The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-15 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENT.

BIRMINGHAM, TllESDAY.—Yesterday afternoon a fatal
accident occurred upon the Bristol and Birmingham Rail-
way, about six miles from this town. The following facts
are obtained from official sources, and may be relied upon in
the main as correct :—Between Bromsgrove and the Barnt-
green Station, the guard of the passenger train (named
William Stock), which arrives in Birmingham at half-past
three o'clock, P.M., left his seat at the break en the carnage,
immediately behind the tender, to enter into conversation
with a person—a contractor for work on the line—who was
seated on the roof of the succeeding carriage. For this pur-
pose Stock walked across the roe of his own carriage, and
sat upon the roof of the one upon an outside seat of which
his friend was seated. Upon arriving near the Barnt-green
station, the engineer or stoker, whose duty it may be, gave
the usual signal by whistle, when the unfortunate man
Stock, whose back was towards the station, jumped up from
his seat, with a view to return to the break, when his head
almost instantly came in contact with the arch of the
bridge, and his body was thrown between two of the
carriages. The train passed over him, and it was not until
the train stopped at the station that the body of the de-
ceased was taken up. It was then ascertained that the
skull was dreadfully fractured ; otherwise he had suffered
little injury.
The deceased, who, although insensible, was still living,
was immediately conveyed in a compartment of one of the
carriages to the Birmingham station, and thence to the
Queen's Hospital, at Holloway-head. He arrived there about
four o'clock, and died about half-past five.
It will be recollected that a year and a half ago an acci-
dent somewhat similar happened on this line, at the Kings-
norton-bridge, only two or three miles distant from the spot
where the present one occurred. In that instance the corn
pany were blamed for the erection of pillars on each side, for
the support of the arch of the bridge. A guard of one of the
trains,:at the time referred to, met with his death in conse-
quence of his head coming in contact with one of those pil-
lars. In the present case it does not appear that blame is to
be attributed to any improper construction of the bridge. It
is one of the highest on the whole line between Bristol and
Birmingham. So far as can be ascertained from present evi-
dence, the accident, lamentable as it is, would appear to be
the result of the deceased's own indiscretion. He was a man
nearly six feet high ; and when it is considered that his
head was struck by the centre of the arch, it does not seem
probable that the height of the bridge could be deemed
dangerous.
The body of the deceased having been removed out of
Worcestershire into Birmingham, the case is now within the
jurisdiction of Dr. Birt Davies, the borough coroner, who
has appointed to take the inquest to-morrow.
The deceased was a remarkably steady, sober man, and
much respected by the superior officers of the company. He
has left behind him a wife and five children.

ACCIDENT TO SIR ROBERT PEEL.—We regret to
learn that the absence of Sir Robert Peel from the House of
Commons on Monday night arose from the Right Hon.
Baronet's being confined to his residence by the effects of an
accident which might have been far more serious than it has
turned out. We hear that while dressing in the morning he
incautiously rested his foot on a china basin, and by the
weight of his person the bottom brake, and severely lacerated
his foot. Sir Benjamin Brodie was instantly sent for, and
was as promptly in attendance on the Right Hon. Baronet.
Althoagh the blood was profuse from the wounds inflicted,
we are happy to hear that Sir Benjamin Brodie, after a
minute examination of the injured parts, pronounced that
no danger was to be apprehended, as not any important
vessel had sustained injury. The casualty will necessarily
confine the Right Hon. Baronet some days to the house.
BURY ST. EDMUNDS.—There has just come under our
notice
man'sa striking
uerxcha:g A respectable man in this town has
of the disinterested character of the
"poor
recently lost his wife. It was her dying request that she
should be buried in the same grave with her son, in her
native parish, about four miles from this town. Her husband
of course complied with a request made under such circum-
stances, and requested that the bell in the parish where he
resides might toll the accustomed time. In the year 1835
he lost his son, who was buried at Great Saxham, and the
bell of St. Mary's Church, of this town, tolled, for which he
was charged 4s. When he requested the same favour for
1 his wife he expected the same charge, when, lo I he received
a bill amounting to 18s. 6d. Our readers will feel curious
to know the particulars of such a bill. It was as follows :
First, the Minister, who did not utter a single prayer,
charges ten shillings and sixpence, and then the clerk, in
limitation of his master's example, charges 45., though he
did not utter a single amen. The sexton, who really did
commit a nuisance for a couple of hours, charged 4s. for the
unmeaning noise he made. Of this latter item, there can be
no reasonable complaint, as it was requested that the bell
should toll; but how either parson or clerk can fortify their
exactions perplexes our simple understanding. We have
not introduced this circumstance for the purpose of in•
dulging in any personalities, but simply to show that the
established system will corrupt the most amiable of men,
and convert a man, as a man distinguished for generosity,
into an unjust exacting priest, " reaping where he has not
sown, and gathering where he has not scattered."—Suffolk
t is with much regret that we
have to record the sadden
Chronicle.
SUDDEN DEATH.--I
death of Mr. Fraser, of the firm of
Messrs. Neill and Fraser, printers, here, which occurred yes-
terdaycoach, intending to join his family at Biggar for a few days.
lie
w a
si
n morningconversation
it
h cal olcak, while seated in a stage
d y
at the time, when his
head suddenly dropped on his breast, and he almost instantly
expired. Ttie cause of his death we have not heard, but it
is supposed to have been an affection of the heart. Mr.
Fraser was of an amiable and obliging disposition ; an active
man of business, and in every relation of life bore a highly
respectable character.—Edinburgh Advertiser.