The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-31 00:00:00

lONIAN BANK.

At the annual meeting of the lonian Bank, held
this day, the report of which the following are
extracts was unanimously adopted :—" The Direc.
tors have pleasure in reporting that the negocia-
tions for a renewal of the Charter from the
lonian Government, to which reference was made
in their last annual statement, have been brought
to a satisfactory conclusion, and that the Bank has
been reconstituted for a further term of 20 years.
The only material alteration introduced, is the non-
renewal of the privilege of exclusive issue. The
Court, however, had no hesitation in consenting to
this surrender, seeing that by the provisions of the
Bank Law, no rival establishment having the power
of issue could be set on foot without affording such
guarantees, and being subject to such conditions as
would render competition improbable, and at all
events harmless. The operations of the year 1859
were necessarily much restricted by reason of the
long protracted suspense and uncertainty as to the
renewal of the Charter. They are, however,
under these circumstances highly satisfactory, as
appears from the following financial statement :
The
balance to the credit of profit and loss

on the Ist January, 1859, was £13,181 4 6
The net profits of the year, after charges and

allowance for contingencies, as in the pre-
ceding year, were

Making together £24,587 6 7
From which is to be deducted the amount
of two half-yearly dividends at the rate of
5 per cent. per annum

Leaving to the credit of profit and loss, on
the Ist January, 1860 £17,087 6 7

THE ACCIDENT ON TEE GREAT NORTHERN

RAILWAY.

The enquiries that have been made this morning have
added nothing very material to that already known with
respect to the alarming accident.

It appears it is en'irely to be attributed to the drunken-
ness of one of the guards, named James Warrener, who
was given :into custody when the train arrived, and was
this afternoon examined at the Clerkenwell Police-court.

Mr. Leech, from the firm of Johnson and Leech, con-
ducted the prosecution.

The first witness was Mathew Skinner, a servant in the
employment of the company—He said he was at the station
when the train came in last night. It was coming much
faster than he thought safe, and he called to the guards
carriage that the breaks might be put on. He could not
see the guard ; as the train passed he saw Warrener in his
carriage lying on his back drunk. The break was off.
The prisoner, in reply to the magistrate, said he did not
wish to ask any questions.

Mr. Leith, superintendent of the Great Northern Rail-
way, said the prisoner was in the service of the Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lancashire railway. For the convenience of
both the two companies work together. It was his duty to
look for signals from the engine-driver and exercise his own
judgment whether he should apply the break or not.
Prisoner did not put any questions.
The Magistrate—Where, approaching the station, ought
the break to have been put on ?

Mr. Leith—That is a matter which is left to the discre-
tion of the guard. The engine rushed through the barriers,
and finally landed in the street. Several persons were in-
jured, but none seriously. The front break had been ap •
plied, but the prisoner's break had not been put on.
Thomas Church, a fireman in the service of the Great
Northern Railway, acted as the fireman to the excur-
sion train last night—The driver shut off his steam be-
tween the Seven Sister's-road and Holloway. He sounded
the whistle three times in order that the breaks might be
put on.

By the Magistrate—That was the usual way in giving
signals, and that was the usual place for them to be given.
William Stabbing said he was one of the guards of the
excursion train from Manchester yesterday, and rode in the
front break-van. He put the break on at about 200 yards
from the Holloway platform. He always exercised his dis-
cretion as to the place at which the break should be applied.
It depended altogether on the speed at which the train was
going. Warrener was in the break-van behind.
By the Magistrate—There was nothing unusual in the
speed at which the train was going. Warrener could not
tell whether he had the break on or not

Peter Sheldrake, a signal-man at the King's-cross sta-
tion, sum 11U Wil3 Ois duly wk., eko Bain arrived. He saw
the train was coming too fast, and called fcr the breaks to
be put on. He told the passengers to keep their heads in-
side the carriages. Immediately after the accident he went
to Warrener's break and found him sitting in the box. He
was quite drunk.

The prisoner, on being asked what he had to say in an-
swor to the charge, said I did put on the break before we
came to King's-cross. I did so at the second tunnel from
the Cross.

The Magistrate—But the witnesses say that it was not
on at all.

Sheldrake was recalled, and positively asserted the break

was not on.

Prisoner—l saw the train was going too fast and I put
the break on, and then sat down in the van to save myself
in case of accident, as I had been injured before.
Magistrate—But they say you were drunk.

Prisoner—l had had a glass of ale, and a gentleman at
Peterborough said, " Guard, I've got some gin here ; will
you have a drop ?" I took about half a tea cupful. lam
certain I put the break on, and it must have worked off
again.

The Magistrate—This is a case which I think is easily to
be understood from the evidence. The first witness says he
saw the prisoner drunk and lying on his back. It is clear
the break was never applied at all.
Prisoner—l did put on the break.

Magistrate—Where is the evidence that you did so ? I
find nothing of the kind.

Prisoner—l laid down to prevent myself from being hurt.
I knew the train was going too fast.
Magistrate—That would have been all very well if you
had had the break on.

Andrew Williamson, a signalman, said he noticed the
train as it passed him before the accident, and he saw the
second break was not on, but was hanging down.
The Magistrate--It is quite clear the break was never
applied, and that the prisoner was drunk. If the guard
was attending to his duty he would know whether the
break was acting or not.
This closed the case.

The magistrate said it was of the highest importance to
the public, especially as railway travelling was increasing
every day, that the greatest catr..tion should be observed
by those entrusted with any duty on the lines ; more
especially should caution be used in rogard to
excursion trains, and the greatest possible care
should be taken to protect them. Large masses of people
are tempted by the lowness of the fares to take trips into
the country,and if the greatest attic ntion is not paid to these
large trains the most dreadful acdidents would most likely
arise. It is clear that in the present case there was a great
neglect of duty, and was occasionocl through your drunken-
ness. I shall, therefore, commit you to prison for two
months, with hard labour.

The prisoner, who throughout the examination appeared
at times quite vacant, was then locked up.

POLICE INTELLIGE.N‘CE-( THIS DAY.)

MARLBOROUGH -STREET.

AN INCORRIGIBLE YOUNG T33.lEF.—.ThOmas Smith, a
boy who has been in custody a'bfiut 50 times, the last for
stealing a jacket in Regent-street, when he was committed
for three months, was brought before Mr. Beadon, charged
with stealing some silver from the till of Mr. Portsmouth,
eating-house keeper, of 15, Charles-street, Middlesex
Hospital.
It appeared that Mrs. Portsmouth heard a noise in the
shop, and on going behind the counter found the prisoner
there kneeling down with the till: open and his hand in it,
and on a customer being calleh by her to assist the money
was taken from the prisoner's heard, and a constable being
called he was given into custody..
Sergeant Cole, 23 C, having l n oved a conviction against
the prisoner, who made no defenf:e, he was committed for
trial.

ATTEMPTING TO PICK POCYETS AT THE ALHAMBRA
PALACE.—Three young men, na mod Millington, Hamilton,
and Middleton, were charged by- Gordon, 336 A, and Ser-
geant Joy, 9 0, with attempting to pick pockets at the
entrance of the Alhambra natio the previous evening,
there being a large crowd assess bled in consequence of
Sayers and Heenan being present.

Mr. Edward Lewis, of Great. „Marlborough-street, ap
peared for the prisoners.

- Mr. Beadon said the officers hrui ' acted very properly in
taking the prisoners into custody„ a s they had thereby pre-
vented a felony, but the evidsnce not being sufficiently
strong he should discharge the pr.,* Tiers.