The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-09 00:00:00

THE CATASTROPHE on the BRIGHTON
RAILWAY.

The inquest upon the sufferers by the catastrophe on
Friday, of which we gavo an account on Saturday, was
held at the County-hall, Lewes,. on Saturday, before
Mr. Gell and a jury of fifteen tradesmen. The jury
having viewed the Licdiei of the four deceased persons,
the names and ages of the deceased were given:—Mrs.
Mary Simmons Chatfield, a widow lady, aged 73; Miss
Sarah.Chatfield, aged 33; George Chase, fireman of the
train, aged 19; and a man named Langhorne, Christian
name unknown, aged about 30.
The jury having been sworn, the coroner briefly ad-
dressed them, and stated his disinclination to express
any opinion whatever as to the cause of the unfortunate
accident until they had heard the evidence, especially es
there were so many rumours afloat on the subject, which
he begged thorn to disabuse their minds of.
The jury then proceeded' to view the bodies of the de-
ceased parties at the Black Horse, Lewes, whence they
were conveyed in cabs to view the scene of the accident.
In the course of the day Captain Lunn, the Govern-
ment inspector, also visited it, end afterwards attended
the inquest. The proceedings were watched on the
part of the company by Mr. Laing, the chairman; Mr.
Nix, one of the directors; 'Mr. Slight, the secretary;
Mr. Hawkins, the traffic superintendent; Mr. Craven,
the locomotive superintendent; and Mr. Faithful, the
solicitor of Brighton. Mr. Somers Clarke attended to
watch the proceedings on the part of the relations of the
Chatfields.
Mrs. Maria M'Kay, of West-street, Brighton, identi-

fled the body of Mr. Langhorne, who had lodged with
her about a week. He went out about half-past twelve
the previous day, and she had not seen him alive since.
She believed that -he w.ss about thirty, and generally
resided at Cainberwell; bu; she did not know what
hifr way-
Mr. Edwards Chatfield, of 26, Bond-street, Brighton,
identified the remains of his mother and sister, Mrs.
and Miss Chatfield. Her sister called upon her mother
at eleven o'clock yesterday morning, and they went to-
gether to visit another sister at Lewes. Did not see
them again alive.
Witham Appleford identified the remains of G. Chase,
the stoker.
Mr. William Balchin, station-master of the Brighton
terminus, was then called. At a quarter-past eleven
o'clock yesterday morning I dispatched a traia from
Brighton station to Lewes, with which Mr. Laing; the
chairman of the company, travelled. At five minutes
past twelve I started another train to Lewes. It con-
sisted of an engine and tender, a first-class carriage, two
seconds, and a third. There were about eight or nine
passengers. In the first carriage, a second-class, there
were no passengers; in the next, a third-class, there
were four or five; in the next, a first-class, one or two;
and the last, a break second, in which was the guard.
'The engine-driver, Samuel Jackson, and George Chase,
the fireman, were both on the engine. The guard was
in the last carriage. The second train which left Brighton
had the tender before the engine. It is usual with short
trains on this line. In many places we have no turn-
tables to turn the engine.
By the CORONER—It never occurred to me that danger
was to be apprehended in running the tender first. With
light trains it matters but very little, but with heavy
or goods trains it is necessary to send the engine first.
We have men specially appointed at the Brighton sta-
tion to inspect the wheels of the carriages. I never had

instructions not to place the tender first with light
trains, but with heavy ones it is prudent to have the
engine first, as it would have more power. Jackson has
been a driver eight or nine months, and has worked the
short trains nearly the whole time.
By Mr. Clarke—There are turn tables at Brighton to
turn the engine. The engine which had the tender first
had just come in from Hayward's Heath, and wo had not
time to turn it to attach it to the train.

By the jury—lf we had had more time I don't think
I should have turned it. It is not necessary to do so
with short trains. There are guards in front of the
wheels of the engine, so as to turn anything off that
might be upon the line; but when the tender is sent
first, of course the guards are inoperative in clearing the
metal; but they are mostly of service in snowy wea-
ther. I think a goods train had passed up the line from
Lewes between a quater•past eleven and five minutes
past twelve; but I don't know whether any of the trucks
had sleepers in them. I have been station-master at
Brighton for four years, and the same arrangement has
been in force in respect to sending the tender first with
short trains.

By the CORONER—I receive my orders at Brighton
from Captain Shaw. I don't think a tender first would
obstruct the view of the driver.
Edward Towns, porter in the service of the company,
said that a goods train left the Lewes station for
Brighton about twenty minutes past eleven o'clock yes-
ierday (Saturday) morning. It contained no sleepers,
but goods.

William Smith, engine-driver, in the employ of the
company, was called—l drove a goods train yesterday
morning, which left Lewes at twenty minutes past eleven;
reached Brighton at six minutes to twelve. Had no
sleepers in the train, nor eid I observe any on the line
near where the accident happened; but I saw several
lying by the side of the road. If there had been a sleeper
on the other line of rails I should have seen it, but I met
the quarter past eleven o'clock train from Brighton just
above this point.
Mr. William Henry Murrell, surgeon, deposed to ex-
amining the bodies of the deceased. Mrs. Chatfield sus-
tained a severe fracture of the parietal buno, which caused
her death. Her daughter (Sarah) had a severe wound
on the right frontal bone, the right cheek and jaw frac-
tured, and the legs and abdomen severely scalded, quite
sufficient to cause death. The man Langhorne had a
severe wound on the head, and other frightful injuries
about his body, which produced death. George Chase
sustained several fractured limbs, and was otherwise
much mutilated. He was at the scene of the accident.
Saw Chase lying under the engine, dead„ None of the
rails were displaced.
Henry Earl—Was guard to the train which left
Brighton at five minutes past twelve yesterday (Friday).
We went on safely until we arrived at the spot of the
accident, and I was in front of the last carriage. We
stopped at Palmer, and on re-starting travelled at from
20 to 24 miles an hour. The first I felt of the accident
was a sudden jerk, and the moment I looked I saw the
tender in front of the engine go over the wall of the arch,
as did the engine, and my carriage turned round and up
a little. It kept to the road, and on arriving near the
arch it stopped. I got down and looked over the arch
and saw the engine. There was a deal of steam, but I
could not hear any one. I then placed signals up and
down the line. The gentleman in the first-class, who
was not hurt, let himself out. I assisted two passengers
out of a second-class carriage. I then went down to the
arch and saw three dead bodies. Observed the driver,
who spoke to me; he was in much, pain and was crying
deeply.
CORONER—Now, did you notice anything of a sleeper
on the line? Witness—Yes, before I went down to the
arch I saw a man, a plate-layer, whom I had sent to-
wards Falmer with a signal, lift a sleeper off the rails as
he went along. I saw him take it off, and I said, " That
is what threw us off." I was following the man with a
fog signal, and that is why I noticed it particularly. Ono
end of the sleeper rested on the north metal, and the
other end on the sleepers of the road. There were frag-
ments of the sleeper lying about.
Mr. Superintendent Flannagan here produced the
sleeper and fragments, and it was obvious that it had
been split and shattered by something heavy passing
over it, such as the wheels of a locomotive.
CORONER—Did you see any person near the spot.
Witness—l saw three men, plate-layers, about 300
yards from where the accident happened, and a man on
the bank about 200 yards off. Saw no children about.
By the jury—l think the danger resulted from the
sleeper resting only on one end of the rail. I think if it
had rested over both rails it would have been crushed,
but only being on one side it turned the tender off, and
so dragged the engine with it. I could see where the
engine left the line, it was not torn up. It is as safe to
have the tender before as after the engine, if there is
nothing on the line.
Mr. Charles Shaw, of Colonnade-mews, Brighton,
was next called—l was in the first-class carriage of the
train which met with the accident. After leaving Fitl-
mer, and when nearing the archway, I noticed a cloud
of dust pass, and teen I felt a jerk. The carriage in-
clined to one side, and after some trouble I extricated
myself. Could not speak of the position of the sleeper.
Did not consider they were going at an excessively fast
rate.
Samuel Palvey, a young agricultural labourer, who
was in the third-class carriage which was dragged over
the bridge, and whose extraordinary escape excited
much interest, was next examined. Ile seemed to be
suffering from the effects of the fall. Ile said—l was a
passenger by the third-class carriage. After we left
Palmer a thick dust arose. I felt a shock, and I lay
down at the bottom of the carriage under the seat. The
carriage went over the bridge and fell on its end. The
three passengers who were in the carriage with me were
killed. They stood at the other end.
CORONER—Then how did you escape? Witness--
Why, I held on under the seat, and then scrambled out
on to the embankment of the line. I did not think the
train was going at too fast a rate.
The proceedings were here adjourned for an hour and
a half.
Upon the re-assembling of the jury at seven &clock,
Richard Chatfield, a platelayer in the employ of Mr.
Oliver, a contracter of the line, was examined, and said
--I have been employed five years and nine months on
this line. There are three of us there employed. I had
to go round my "length" »bout 100 ynrds over the arch.
I examine the line twice a day. I examined it yester-
day. I had been weeding the line. I did not at all
disturb the sleepers, nor put down fresh ones. I was at
work about fifty yards from the sleepers. I saw the
sleepers on the north side of the line in the morning. I
placed them there about three months ego. I had never
moved them from that time. There were three sleepers
The last time I saw them was about half-past seven yes-
terday morning. I did not, while I was at work, see
anybody near the sleepers. The only parties generally
passing up and down the line were those working on it.
We were at work from half-past seven to twelve o'clock.

By a juror—We were too far from the sleepers while
at work to see where they were removed. I was about
half a mile from them.
By Pdr. Faithful—l picked up the Igrge p9Aietk 9f the

sleeper after the accident. It was nearly, if not quite
over the rail. The other end was near where the sleepers
were in the morning, crossways. The guard said, " This
is the sleeper that threw us off." In the morning, when
I saw the sleepers, they were stacked straight on each
other. I was at dinner when the accident took place,
sitting down about 300 yards from my mates.
By Mr. Clarke—l did not see any man on the hank.
I was attracted by the crash. I ran up tho bank on
hearing the crash, and saw the guard. I did not see any
children or persons come from the cottage during the day .
I saw the train passing me on the line; it was going very
slow. I also saw the quarter past eleven o'eloek train,
and the luggage train, but I did not see anybody go up
or down the line.
By a juror—After the accidcnt I found that two
sleepers were damaged between the crown of the arch
and the place where the engine went off the line. I
should say that it was occasioned by the accident. I
have no idea how the sleeper got on the line. The
Wind could not have blown it there, I believe it could
not have got there without being removed by some one.
At the time of the crash, to the best of my knowledge,
I was the. nearest person to the spot.' My two mates
were two or three hundred yards lower dovin on the
Falmer side. I never, upon any occasion, saw chil-
dren playing at see-saw with the sleepers, or on the line
at all.
By the CORONER—My mates never passed me towards
Lewes throughout the day. They were always on the
Falmer side of me.
James Chatfield, brother of the last witness, said--
I should think, when I last saw the sleepers, the nearest
part of them to the rail was about six feat. I did
not see the broken sleeper until I saw it in the room
to-day.
By Mr. Clark—While I was at dinner my brother
walked down-the line towards the archway. • rsuppased
my brother was going to his' garden, which hetes at
the end of the'Cutting. This is about 150 yards from the
place where the sleepers were deposited.
By Mr. Faithful—My attention was first called to my
brother after he left me, when I saw him holding up his
hand for me to signal for stopping the line.
By the CORONER—There are three gangs or nine men
at work on the line between Lewes and Brighton, but I
do not know where they were stationed, as we never went
off our " length." Our length was from the third to the
fifth mile-stone. There have been no redactions in the
number of men employed on the line—certainly not for
twelve months.
Robert Beard, another labourer, was then called. His
principal evidence was precisely that of the preceding
witnesses. He then said—After I heard the crash I said
to James Chatfield, " What's the matter with the en-
gine?" I then got up and saw Richard Chatfield going
towards the accident. He held up his hands to signal
me. He was then about 200 yards from the accident.
He had been in my company from half•pa.st seven in the
morning till twelve, and during that time I did not ob-
serve any strangers on the line. I had not noticed the
sleepers for three or four days, though I knew them to
be on the line.

By a juror—There was not sufficient time from the
time Richard Chatfield left me, for him to get to the
spot where the sleepers were deposited, and return to
the spot where I next saw him when the accident took
place.

By Mr. Faithful—The train appeared to 'me to be
going slower than usual at the time it passed me. I
should say Richard Chatfield was never out of my sight
for more than three or four minutes.
Charles Muggridge, employed by Mr. Oliver on the
Lewes side of the archway, where the accident took
place, was next examined. I was employed about two
miles and a quarter from the place of the accident, and
after seven o'clock in the morning I should say that
none of my gang was nearer than I was to the archway.
The man who worked with me was named Funnel.
The ganger, named Greenwood, went over his length
about seven o'clock in the morning, and then left to take
a holiday for two or three days. He went up to London
by an early train. Funnell never left me all the day.
Hannah Boakes—l ern the wife of Henry Boakes, a
labourer. I live near the Newmarket archway. Ido
not know whether there were any sleepers on the line.
I dia not see the accident or hear the crash. I have five
children; three of them were in the house when the
accident took place. My eldest son is about ten years
old. He was at work during the morning in the garden.
I never knew my children to play on the railway.
By Mr. Faithtul—l never saw my boy for about an
hour. The railway adjoins the garden. His little bro-
ther was also in the garden. They both came in toge-
ther. I called them in about twelve o'clock, and they
came in. When I told my eldest boy to go to Ashcombe
he said he must first see the train go past. He appeared
very anxious to see the train pass. When he came back
he said, " Oh, mother, the train has gone over; what
shall we do?" He did not appear anxious to see whethi r
there was any one hurt. There is a man and his wife
and four children, named Wicks, also living in the
house. Wicks's two b ,ys were both at school. My
eldest girl is away from home, and the next girl at school;
she don't come home till six in the evening. My second
boy is five years old. It did not strike the as anything
particular that my boy wanted to see the train. My
children and Wicks's children often play together, but
yesterday morning I knoa Wicks's boys were at school,
and the girl in the house. My husband was not at home
that day until after he heard of the accident.

James Edward Oakes, the child, ten years of age, was
then examined as to his knowledge of the obligation of
an oath. He stated that he went to school. He knew
that there was a God, and he should be punished if he
did not speak the truth. He went to church, and knew
his catechism. The jury, however, expressed an opi-
nion that the child ought not to be examined, we believe
because he cried.

The inquiry was then adjourned till twelve o'clock on
Friday next.

BRIGHTON, JUNE B.—The unfortunate engine driver,
Jackson, died this morning in the Sussex County Hos-
pital, at twelve o'clock, from the effects of his injuries.
A consultation had been previously held, and it had beon
deemed advisable to take off his left. leg. He was asked,
if the urgency of the case should require it, whether he
wouldhave any objection to have both legs taken off. The
poor fellow answered, with much courage, " Not at all,
for my body may then probably be of some use." The
left leg was amputated by Mr. J. Lawrence, jun., sur-
geon for the week. Jackson bore the operation with
extraordinary fortitude, but he became weak afterwards,
and could not undergo a second. He has left a wife and
two children. We believe ho had not been many
months in the company's service.
This morning bills were posted in Brighton, offering
a reward of 50/. for the apprehension of tho person cr
persons who had wilfully placed a wooden sleeper on
the rails, by which means the train was thrown off the
line.

ACCIDENT ON THE EAST LAN-

CASHIRE RAILWAY.

LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY.—The following are the par-
ticulars of the melancholy accident, briefly mentioned in
The Sun of Saturday :
It appears that a few miles from Ormskirk a number
of men have been for some time employed on some
earthworks of the company, but in charge of the con-
tractor. In order to remove the earth away a great
number of trucks are obliged to be used. Yesterday
afternoon a train, consisting of several trucks, was pro-
ceeding along the line at an exceedingly moderate pace,
and when between Burscough and Raiford several of the
ballast waggons were literally dashed to atoms, and the
parties who wore in charge of the train were all more or
less hurt. A man named Richard Kirby was forced
out of one of the trucks, and falling between that and
the next wee fearfully cut and mangled. When he was
extricated lite was found to be quite extinct. Another
man, supposed to be named George Franklin, who was
in the same truck as the unfortunate deceased, was
also terribly cut and wounded, and it is feared he can-
not survive many hours. A number of other men,
although much hurt, are, it is expected, not fatally in-
jured. The line, it is needles to state, for some time
became blocked up, and from the fact of two trains
being nearly due (one on the up line, and the other
on the down), it was at ono time feared that bad
as the occurrence had proved, it had not reached its
worst. Messengers were, however, sent in each direction
to signal the approaching trains from proceeding any
further until the lines were cleared. Fortunately the
trains were stopped in sufficient time to prevent any
further sacrifice of life; but had the accident happened
in the night, it is impossible to tell where the mischief
would have ended. • After some time the trucks were
got off the line, when an examination was made with a
view of ascertaining the cause of the casualty. Very
few minutes were required to learn that, for on inspect-
ing the axle of the truck in which the poor fellow was
who has been killed, it was found to have broken near
the centre. When that took place the truck was doubt-
less thrown upon its side over the rails; and the speed
with which the train was proceeding, although moderate,
was sufficient to cause the weight of the waggons behind
to smash those in front. A fracture of some consider-
able extent must have been in the axle for some time,
which is clearly perceptible from the rusty state it was
isn .a
mTahtatte
ri tosfhaosut
ol dn
slihamv e lasted
e nt to so
al
iw long w
hoon h
avi
et hsoeuet
nit ; parting
andi
the officials of the linear© of opinion that those in charge
of the ballast trains bad not sufficiently examined the
axle, otherwise they must have detected the imperfec-
tion. The axle is now doubled up similar to a piece of
common lead pipe when subjected to a little pressure.
The mutilated remains of the deceased have been taken
to the Railway Inn, where they ti ,ill remain until viewed
by the coroner's jury. The unfortunate man has left a
widow r.nd three or four children totally unprovided for.

BIBLES—According to a return issued yesterday,
the number of Bibles printed by the Queen's printer from
January i, 1849, to December 31, 1850, was 1,157,000; and
the number of Testaments 752,000. The drawback of paper-
duty on these amounted to 7,7231. Bs. Hid. At the Oxford
University press there were printed in 1848, 261,500 Bibles,
and 262,000 Testaments; in 1849, 308,500 Bibles and
253,500 Testaments; and in 1850, 305,750 Bibles, and
235,000 Testaments. The drawback of paper-duty on these
amounted for each of the above years respectively to 2,2991.
14s. lid., 2,5961. ss. 6d., and 2,745/. 18s. 2d. At the Cam-
bridge University press the number of Bibles printed during
the same years, was 76,500 for the first, and 31,000 for the
two and of Testaments, 91,000, 75,000, and 35,000 re-
spectively Ictiayset:y.

AMERICAN NEWS.

By the Royal Mail steam-ship Cambria, Captain
Leech, we have advices from New York by telegraph
via Halifax of the 29th ult. She has 150 dollars in
specie on freight.
(By Telegraph, at Halifax, from New York.)
"NEW YORK, THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 29.
" The steamer Canada's mails reached New York
yesterday. Her news has little effect on the cotton
market, which is dull to-day at the quotations per
Cambria mail. Western Canal flour is dull to-day at
4 dolls. ; Canadian freely offered at 4 dolls. to 4i dolls.
Indian corn, 60 dolls. Stock-market today very firm
at advancing prices. Government Sixes of 1856 sold
to-day at 109; ; of 1867, 1191; Ohio Sixes, 117;
ditto Fives' of 1865, 1051 ; Pennsylvania Fives, 94 ;
fancy stocks all higher."
The Royal Mail steam-ship Canada Captain Har-
rison, arrived at Boston at five o'clock' on the morn-
ing of the 28th ult. A serious riot, attended with
loss of lire, had occurred at Hoboken. The Germans
of New York were holding their May festival at that
place, when a disturbance took place with some New
York men, resulting in the loss of several lives. Up-
wards of sixty Germans had been arrested.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW YORK MAY 7
Since the sailing of the Arctic, at noon on Saturday
act, there h& been no perceptible change in the cool-
;ion of the money-market. The heavy shipments of
bullion since the Ist of April do not interrupt the usual
course of business connected with the vslue of money.
Neither have the commercial ad vices received by tin,
Baltic, advising a serious decline in cotton in the Euro-
pean markets, been felt in the money circles. The sup-
ply of money is abundant, with a good prospect of low
rates of interest during the summer months. The trans•
actions in Government securities have of late been quite
moderate, but this has arisen more from the firmness of
holders than the want of purchasers at moderate prices.
The domand for foreign exchange for the Cambria has
been moderate. Sterling ranged from 1101. to 1104,
but there was very little done at the latter rate. Bills
on Paris, 5 dolls. Sic. to 5 dolls. 10c.; Amsterdam, 414
to 41i; Hamburg)), 364 to 36i; Bremen, 79i to 79
(From 7akott and Co.'s Circular.)
Cotton—The Baltic's advices received on Saturday
evening were more unfavourable than were anticipated
by the most ultra. The accounts lead to the conclusion
that a monetary panic raged in Liverpool, and that but
one idea was uppermost, namely, to sell, the price
being a secondary consideration. In such a state
of things, all calculations of probable extent of
crops, state of trade, &c., were lost sight of, and all quo-
tations were nominal. Our market since receipt of these
advices has been brought to a stand. The principal
holders have rolled up their samples to await later ad-
vices before submitting to a range of quotations in ac-
cordance with the present views of buyers. The sales
effected, amounting in all to 600 bales, were at 4c. re-
duction on the selling rates of Saturday morning ; in
this irregular state of the market we cannot give quota-
tions with any accuracy; with the above explanation,
therefore, we continue the quotations of Saturday,
namely,"Atlantic, inferior, 8; ordinary to good ordinary,
84; middling to good middling, 9f to 10; mid fair to fair,
10i to 10k; fully fair to good fair, nominal; New Or-
leans, inferior, 8 ; ordinary to good ordinary, 8f; mid-
dling to good middling, 10 to 104; middling fair to
fair, nominal ; fully fair to fair, nominal ; other
gulf ports, inferior, 8 ; ordinary to good ordinary,
84; middling to good middling, 9f to 10 ; middling fair
to fair, nominal ; fully fair to good fair, nominal.
Provisions—The market remains inactive, without any
alteration in prices.
Flour—The market was quite dull to-day, and prices
scarcely supported ; nothing of importance doing in
wheat ; corn soldtto a fair extent at 59c. to 60c., the
latter price for high mixed, and 60ic. for yellow.
Ashes—Potashes are in better request; nearly 500
barrels sold at 5 dolls., and 100 barrels of pearls at
5 dolls. 50c. per 100Ibs.
Metal—Sales of Scotch pig iron have been made at
18 dolls. 50e. to 19 dolls. cash, and 19 dolls. 50c. at six
months. The stock in this city is much less than at the
corresponding period last year. English bars bring
34 dolls. to 35 dolls.; Swedish steel iron, 85 dolls. at six
months. 1,000 tons of foreign lead have changed hands,
part to arrive, at 4 dulls. 60c. to 4 dolls. 65c. for soft, and
4 dolls. 50c. for heavy Spanish and English. A few
sales of tin have been made on private terms.
Naval Stores—Sales of Wilmington turpentine have
been made at 2 dolls. 87ic., and one north country at
3 dolls.; spirits of turpentiae, 36fc. to 37c. cash; corn.
inon rosin, 1 doll. 25c. to 1 doll. 40c.; white rosin
3 dolls. 25'2. to 4 dolls. 2.5?.. per 2801bs.