The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LOYD

gineer on the Great Western Railway. With
respect to the system of watching along the line,
six different assistants have instructions to ap-
point night watchmen whenever there is any
appearance of danger. In case of slips in
the cuttings when they are superficial, it
is found better to drain them well, and
to remove the loose earth and leave the
slips open to dry. These are watched for
a time, and if it be found that no further move-
ment takes place within a short time, experience
has shown that this draining is sufficient. In this
particular case of the Sonning cutting I saw t
small slip about three weeks ago. I enquired of
Mr. Berkham what had. been,done, andi found
it had been drained, and as I observed that it
was only a superficial one, I did not consider
that there was any danger. I passed many tinies
since and have not observed any change. On Fri
day morning I arrived on the spot, a few hours
after the accident, and I examined the slip that
had then taken place. It was a totally distinct
slip, and I pointed out to Mr. Berk ham the drain
that had been cut round the former slip, and
which was quite distinct from the new one. The
disturbed ground of the new slip Ouched the old
slip, but the slips themselves had begun in dif-
ferent parts of the slope and in different strata.
There were some questions the Foreman wished
me to answer, which I shall now state. The width
of the cutting at bottom is 40 feet, the depth
is 57 feet, the width of the top of the
cutting is 268 feet. The width of the spoil
bank on the south side is about 100 feet,
from the north side about 67 ; but of course
it varies. From the bottom of the spoil
bank to the edge of the slope is about 15 feet.
It varies, however, because in some places it is
20 and 25 feet from the edge. The spoil bank is
not 20 feet high, and 30 feet from the edge of the
slope. That soil would not stand at such a
slope ; it would not even stand at two to one.
From the railway to the edge of the slope is
about 12 or 13 feet. It would require 40 feet dis-
tance to have the spoil bank 20 feet high. I
heard something of the spoil bank having moved,
but I examined it carefully, and I find it has not
moved. There is plenty of room to walk between
the spoil bank and the top of the slope. I am
afraid of the weight of the spoil bank having any
effect on its slopes. There is no part of the spoil
bank so close to the top of the slope as 10 feet.
I examined the line immediately after the acci-
dent, and can speak with certainty. Thirty feet
from the edge of the slope there is not more than
six or eight feet in height of spoil bank.
There have been discussions here and elsewhere
as to the best place for the passenger trucks,
and the reason for putting them next to the
engine has been, that the dangers to which a
luggage train is considered most liable, are its
being overtaken by another train in consequence
of its being unavoidably less punctual than the
other trains, and the danger arising from break-
ing of axles in the luggage train, in either of
which cases the front of the train is the best.
The reason why the passenger trucks were put
in the middle of the train next day was by my
directions, merely as a concession to an opinion
which I knew was frequently expressed. On
the evening in question we discussed the ques-
tion with Mr. Saunders and Mr. Clarke, and we
had some doubts about the propriety of taking
any passengers, but it being Christmas-eve, we
knew there would be many applications, and
athough we retained our previous opinion as to
the front being the safest part, we made the alte-
ration in deference to public opinion.
By a Juror.—There have been instances of
luggage waggons having been ovetaken by other
trains. Our feelings and interests are of course
involved in providing the best place for the pas-
sengers. The axes of luggage trains are much
more liable to break than the passenger-trains.
planing the carriages for passengers behind
would he a very dangerous thing.
Mr. Saunders said, I can assure the jury that
many accidents have been avoided by placing
the passengers in the luggage-trains in front.
There are some trains which go at eighteen
iruiles an hour, and others which go at forty
miles, and them are cuttings and curves in the
line in w!lich it is almost impossible, notwith-
standing every precaution that is taken, to pre-
vent a quick train running into a slow one. We
can have no motive but that of the public safety
and convenience, and it is not later than yester-
day that the Government Railway Inspector dis-
tinctly told me that he fully concurred in our
views. The luggage-train should start at half-
past four o'clock in the morning, but it seldom
gets away before five o'clock, and it puts aside
generally at Slough, to allow the six o'clock
quick train to pass it, Every precaution that
could possibly be thought of to ensure safety
and punctuality has been adopted by the. Di-
rectors. If it, was to be continued on my re!vpon.
sibility, I would again have the passengers in the
luggage-train placed in front.
The CORONER then proceeded to read over the
evidence to the Jury, and pointed out the eni.
nence that had been given with regard to slips
having taken place in the immediate neighbour-
hood of where the accident occurred, and left it
to them to say whether the evidence on that
point did not refer to the slip that had been
noticed and repaired by the Company. Having
commented on the evidence, the Coroner con.
eluded by observing, that as in the present
melancholy case a great deal of excitement
existed, he would call upon them to clear their
minds of any prejudice that might exist, and to
address themselves solely to the evidence that
had been taken during the investigation. They
had heard the explanations of Mr. Brunel, and
the observations that had been made by Mr.
Saunders, and they would give them such weight
as they considered them entitled to.
The Jury then, at a quarter past three o'clock,
withdrew to another room.

The following is a copy of a letter which was
found in the pocket of one of the deceased,
whose name is supposed to bePooke :
"To John Pooke, Mr. Higgs, No. 18, Panton-
street, Haymarket, London," and bears the Exe-
ter post-mark of October 26, 1841.
" Stoke Cannon, near—Exeter,
"Oct. 26, 1841.

" Dear John—l am very sorry that illness
should have ')pen the cause of your not writing
so soon as you w'Z'lll4 otherwise. It would always
give me great pleasuift to hear from you, and to
to find that you are in
06;_i. health, and doing
well. Mine, with great reason .4..‘er thankfulness,
is as well, or rather better than can be expected
at my advanced time of life. William and Ann
Kent are in good health, and so, as far as I
know, are all your other relations in this neigh-
bourhood. Your not hearing from your mother
may be owing to your not writing to let her
know how to direct her letter, which I would
recommend you, as a dutiful son, to do. All
here desire to send' you their kind love, and be-
lieve me to remain, dear John, your affectionate'
grandmother, " MARY POOKE."
Upon his person was found a hair-comb and
brush, a gold pin, and a box key; in cash,
18s. 6d. in silver, and 3id. in copper. There
was also found a railway-ticket from London to
Bridgewater. He was dressed in a drab great
coat, a black frock coat, four waistcoats, a pair
of dark trowsers, two neckerchiefs, a shirt, a
pair of shoes, and pair of gloves.
The following is a description of the dress
of the other person who has not been identified
—Pair of moleskin trowsers over a pair of black
trowsers, a drab great coat, black frock coat,
waistcoat, and stock, Guernsey frock, two shirts,
two pair of braces, 'gloves, stockings, and shoes.
In his pockets were found, in money, 30s. in
gold, 2s. in silver, and 31d. in copper. Besides
these were found an old-fashioned silver watch,
maker's name John Roe, Coventry, No. 107,
steel chain and seal and two keys, and two.tickets
from London to Cirencester. On the seal was—
" Hear, see, and be silent."
After the Jury had retired some time, the Su-
perintendent of Police came into the room, and
stated that John James, the brother-in-law of one
of the persons whose body had 'loot been identi-
fied, had seen and recognised it. He said the
name was William Thomas, aged 32, stone-
mason, and worked for Mr. Malcot, of Newgate-
street, at the Temple Church. He was a native
of Leonard's Stanley, near Stroud, Gloucester-
shire, and a widower, with one child.
The witness was then examined, and made a
statement to that effect.
Mr. C. Russell, M.P., the Chairman of-the
Board of Directors, and some other gentlemen
connected with the Company, applied to the
Coroner for instructions as to the disposal of the
dead bodies. The friends of three or four of the
persons who had been killed had applied tor the
bodies, in order to take them to the country for
interment. Mr. Bully, the surgeon, had been
consulted, and he bad said that, with the excep-
tion of one, the bodies were in such a state of
decomposition, that it would be advisable to
have their moved as soon as possible; and, with
regard to that one, he had expressed great doubts
as to the
propriety .of its removal. The Com-
pany had
a t(C.)
every wish to defer to the feelings of
the friends and relatives parties,iseoofptihnei,n o f tbutthey
were Anxious meCoroner
upon the subject.
The CORONER said he had no jurisdiction
whatever as to the disposal of the bodies. That
must be a matter of arrangement between the
parties, and he did not like to offer any opinion
upon it.
The Jury, after being in consultation for about
two hours, sent for the Coroner, who, on his
eturn, said they had agreed to a verdict of