The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-31 00:00:00

COLLISION ON THE EASTERN

COUNTIES RAILWAY.

NEWPORT, THURSDAY EVENING.—An investigation that
occupied several hours this day, was proceeded with at the
police-court of the town gaol, before Messrs. Wolf and Smith,
county Magistrates, in hearing a series of charges laid against
Mr. John King, the late station -master at Stanstead, on the
Eastern Counties Railway, through whose neglect it was
alleged the recent fearful collision on that line was oc-
casioned.
The defendent was arrested a few hours after the accident,
and underwent an examination before the board of directors
at the Shoreditch terminus. The prosecution was referred to
the county Magistrates, and on Monday he was taken before
Mr. Smith, who released him on bail, to meet the charges of
the Company this day. He was defended by Mr. Taylor, a
solicitor of Bishop's Stortford.
Mr. Widdecombe, of the Eastern Counties Railway Com-
pany's Solicitor's office, then proceeded to state the nature of
the charges he was entrusted to prefer against the defendant.
They were three in number, the first being laid under the
by-laws of the Company, for endangering the lives and limbs
of her Majesty's subjects ; and the other two under the Act
for the better regulation of railways, called Seymour's Act,
for neglect of duty and impeding the passage of an engine.
The Company had deemed it incumbent to institute the
prosecution for the full protection of the lives and property
of the public, and to prevent, by all possible means, the re-
currence of a similar disaster. The charge against the de-
fendant was a very serious one, and he could assure the
Bench the Company was not actuated by any vindictive
spirit, but only promoted the present proceedings with a
view of punishing him as the law afforded, provided the de-
fendant had so neglected his duty as to jeopardise the lives
of the public. lie then called
John Lowe, who stated that he was a guard in the em-
ploy of the Company. He accompanied the goods train
from Ely at half past nine o'clock on Saturday night, the
train comprising 22 trucks, drawn by two engines, numbered
55 and 56. On reaching within two miles and a half of El-
seuham the train came to a stand-still, in consequence of
the slippery state of the rails. The engine 56 was detached
to go on to Bishop's Stortford, to water, and he afterwards
went on with half the trucks, drawn by 55 engine. On ar-
riving at Stanstead the trucks, thirteen in number, were
put in a down line siding, to avoid the main rails, and to
allow trains to pass. Both engines then went on to Stort-
ford and watered, and returned, the 55 engine taking the
trucks left on the line at Elsenham on to London. After
the lapse of some time the engine 56 he saw on the up-line,
close to the station, in readiness to take the trucks from the
down siding, when one of the trucks was found to be off the
rails. As soon as he ascertained the obstruction he went to
the defendant, and asked him if he had got the signals up
and down the line, who replied, " Yes, I have. It's all
right." Witness saw a signal towards London as far as a
bridge, held by a porter, and was more than half a mile
from where the engine stood. He also saw a small
red signal lamp on the farther end of the plat-
form of the station towards Elsenham. He did not request
any one to take a signal down the line. With several others,
he then assisted in moving the truck that was off the rails,
when he heard a train coming up ; it was a cattle one. He
instantly ran into the middle of the read with a red lamp in
his hand, when Charles Randall, the driver of the engine,
standing on the up-rails, ready to take the trucks on,
snatched it out of his hand and proceeded to run towards the
approaching train, waving it. It was then not more than thirty
or forty yards distant, the distance being too short to prevent
a collision. It was going at about seventeen or eighteen
miles an hour, and it was not going to stop at the Stanstead
station. The engines of the cattle train struck the one on
the rails in waiting for the trucks, and forced it onwards fifty
or sixty yards, damaging it much. The cattle-train engines
were driven off the rails, greatly injured, and five trucks con-
taining bullocks, and one of the trucks on the siding was also
completely smashed. The engine-driver, stoker, and guardsescaped injury by jumping from the train. Oae of the drivers
and one of the stokers were hurt. The time of the collision
was about a quarter to seven o'clock on Sunday morning. It
was twilight; he could see half a mile down the line. Could
not say that the defendant saw the stationary engine on the
up-rails; he did Rot tell him of it being there.
By the BENCH—After the collision saw the defendan_tecoame
out of thastation, and he (lid not appear to be saber H
aid
to witness, " This is a bad job, Lowe; what is to bedonmeara
Witness answered that it was, and inquired where the
was who was sent down the line with the sirwala, but 1 t
p. a
hhee
hadha d
De-
fendant replied thathtefedrimd.noltvsietnndeeas
got a light on the pia
deceived him in saying that the signals were all right up and
man
nserved that
down the line. The defendant might have been of much
service after the collision, but he did not in the least assist or
give any directions.
Cross-examined—The defendant knew what he was
about. It was dark and rainy, and a man sitting up
during the whole night was likely to appear drowsy in the
morning. Cattle .trains are in the habit of passing up the
line all hours of the night. Nobody knows when they are
coming.
The facts of the case having been so recently before the
public, it is unnecessary to pursue the evidence farther.
The Court was then cleared of strangers, and after a short
consultation of the Magistrates, they expressed their judg-
ment, to the effect that as there was a doubt suggested to
them upon the applicability of the Act of Parliament they
had determined upon sending the case to the quart r sessions,
requiring the defendant to put in good sureties for
,his ap-
pearance to answer any charge or indictment 'that might
be preferred against him. The Bench further observed, that
if they had adjudicated upon the case, they would have con-
victei the defendant, but in order that full publicity should
be given of the enormity of the offence, they had-resolved to
send it to another tribunal, as it would operate in checking
the recurrence of similar offences.
The defendant was then cammitted for trial.

Nr.NV TARIFF.—In the schedule published on Wed-
nasdav, by authority, the following item appeared amongst
the duties to be reduced -" Plain linen and diaper, not other-
wise enumerated or described, and whether chequered or
striped with dye, yarn, or not, for every 1001. value 10/." A
corrected list was issued with the-Votes yesterday, in which
the above paragraph is omitted.