The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-17 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENT NEAR CAMBRIDGE.

An.accident which has caused a painful sensa-
tion in the University, took place on Thursday
evening last near Quy-bridge, on the Newmarket
road. It resulted in the death of a girl named
Susan Butlei., but from the circumstances and the
position ef some of the parties concerned great ex-
citement prevailed.
A post mortem examination revealed that the
death of the deceased was caused by concussion of
the brain, a slight bruise on the forehead and a
graze (scarcely perceptible) down the side of the
face being the only outward marks of injury.
It will be seen that two gownsmen were involved
in the transaction. Accordingly the Master of
their College (Dr. Philpott), the tutor of the College
(Mr. Jameson), and one of the proctors (Mr. - Wil-
-41
liams,of King's College), attenden. LO Watxu. Luc: ease
on behalf of the University authorities. Mr. Fran-
cis, solicitor, appeared for Mr. Pearson and Mr.
Hulbert, the gentlemen who were in the vehicle
with deceased at the time of her death. Neither
of these, or their other female companion (Clark)
received any serious injury.
Harriett Shipp (a little girl), said that she resi-
ded with her parents, on the Ditton Farm, near the
place where the accident occurred. She said—
About dusk on Thursday last, I was returning
home, and when near the Ditton toll-gate I saw
a tumbril cart on the road, going towards Newmar-
ket. Shortly afterwards I met a cart, with four
persons in it. There were a lady and gentleman in
front, and another lady and gentleman behind; the
lady in front was driving ; the horse was trotting
very fast, but was not galloping.
Jemima Everett said—l live with my father and
mother, in a road-side house by Quy-bridge. On
Thursday afternoon an accident took place near
that house. After half-past 5 a trap was upset
there on the side of the road. I heard a noise of
something falling over like a smash. I went to see
what it was. It was getting dark and I could not
see sofar up the road where the cart lay (about 100
yards). On reaching the spot I saw a horse and trap,
and then I saw two young ladies and two gentlemen.
The gentlemen were after the horse and the ladies
were both lying on the side of the road. Neither of
the parties spoke to me, and I went and told my
mother. When I first went out I saw a second cart,
a sort of market cart. That cart was on the top of the
small bridge (in front of the broken one), and on
the right side of the road. There was a man and
ewoman in the cart on the bridge, but I cannot
say if it was standing or moving. That cart was
gone when I returned with my mother. One of
the ladies kept groaning, but did not speak. The
same person was afterwards brought into our house.
I was with her till she died, shortly afterwards,
and she never spoke at all. The two gentlemen
now present are the two gentlemen who were with
the ladies.
Eliza Everett (mother of the last witness) said
—I live in the parish of Fen Ditton, at the house
where deceased now lies. I heard no noise yester-
day until my little girl called me about a quarter
to 5. I was up the close, and in consequence of
her calling went directly to the road and found a
horse and trap directly on a bridge a little way
from my house towards Cambridge, with two
gentlemen near it. I had heard no horse previously
come galloping down the hill. I saw two ladies
lying on the ground further up the road towards
Cambridge, and walked directly to them. I went
to the one who is now dead, lifted her head up, and
put a horserug under it. She was groaning very
much, but did not speak. I then went to the other
and tried to pull her up but could not, and sent the
last witness for her father. He came, and he and
the gentlemen got deceased into my house. The
other lady had then got up and helped in the con-
veyance. Deceased reached my house about an
hour from the time I first saw her. One gentleman
stayed with her, and the other went to Cambridge
for the doctor. The surviving lady kept saying to
the deceased, " What a silly you were, Sue, to
drive." "0, silly, silly girl," and such like. She
said deceased drove at such a tremendous pace that
she (Clark) had hard work to keep on the trap, and
said on the road that there would be an accident if
deceased drove. The survivor said that the gentle-
men were perfect strangers, and she had never seen
them before that day.
Charles Bailey, of Fen Ditton, labourer—l recol-
lect Thursday afternoon last. There was boat racing
at Fen Ditton. I was present. I saw a horse and
trap (dogcart) leave Fen Ditton about ten minutes
before five. It contained two gentlemen and two
young girls. They started from the Plough. A
lady and gentlemen were in front and a lady and
gentlemen behind. I had not been in the Plough,
and do not know how long they had been there.
The boat races were over at half-past four. When
the girl who sat in front got into the gig she nearly
fell backwards. It was a high step into the cart.
John Lambert, of Trumpington-street, Cam-
bridge, livery-stable keeper, said—On Thursday
last I let a horse and trap to Mr. Pearson, St.
Catherine's College, who is present. A gentleman
named—l think—Mr. Hulbert, but a perfect
stranger to me, was with him. They left together
in the trap, saying they were going to the boat race.
They started about two. About nine o'clock the
gentleman called and told me an accident had taken
place, and where ; and I sent for the trap. The
horse was left with the latter. The near shaft of
the trap was broken off short at the splinter bar,
the right wing bent, and the leather torn off, and
the nave of the wheel was grazed. With those ex-
ceptions the cart was not injured. I have been a
livery-stable keeper 10 years, and have been very
unfortunate in accidents. If the horse had been
driven at a furious rate more damage to the cart
must have resulted. The horse was not even
scratched ; it was a quiet, steady animal, and has
been out every day since. I drove it here to-day. I
should say it had not been down. That shaft appears
to have been sound previously. The horse could
trot 12 or 14 miles an hour ; 10 at a steady pace.
He can do 12 fair trotting if he is just "put
along." I should not call 12 miles an hour a dan-
gerous pace on a good wide road. The injuries
the trap sustained are such as it might have sus-
tained if the horse was trotting 12 miles an hour.
The trap was rather a high dogcart. It was built
for me for tandem-driving. I have known de-
ceased some years. Gentlemen have hired horses
of me for her. I have seen her in the management
of horses many times both riding and driving, in
town and country, single and a pair too. I should
consider she was a particularly good whip for a
woman. The other woman (Clark) and deceased
have driven about together for years.
Sarah Walker (alias Clark), of Chesterton,
deposed—l pass by the name of Clark. I knew the
deceased, and was very intimate with her. We had
been together a whole fortnight before the accident.
She would have been 24 on the 26th of next Jan.
I have frequently been out with her when she has
been driving a horse and trap. She used to ride on
horseback a good deal. She was well up in the
management of horses. We breakfasted together
at her house about half-past. 10 on Thursday. I
left her about half-past 11 at my house, to which
we went after breakfast. She then returned home.
I went on to Cambridge, and on my return to
Chesterton, at half-past one, she was at her house,
upstairs dressing. She called me into her bedroom.
I remained with her about 20 minutes, and she
pressed me to go with her to the boat races. I
consented, after a great deal of persuasion, and
went home to dress. We left Chesterton in a fly
at half-past two. There was a glass of brandy and
water in her bedroom while she was dressing. I
did not see her drink it, but suppose she did. I saw
her take no liquor before that. She did not, while
dressing, appear as if she had been drinking. We
went from Chesterton to the Plough at Fen Ditton.
She smoked cigars as we wait along. (The witness
here became too excited to proceed, but recovered
after attention for some minutes and shedding a
flood of tears. She then went on.)' When we got to
Ditton Church it wanted four minutes to 3 o'clock.
When we got to Ditton Plough we went into the
kitchen. She bad a glass of cherry brandy, and I
had a glass of brandy and water. We then went
into the parlour, where she had another glass
of cherry brandy, and we went across the green
to the boat races. We were gone about 10 pinutes,
and then returned to the Plough. She returned
with Mrs. Ford to the Plough. I and the latter
went into the parlour, and she went on to -the
kitchen. She was gone about ten minutes, and
then returned to the parlour. The two gentlemen
into whose trap we got came in there. I never saw
them before in my life. She had another glass of
brandy and water in the parlour, and smoked a
cigar. She had smoked another in the fly. She
was smoking and drinking in the parlour about
half an hour. She had more than one glass of
brandy and water there. She had three glasses of
brandy and water there, but Mrs. Ford drank with
her, and one glass was upset, and the contents
spilt. The two gentlemen (Mr. Pearson and his
friend) were in the room when the three glasses
Were ordered ; they were•in conversation with us.
I asked the gentlemen whether they were walking
or driving.
They said they had a trap, and I asked
them to take me
myself
I fora drive. They consented, and
one of them and
anda askedlsoon e
Hof
the deceasedgent
gentlemen
omgeon
and d,
and she consented.
were behind, ane
two gentlemen
and the other in front
The thinner of the e
sitting
(Mr. Hulbert)
was in front. He was
to the gonthe driving side.
As we were going
a
deceased said " Who
is going to sit in front ?"trapl
said, am."
said, No, if Igo I shall go in front, d j
shall
drive They very much wished her notß drive,toShe
but she would, and when on the road they bego.ed
of her to give the :erns up, but she would not. sh
got in first, and the reins were given to her by a
by. I believe she was then
lad who was standing