The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-16 00:00:00

PRICE 4D. STAMPED, SD.

TEE EASTERN COUN lIES RAILWAY
ACCIDENT.

The inquest was again resumed yesterday in the
Lecture-hall, Tottenham, before Mr. Humphreys
and the jury.
Sergeant Ballantine appeared on behalf of the
company ; Mr. Chambers, Common Sergeant, on
behalf of Mrs. Beane; Mr. Mills, on behalf of the
relatives of the late Mr. Stokes ; and Mr. Hum•
phries, on behalf of the relatives of the late Mr.
Satchell. Captain Tyler attended to watch the
proceedings on behalf of the Board of Trade.
Joseph Beattie, locomotive engineer on the Lon-
don and North-Western Railway, was the first
witness called upon in continuation of the scientific
evidence adduced on the part of the Eastern Coun-
ties Railway Company. He deposed to the acci-
dent having arisen from the defective weld, which
he thought could not have been detected previous
to the accident. The quality of the iron of the tire
was good.
Edward M'Connell, manager of the locomotive
department of the London and North-Eastern
Railway, corroborated the preceding witness as to
the particular cause of the accident, the means of
detecting the defect, and the quality of the iron.
Mr. Webb, engineer, George-street, West-
minster, said he had examined the wheel, and
found that there never had been any metallic union
of the ends of iron in welding. There must have
been very little traction upon the wheel at the time
of the accident. One of the bolts must have pre-
viously been broken. The longitudinal flaw ought
to have been detected in the heating of the tire beg
fore it was put on the wheel. There were indica-
tions upon the broken %wheel to show it was unsafe.
He found several fractures upon one of the driving
wheels of the disabled engine, and found also that
the wheels themselves were defective, and that the
iron of the tires was of an indifferent kind. He
thought that the engine-driver ought to have de-
tected the sectional flaw which caused the accident.
He thought there was an appearance of it being an
old fracture, and that it must have gaped previous
to its breaking.
The coroner, on the close of the examination,
proceeded to read over to the jury the evidence that
had been brought forward during the course of the
inquest, and observed that he had no doubt that
during the time that had intervened between the
various stages of the inquiry they had fully weighed
the facts and opinions which had been brought be-
fore them, in which case any remark from him
would be superfluous. They would now have to
decide whether the accident arose through any
negligence on the part of the company or their ser-
vants, or from natural causes which could not have
been foreseen or prevented.
The jury retired, and after an absence of about
two hours delivered through their foreman the fol-
lowing verdict :—" We find that the deceased in-
dividuals met with their deaths from the breaking
of the tire of one of the leading wheels of an en-
gine in consequence of a defective weld, and we are
of opinion that had proper precaution and vigilance
been used the accident might have been avoided."
It is alleged that the accident has resulted in
another death at Bow, caused not so much through
any material injury received as through the effects
of the shock or fright attendant on the accident
operating on a delicate nervous system. The list
of deaths now amounts to seven.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—March 15.

MANSION-HOUSE.

Thomas Roakarts and Pauline Smastars, two
foreigners, were charged with smuggling 64-Ib. of
foreign manufactured tobacco.
Henry Dyers, Inspector of Thames Poliee, said
—Last night, about seven o'clock, as I was walk-
ing through the Minories, I saw the two prisoners
crossing the road. Immediately they saw me the
female prisoner spoke to the male prisoner, and
dropped a bag containing about 51b. of tobacco and
cigars. I then went up to the female prisoner and
took this bag from her, containing a quantity of
cigars. I told her that I was an officer of the Cus-
toms, and I asked them both if they had anything
about them liable to duty. The female prisoner
said, " My husband has not ; let him go, and take
me." I then called a cab, and put both prisonersis
it. On the way to the station, tho male prisoner
appearing very restless, I put my hand into his
coat pocket, and took out about 36 cigars. I know
them both as desperate smugglers, for as soon as
the boat arrives from Rotterdam they go to a low
publichouse, where they meet the sailors belonging
to the vessel, from whom they receive smuggled
goods. I have been looking out for them for the
last eight months.
The female prisoner said (through an interpreter)
that she was living with the prisoner as his wife.
Sir W. Carden fined them £5 each,, or one
month's imprisonment.