The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-21 00:00:00

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

CHESTERFIELD, TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

You have already been informed of the occurrence of
an accident of a most fearful and disastrous character
on the Midland line, near to Clay-cross. As yet the
immediate cause of the accident is enveloped in mystery.
The officials of the company profess to know nothing of
the cause of the accident, further than that the engine
of the express train fell lame, and was run into by the
goods train. They do not know, or at any rate will not
state, whether the guard adopted the usual precautions
against accident in the case of an engine falling lame.
We learn from several of the gentlemen who were in
the train at the time, and are sufferers from the accident,
right"eA
that the train had not proceeded more than 400 yards
past the Clay-cross station when the engine fell lame,
ry After
o a
w w stoppage,asspheeesdrd, not oa f
naboutdmore
theo r
e
the train came to a stand, and there was a noise of
m b t
began
to
ue t thecy
moveeonf
at l' g n
a v
trainfiveha minutes,mt ehreithen
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h
than one-fourth of the rate at which it had proceeded
prior to the stoppage. The train had not been in mo-
tion above a minute or two, when a loud crash suc-
ceeded; the passengers were thrown with frightful vio-
lence from their seats, the carriages nearest the tail of
the train were shattered to pieces, and the cries of their
inmates were most terrific. All was at once a scene of
disaster and confusion. There were between twenty and
thirty passengers in the train, scarcely one of whom es-
caped without injury. The night was very dark, and at
the time of the accident a fierce storm raged impetu-
ously. The poor sufferers scrambled off the line as best
they could, some supporting themselves in a dreadful
condition against the walls of a bridge which crosses
the line, and others lying quite helpless on the side of
the rails. The description tho passengers give of their
sufferings and the state of the line after tke accident is
heart-rending.
A telegraphic communication was instantly transmit-
ted from Clay-cross to Chesterfield, and the servants
of the company ran and procured the assistance of the
medical men of the town. Dr. Walker, and Messrs.
Hall, Hollond, and: Black, surgeons, immediately re-
sponded to the summons, and were conveyed by special
engine
to the scene of the disaster. On their arrival
they found injured parties lying in all directions. Mr.
Hall and the other gentlemen inquired of several per-
sons as to their injuries, but in a very magnanimous
spirit they desired them to proceed further, as there
were others who much more needed their services
than themselves. Mr. Meynell was found quite dead,
and on his back on the side of the line, between the
carriages and the bridge. Mr. Blake was discovered
leaning against the bridge, and his back supported by a
piece of wood; he was quite conscious, and complained
of great pain at his back, the spine having bsen severely
injured. Mr. Blake, with the other injured passengers,
was placed in a train and conveyed to Chesterfield. Mr.
Blake, however, died on the way. Mr. John
in Tedding-
ton, addition to • • both his legs being broken, had re-
ceived many external bruises about the head and body.
His brother, Mr. Joshua Teddington, was cut on the
head and injured about the ribs and shoulder-blade, and
had also a slight fracture of the scapula. They at pre-
sent lie at the Commercial Inn in a precarious state.
The persons who sustained the principal injuries were
all in one carriage.

THE INQUEST.
The inquest on view of the bodies of Mr. Moynell and
Mr. Blake was opened at the Commercial Inn, Chester-
field, this (Tuesday) afternoon, before Mr. Hutchinson,
Coroner, and a highly respectable jury. Mr. Macauley,
one of the solicitors to the Midland Company; Mr. W.
Smith, ono of the solicitors; and Mr. Saunders, the
traffic manager, were present, representing the com-
pany.
The jury having been sworn, proceeded to view the
bodies, which lay at the railway station. They then
returned to the inn, and the following statements were
heard:—
Mr. Macauley, solicitor, said—Perhaps before you
commence taking the evidence in this melancholy case
you will allow me to state that I attend here on behalf
of the Midland Railway Company (being instructed by
the directors so to do) fir the purpose of affording every
information and facility in their power to the elucidation
of the facts in this truly melancholy and unfortunate
occurrence. The directors beg me to state that they desire
that the case should receive the fullest and most minute
investigation; that their best endeavours and best exer-
tions shall be used to attain that end; that all the ser-
vants who were employed on both trains, and every one
in their service who can give any information, shall be
forthcoming in order to elicit the truth. At the present
stage of the proceedings I will not say more than that
the company desire as much as any one present that
the matter should receive the fullest and fairest inves-
tigatiOn.
Mr. Fretson, of Sheffield, solicitor, said he attended
for the friends of Mr. Blake, and asked permission of the
Coroner to put such questions as he thought requisite to
the witnesses.
The CORONER assented. _

Mi:ll:}lWelierwas the first witness--I am a sur-
geon at Chesterfield. I knew the late Mr. Meynell. I