The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-09 00:00:00

STOCKBRIDGE.

On Monday morning a dense fog prevailed, but it cleared
off towards six o'clock. Lady Hester, Cock of the Walk,
Penthesilea, and,Valonciennes had a good gallop of half a
mile in the order named. Lord Ronald, Vauban, Lecturer,
Black Prince, John Davis, Viridis, Ines, and Seo Saw can-
tered three quarters of a mile in the order named, and, after
walking an hour, had a second canter the same distance.
John Davis, Lecturer, Lord of the Dales, and Gomera—all
divested of their clothing—also galloped at a good sweat-
ing pace five miles, Lord of the Dales with his clothing on.
Contraband galloped a mile and a half by himself.—Sports-
men.

THE FATAL RAILWAY COLLISION NEAR

TV ARRINGTON.

Yesterday morning John Rowson, the man in
charge of the points at Walton Junction, near War-
rington, at the time of the railway accident on Sa-
turday week, was brought up in the magistrate's
court at Stockton-heath, near Warrington, charged
with that he did, on the 29th June, feloniously kill
and slay one Elizabeth Ann Adcock. The prisoner
is an elderly man of respectable appearance, and it
was stated that he had been upwards of 30 years in
the service of the London and North-Western Rail-
way Company, 17 of which had been spent as points-
man at Walton Junction. The magistra`e,s were
Mr. Pierpoint and Lieut.-Col. Greenall ; Mr. Bent,
solicitor, of IVarrington, appearing on behalf of
the prisoner.
In answer to au inquiry from Mr. Bent,
Mr. Pierpoint stated that the proceedings on the
occasion were taken, not at the instance of the magis-
trates, but of the police. Superintendent Andrews
had attended the inquest before the coroner on Fri-
day, and from what he had there heard deposed to
on oath he considered that there were sufficient
grounds for a charge of manslaughter against the
prisoner, and he had apprehended him accordingly.
John Skelton, Robert Crooks, John Lowton, and
Thomas Carpenter were severally sworn, and their
depositions taken at the inquest on Friday, and re-
ported in The Sun of the following day, were read
over to them and re-signed.
The following fresh evidence was then taken :
James Leeke said—l am a police inspector in the
employ of the London and North-Western Railway
Company. I produce a copy of the rules for the
regulation and guidance of the officers and men in
the employ of the company, of which the prisoner
has had a copy. It is there stated that when the
caution signal is displayed drivers of trains should
proceed cautiously—that is to say, at slackened
speed. A train having stopped at Warrington
could not possibly have gained full speed by the
time it reached Walton Junction, and therefore
must have been proceeding " cautiously" at the
time of the collision. I reached the scene of the
accident about 8 o'clock on the Saturday night and
examined the points. They then worked all right.
I am frequently iu the habit of trying these points,
and never found anything wrong with them. I
was at the junction two days before the accident
and saw the points, and can say that they then fitted
right. Rowson did not then make any complaint
to me about the working of the points. I suspended
Rowson on the Saturday evening following the ac-
cident. I asked him how it had happened. He
said he could not tell. He added that the coal train
came there to shunt, and as soon as it was clear
of his points he put back the lever, and to the
best of his knowledge reversed the points.
About ten minutes after the passenger train
whistled for tho main line signal, which be
lowered for it to pass. The action of the points at
Walton Junction is very simple. In order to open
the line for the Cheshire Junction the prisoner would
have to pH the lever, and in order to open the points
for the main line he would just have to push the
lever back. The points at this junction are not self-
acting, the distance at which they work being too
great.
Abraham Edgeley, foreman of platelayers, was
called, and stated that he visited the junction a few
minutes after the occurrence of the accident. He
gauged the points, and found them to be in good
running order.
Mr. It. Banks, stationmaster at IVarrington, said
—I remember the coal train for Londoni leaving
r
week at 11.20. Inspector
Warrington on Saturday
Westgarth gave the drivel; passenger
einsfructions to shunt at
Walton Junction in consequce:sjecon of a
passenger train left at
train being then due.
gone I went along the
11.36. When this trainThhaedp
could see Walton Junction.
line to a point wheeled
to a cloud of dust arising
My attention
as w
from the place, and I immediately jumped on an
engine and ran down to the junction, where I found
there bad been a collisioubetween the coal train and
a passenger train. Among the dead bodies 1 saw one
who bas since been identified as that of Mary Eliza-
beth Adcock. I saw the prisoner in his box, and
spoke to him. I said, " How did that occur, Row-
son ?" Ile replied, " I cannot tell ; to the best of
my belief my points were right for the main line."
I passed the ponits on my way to the accident, and
I noticed they were open. Three carriages and a van
were on the Cheshire Junction line, the rest were on
the main line. It was a very heavy train. We had
great difficulty in finding room for all the passengers.
By Mr. Bent—l have known the prisoner for 20
years, and always thought him a steady, sober, and
attentive man. He was perfectly sober when I saw
him within a few moments of the collision.
Mr. Hunt, the chief constable of Warrington, and
Mr. Spinks, surgeon, having been examined, the in-
quiry was adjourned, witnesses being required for
attendance upon Col. Yolland, the officer appointed
by the Board of Trade to investigate the accident,
and who commenced his inquiry yesterday afternoon.
Only 12 patients now remain in the Convalescent
Hospital, under the care of Mr. Spinks. They are
all progressing favourably, but two of the unfortu-
nate passengers, lying in otherparts of the to wn, are
still reported in a, dangerous condition.