The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-24 00:00:00

THE GOLD DUST ROBBERY.

WINCHESTER, FRIDAY EVENING.—This day William
Plampin, who has already been twice examined on a
charge of being implicates in the gold dust robbery, was
again brought up at the Guildhall. Charles Seagrim,
Esq., the mayor, presided.
Mr. Crombie appeared for the prosecution, Mr.
Wontner for the Royal Mail Steam-packet Company,
and Mr. Pelham, for the prisoner.
Mr. Crombie, on the part of the South-Western Rail-
way Company, said he proposed to ask for a further re-
mand of the prisoner, and to call witnesses to corrobo-
rate the evidence of the railway porters, Edwards and
Smith, given on the last occasion. It would be proved
that the prisoner was in Winchester on the night of the
robbery, and that he was seen, not only at the railway
station, but at the Eagle Tavern, with two packages in his
possession, which, from the description given of them, there
was reason to believe were a portion of the missing pro
perty. He might state that the police authorities were
prosecuting inquiries in London and elsewhere, with a
view of connecting the prisoner with other parties in
these transactions, who were not in custody.
Mrs. Lydia Cross, the wife of the landlord of the
Eagle Tavern, near the railway station, and Eliza Cross,
her daughter, then gave evidence as to the fact of the
prisoner having been in the tavern between eleven and
twelve o'clock on the night of Thursday, May 8, with
two parcels in his hands. They mentioned a variety of
circumstances which took place during the time he wes
there.

Mr. Inspector Field said that ho was engaged
with the detective officers of the City police, end the
sergeants of the metropolitan force, in following up
those inquiries, and from information he had received
within the last few days, he had no doubt he should he
able to prove that the prisoner was connected with other
parties who were implicated in this robbery.
Mr. Pelham said he had had the strongest as-
surance from the prisoner that he was not in Win-
chester at all on the day in question, and he
looked upon the case entirely as one of mistaken identity.
The Bench after a short consultation said that
they did not consider they should be doing their
duty if they did not give an opportunity, by re-
manding the prisoner, for the production of any furl& r
evidence that might be brought against him. As to the
question of an alibi,, if the prisoner was able to bring
forward twenty witnesses as to his berag in a certain
place, that would be a question for a jury to determine.
At the same time there were circumstances of suspicion
that the bench could not feel disposed to overlook. The
prisoner would be remanded for a week.
Mr. Pelham applied for the return of some property
found on the person of the prisoner, but this was reused
till the next examination.

THE FATAL COLLISION ON THE MID
LAND RAILWAY.
CHESTERFIELD, THURSDAY. From the answer to
inquiries this morning, we learn that all the suffering
passengers, on whose account there was the greatest rea-
son to apprehend danger, are now progressing favour-
ably. ilr. and Mrs. Tennant are still at Clay-cross ;
and Mrs. John and Joshua Todhunter and the Rev. Mr.
Heather continue at Chesterfield. All have the advan-
tage of the best medical treatment.
The coroner's inquest was re-opened at the Municipal-
hall this morning at eleven o'clock. Mr. Macauley,
solicitor, Sir Isaac Morley, director ; Mr. Saunders,
traffic manager, and others, were again in attendance on
behalf of the Midland Company. Mr. Fretson, solicitor,
attended for the friends of the late Mr. Blake, and Mr.
Waller appeared on the part of the relatives of the other
deceased passenger, Mr. Meynell.
Mr. Turner, of Sheffield, appeared to watch the pro-
ceedings on behalf of John Thompson, the guard of the
express train on the night of the accident.
Lieutenant Douglas Dalton, the Government Impactor
of Railways, was also present.
Mr. Macauley, after apologising for some delay,
caused by his having to show Lieutenant Dalton over
the portion of the line where the accident occurred, said
he would comply with the promise made to the jury, and
had present every servant of the company who was with
either of the trains at the time of the accident.
,e)Ndr. Barlow, civil engineer to the company, produced
a plan of the Midland lice, of the portion of the line at
Clay-cross, made after the accident.
Several witnesses wcre examined, and the inquest was
adjourned to Friday morning,
The jury were taken by special train to view the
locality of the disaster.
CHESTERFIELD, FRIDAY.—The coroner's inquiry was
resumed this morning at eleven o'clock, at the Muni-
cipal-hall.
George Carter, the foreman of tho passenger train,
'rt
up,
the accident and they
st
it
fundoa nte d
of, t
het
ehil that iel
nir:
fit mo wdeddah blacked
ua
with p'bihgenawleliligt hitattoheprdeivreenc;
any up-train approaching.
By Mr. Fretson—l do not know what was done to
prevent any train coming on the down line.
John Thompson—l was guard of the passenger train
on Monday night. We left Derby at twenty minutes
past nine. The proper time was five minutes. Ido not
know where the fifteen minutes had been lost. When
we got opposite the Clay-cross Station I noticed the
slackening of the engine. When we had gone 150 or
200 yards the train stopped. I put my he„(' out, and
went to the engine drib er and asked 6‘ What ' s the
matter?" Ile didnot know exactly the cause. He ex
amined the wheels and pump, and then said there hwas
something amiss with the pump-rod. I coked him rho
long it would be before he was ready to go on. The
fireman said ho thought it would be ten minutes, and
the driver said a few minutes. I asked him if I should
have occasion to go back with the signal, and the driver
said, " Yes, you had better." I got into the van to
get my lamp and signal out. I then went down be-
tween the two lines till I got thirty or forty yards be-
yond our train, when the driver or the fireman shouted
from the engine " All right!" In return I shouted,
"Is all right?" and commenced going back. When I
had gat a short distance hack I heard the approach of a
train. I had not seen or heard the train bl'ore I turned
back. Our train was moving on then. I continued waving
my red signal till I got on the footboard of the last car-
riage. I then shouted to the drive, " Make
toanudsl.iadltgowt
aasshcoormtidnigstatnascteewr htehnanthl
speed—
make all the haste you can, there is a train coming."
single-lamp.
ifaavneinigdilriver of that train could Eee our red
tail-lamp as well as my hand-single-lamp. There
was a tail-lamp and two side signal lamps
I had turned back before I heard the sto our train.
I walked back with my red signal goo train coming."nap turned towards
the Clay-cross-tunnel. Tho train
consisted of four car-
riages and a van.
By Mr. Waller—We had three lamps behind
when we
started from Derby. We had orders to stop at Wingfield
and Duffield extra. This order was given by the station-
master. First felt the 31w.lipn* ing of the train opposite
the Clay-cross Station, The
train did not move more
than 200 yards before it
minutes past ton o'clock. The driver might have stopped
it earlier if he had reversed the engine. It might be are
minutes after the stoppage that the goods train came tie-
My hand-signal could have been scan from the footboard
of the carriage to the Clay •creas Station. The proper
speed of the goods train wes 12 miles an hour. It was
corning much faster than that. Considerieg the time
both trains started for Derby the luggage train ought to
hare been half an-hour behind us.
By Mr. Fretson—When we came to stand it was
about 150 yards this side Clay-cross ',melon. I know
where the semaphore signal at the station is placed, and
understand how to work it. That signal is about 190 or
200 yards from the place where we came. to a stand. I
walked at a brisk pace back. I act off with the inten-
tion of walking half a mile back, because the engine.
driver had told me he would be ten minutes, and I did
not expect the other train for twenty minutes.
I could
not have walked forward to the signal as seal as, I
walked back to the train. We were is quarter of an hour
late on starting from Derby, and vie had lost ten
minutes an the road. When I act off back to walk half
a mile I got into my van and took two fog noble
with me.

Ought you not to have taken four?—We d 3. some-
tim.s. I have had a copy of the rules given to -Kip. I
h,tve seen the rule that we are to place a fog,signal on
the line every 200 yards, till we have got 800 yards- I
the
etutnocn)kei.tvgii, gboetenwuiste I
hinknew had
100
I yard
snot
of to go'
the
piabetfjo'orn,3l
before I turned back. I think I could run 200 yattis in
five minutes. I had only one minute to go out before I
turned back, I had consumed three of the four or five
minutes that we were stopping, by waiting tosceaeuwsehat
was amiss with the engine. I came back be
heard the engine-man say "All right." tnoticed when
at Ambergste that we were twenty-six minutes behind
time. We had come about at one regular
speed. I was hurt by the accident. , My nose, was
slightly grszod, and my foot much hurt. I remained on
the footboard of our train till the collision, when I was
knocked off. I 4.upposed the goods driver was.,alltcking,
and ours getting off, we should get. out of the way. As
soon as I got up, after being knoeked off ourAtiliti, I
went back to Clay-cross Station, but found the aignalAad
been put on. When I first left our train I 'went back
to turn on the signal at the station, and only turned back
without doing so because I heard the driver or tratean
call out " All right." We don't usually
,seund the
whistle on passing small stations. We-onlystop at these
small stations not mentioned on the time-table by the
order of the station-master at Derby. We hid stopped
at two of these stations that night. I believe if on this
night we bye had to stop at Claycross to putliown pas-
sengers, this accident would have occurred. There was
no one at the station to receive the pissenger.s,-pp,put:on
the signal if we had stopped. There is no:onethere at
night.. I don't know. that I have stopped at that station.
but I have ino doubt that train• has, as well st Duf-
field and Wingfield. Thelmatilat that station dcleli, not
expect us to stop, and whether there was any one there
to receive the passengers _or turn on tha!sinal if as
mere chance. I think the, goods_ train had come up to
us in half the time they should have done, or less than
that. •
theinquiry
adjourned Further
tevidenceay. having bees .given, wits

RAILWAY RETURNS,-

TRAFFIC RETURNS FOR THE PAST WEEK.

Miles
opened,
1851.

NAME OF RAILWAY.