The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-26 00:00:00

THE LATE FRIGHTFUL RAILWAY
ACCIDENT-THREE MORE DEATHS.

THE INQUEST.

BRIERLEY-HILL, WEDNESDIY.

This day, at noon, Mr.T. M. Phillips, coroner for Wolve-
rhampton, opened an inquiry as to the deaths of the unfor-
tunaie persons killed by the fearful railway collision which
took place on the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton
Railway on Monday evening, at the Whimsey Inn, Brierley-
bill, near the scene of the lamentable catastrophe, and sub-
sequently proceeded with it at the Bell Inn, in the same
place, on account of the lager amount of accommodation
afforded at the latter.

As may well be imagined, when the fearful loss of life and
injury to so many as about 90 persons is considered,
the excitement was intense, and the jury room was crowded
by friends and relatives of deceased and injured parties. The
railway company were represented by Mr. King, of the
firm of Collis, Bernard, and King, solicitors, of Stour.
bridge; Mr. Adcock, the secretary; Mr. Wilson, engineer;
and Mr. Wood, from the office of Mr. Sheriff, the general
manager of the line. Mr. Burbury, of Brierley -hill,
solicitor, appeared to watch the proceedings on behalf of
the relatives of the deceased Francis Wills and Henry
Marshall ; and Mr. Round, solicitor, of Tipton, also
attended for the family of the Skeldons.
The jury were empannelled to investigate the deaths of
twelve persons—viz., Joseph Pitt, aged 28, single, waggoner
of Princes-end ; Francis Mills, 36, sheet-iron roller,
Princes-end ; Joseph Baker, 28, engine fitter, Princes-end ;
Edward Matthews, 25, puddler, of Wallbrook, near Coseley ;
Mrs. Harley, 40, Stafford-street, Dudley; Benjamin
Skeldon, 52, baker and grocer, of Princes-end ; Mrs. Sarah
Skeldon, his wife, 40; Edward Skeldon, aged 17, his son ;
Henry Marshall, 35, boatman, of Worcester ; Richard
Moore, 30, puddler, Princes-end; Mary Hildrick, 35, Park-
lane, Tipton; and Henry Western, 33, horse-dealer, Princes-
end.

The Rev. Josephus Bailey, of Brierley-hill, was chosen

foreman.

The various bodies having been identified,
Isaac Baldwin was first examined—l am a waggoner. I
was a passenger. The train :left Princes-end a little before
10. It should have left a little before 9. I was in the first
carriage next to the engine. I was thrown forward, as I sat
with my back to the engine. Between Princes-end and
Worcester I was told the coupling chains broke on each
occasion, and a young woman's nose bled in consequence of
the first concussion. I wanted to get out, but the guard
would not let me. The second shock was near the Brettell-
lane station, and the third near the Church-hill station.
I was told the train was started with the breaks down,
which caused the coupling irons to snap. I left Worces-
ter by the train at about half-past six. At Worcester the train
was divided, and an extra engine was put en. I started by
the second train; each train had one engine in front. The
second train started about 10 minutes after the first. The
train on its return went steadily on until it came to the
Brettell-lane station, when the carriage in which I was ran
up against the engine. I called out to the engineman what
is the matter. He replied—" Nothing, take your seats, it's
all right." The accident then occurred, and I found myself
thrown out of the carriage. 'When I recovered I saw several

carriages broken to pieces against the engine, and people
lying about in all direction•. The first train had got de-
tached from the engine, and the carriages ran down the line
into our train. I assisted Mrs. Hildrick and young Mr.

Skeldon. I pulled the former from under the carriages,
and laid her on the grass. She appeared quite dead and
was badly wounded about the head and legs. Her husband
was also badly wounded.
Coroner—What, in your opinion, was the cause of the
accident?

Witness—ln my opinion the accident was caused by the
neglect of the guards.
By Mr. Burbury—Mr. Skelden told me the breaks were
down when we were proceeding to Worcester. He was a
passenger, but be rode with the breaksman in the break-van.
I was much hurt by the collision, but did not see how it
occurred.

The Foreman—You said they would not let you get ou
Were the doors of the carriage you were in locked ?

Witness—The doors were locked on the side where pas-
sengers usually get in, but they were not locked on the
other side, as I got out when the train stopped at Droit-
wich. The guards and porters would not let us get out at
other stations.