, and re-
peatedly stooped down, apparently to arrange them
in some position. After being thus occupied for
about a quarter of an hour, he again got over the
gate, and advanced to the witness, who asked him if
he had been clearing the rails, to which he briefly
answered in the negative and abruptly turned the
conversation upon angling, in, which they were en-
gaged, when a London train appeared in sight, and
witness, who suspected something wrong, having
significantly pointed it out to the prisoner, he, with-
out any observation, walked rapidly off in the direc-
tion of the marshes. Witness had not time to give
an alarm, when the train passed over the spot where,
as it afterwards appeared, the obstruction had been
placed, but almost immediately stopped, and the
engine-driver .had run back and was throwing the
stones off the line, when the witness went up and
pointed out the prisoner as the author of the mischief.
The instant he had done so the prisoner increased his
speed across, the marshes, but. was ptirsued--;b3/-ao' of
• .1 . ..) . 1. ..: .- . ...
the guards and taken
.into custody,. , . - -.. - •;
Thomas Davidson, 'the
.stc,ko,:stateidthkth-ertni°
in question,'Which.was the down train to Broxbourne,
cOn,sisting Veight carriages, and containing about
200 passengers, had nearly reached the Lea-bridge
tation, at a speed of 20 miles an hour, when he ob-
L,s
erved a number cif large stones lying across the line.
He immediately blew off the steam and opened the
whistle, but, although the breaks were instantly ap-
plied with full force, the impetus of the train carried
it violently up to the stones, which were thrown off
by the iron guards, and several of them completely
crushed. As soon as the train could be stopped be,
hastened back and picked up 14 or 15 large
,paving
stones, some of a weight of about 501bs. each, and a
short way in advance found eight more scattered
about upon the up-line. The witness added, that
had not the stones been fortunately perceived in time
and the speed of the engine slackened, the train must
have been suddenly brought to a check, and the most
fearful consequences probably ensued.
Abraham Kilburn, the guard, stated, that after the
train had been stopped the prisoner, who was running
rapidly across the marshes, was pointed out to him by
Mr. Johnson, and pursued by witness and another
guard, who had nearly reached him when he turned
round, and, advancing towards them, asked what was
the matter ? Witness seized him by the collar, and
having accused him of placing the stones upon the
line, he replied evasively, " You did not see me do
it," and on telling him he must be either very wicked
or drunk to act in such an infamous manner, he de-
nied that he was so. Witness then conveyed {him to
the Lea-bridge station, and on afterwards returning
assisted in picking up no less than 22 large granite
stones from the rails of both lines.
Uriah Fuller, another guard, stated that the pri-
soner remained in his charge until he was conveyed
to the Shoreditch terminus by the six o'clock up-
train, and that he was satisfied he was perfectly sober.
Itihen called upon for his defence, the prisoner said
that he was sauntering along in the neighbourhood of
the line, when he observed one or two stones lying
upon the rails, and that having thoughtlessly picked
up some others from an adjoining heap, from which
the first had been taken, he flung them there also,
without reflecting for a moment upon the consequences
likely to result from such a dangerous act. He: was
now, however, perfectly sensible of its impropriety,
and also of the painful position in which he had
foolishly placed himself, and, regretting his conduct
exceedingly, hoped the magistrate would take a leni-
ent view of it, and decide upon a summary adjudi-

cation.
Mr. ARNOLD, however, told him that in a. charge
of such a seripus description he had no alternative but
to send the case before a jury, and ordered the depo-
sitions of the witnesses to be at once taken, and the
prisoner to be fully committed for trial at the Central
Criminal Court.
The prisoner was much agitated on hearing the de-
cision, which he had not apparently anticipated.,

EXTRAORDINARY CIACUAISTAXCE.—We have :heard
the particulars of an extraordinary circumstance that
happened lately in Glasgow, which may. almost bil de-
nominated a romance in real life. A person in business
died iately whose life was insured for 30,0001. Imme-
diately after his death this sum was laid claim to by no
loss than three families, consisting each of a wife and
wurth
children ; and what is singular, the one family :;gems
not to have been cognizant of the other. Which family
isf the legitimate one nobody can at present say, until
inquiry is made; but it seems that each mar riage
a
e.,brated by clergymen in this city, and the 'wives
haves bean
maintained in a respectable manner. It
appears that he was in the habit of living for a fortilight
this person poisoned hioasalf,anel
at a time in each house successively.-
en-
gaged in several forg atlitleishraedpobreteeltha
erie
_Ratihiway
and Shi,epin.g
s.
Journal (Glasgow).