The Sun.
London, England, 1847-08-09 00:00:00

DREADFUL ACCIDENT.

PEEBLES, FRIDAY.—This day having been fixed for
the nomination of the candidates for the representation
of the county, the proceedings commenced at the hust-
ings, which had been erected in front of the Town-ball,
by the Sheriff reading the writ and going through the
usual preliminary formalities. The day being fine, and
there being some excitement regarding the contest, a
large concourse of people had assembled. The hustings
were of unusual height, being made so as to admit of
access from the windows of Town-hall, which are
twelve feet above the level of the street. Before the
proceedings had begun, Sheriff Napier had ordered and
obtained a report as to their sufficiency. Mr. Mackenzie,
of Portmore, the recent Member for the county, and his
friends, occupied half the hustings on the right hand of
the Sheriff, and Mr. Carmichael, of Stirling, the opposing
candidate, and his friends, the other half. After the
Sheriff had concluded, William Forbes, Esq., of Slipper-
field, proceeded to address the assembly with a view to
propose Mr. Mackenzie. Ile had scarcely got through
two sentences, when in a moment the joistings
gave way, and the entire flooring of the hustings
became separated from the front and back supporters,
and went down with a fearful crash, bearing the
whole of its occupants to the ground, except Mr.
Forbes and Mr. C. Blyth, who both clung to the front
rail. The table in front, at which two reporters were
seated at an elevation of about six feet from the ground,
was overturned by the shock, and the reporters knocked
over and injured. There were about fifty gentlemen on
the hustings when it fell. After they had been extri-
cated from the wreck, it was found that no life was lost,
but that several were severely injured. The following
list contain the names of those most severely hurt, but
many others escaped with slight bruises, and some were
wholly uninjured.

LIST OF PERSONS INJURED.
1. W. F. Mackenzie, Esq., of Portmore, bruised in
the shoulder.

2. James 'lay Mackenzie, Esq., fracture of the knee-
pan and much bruised.
3. John Erskine, Esq., of Venlaw, bruised in the back.
4. Thomas Horsburgh, Esq., of Pirn, left leg broken.
5. John Veitch, E3q.' of Woodside, compound frac-
ture of the tibia, and dislocation of the ancle joint.
Severely hurt.
G. Arthur Burnett, Esq., Sheriff-Substitute, bruised
about the back, and cut about the head.
7. James Robertson, Esq., W.S., several ribs broken.
8. Captain Gray, Innerleithen, severe injury in the
ankle-joint.
bruise
9.10 Lieutenantiv .
M.
Kerr,
e rr
,Esq.,Colonel , left
Ker footfiei bruised.
severe
of
the back and shoulder.
Anthony Nichol, Esq., severely bruised in the
baci" k.
fracture of the
Hugh
Ilolerg.atio Brown, Esq., of Newhall, simple
14. Walter Stavart, Burgh officer, severely
d.
15. st. ,
Mr. William Macnab, druggist
chest.
bruised in t e
is. Mr. J. Gibson, jun., Lochurd, dislocation of wrist
joint.
17. Mr. Simson Ritchie, Blyth, sprained ankle joint.
18. Robert S. Grieve, Esq., Edinburgh, bruised
slightly on the back.
19. Dundas Murray, Esq., dislocation of shoulder.
20. Mr. Drummond reporter for Witness, injured.
22.2
21. Reporterprovost Kerr, feurrNs.orgthhtry bruised
About also injured.
About ten or twelve more are slightly injured, with
sprained
er asn
clic!" tts, isahinwonidgowwhs? mF are—; Alt rr.r.J
Go henorlgleacFkoernhzei es:
banker; Mr. C. Cowan, M.P.; Mr. Blackwood, writer, &c.The following escaped without injury :—Mr. Car-
michael, Sir Graham Montgomery, Sir Adam Hay, and
eight or ten others.
After the lapse of some time the nomination was
quietly gone through, and the polling days fixed for
Wednesday and Thursday next.
It is expected to be a very severe contest.

The uneasy feeling observable in the city on Satur-
day morning on the opening of business could hardly
have been exceeded, but it wore off in some degree to-
wards the close of the day, although the tone of affairs
was still discouraging. Consols fur Account were first
done at S6'4l sellers, the Bank returns and the announce.
ment of further failures constituting the reasons for the
depression. They soon, however, improved, and went to
86 to 87, and from this point a purchase of stock for
Tuesday next, on account of the Court of Chancery, sent
them up to 87k, at which they closed. For money the
range was from 8G to 86k, the last price being 861.
After the regular hours of business some time balgaius
were effected at a decline of an eighth.