The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-21 00:00:00

ALARMING RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

On Saturday night an accident or a most alarming.
character took place on the Midland Raiflay near Notting-
ham, and it is estitilatA that upwards of forty persons
have been more or less injured, although at present there
are no deaths. It appears that the Mansfield market train
left Nottingham at half-past eight o'clock, filled with
passengers, and at a crossing near the latter town it came
into collision with a train of empties returning from Ches-
terfield, Piebridge, and other places. A fearful disaster
was the consequence. Both engines were thrown off the
line, with a large number of carriages, many of which
were completely smashed. The drivers and firemen, named
respectively Bradford, Dafton, Gilbert, and Adams, re-
ceived frightful injuries, and it is perfectly miraculous how
they escaped with their lives. Many of the passengers
were also dreadfully bruised and shaken, and several have
sustained broken arms and legs. Great consternation
prevailed at the time, and it was with great difficulty that
the passengers were removed from the damaged carriages.
Some of the injured persons were conveyed to the
Nottingham General Hospital, and others to their homes
where many of them now lie in great suffering.

DARING ROBBERY ON A RAILWAY.

-o- ---

A robbery, such as we have not often to report,
has taken place. The following are the facts :
On Friday night, a little before twelve o'clock, it
was stated to the station master at the New-street
station, Birmingham, that the guard's van had been
entered at Edgbaston, the guard assaulted, and a box con-
taining money stolen therefrom. On further inquiry it
was ascertained that directly after the train had left
Edgbaston station for Birmingham, 'where the tickets of
the passengers are collected, a man jumped into the van
and threw a quantity of creosote or naphtha into the eyes
of the guard, who was engaged in making an entry in his
hook. When the poor fellow had somewhat recovered
from the shock the train was entering the New-street
station, and he then discovered that a box containing
money, and on which he had placed his lamp, was
missing. Having reported these facts to the station-
master, the poor fellow, who could scarcely see, was
sent to Mr. Oliver Pemberton, surgeon, and an engine
despatched down the line with the hope of discovering the
desperado. Information was also given to the Birming-
nam police. It so happened that upon the guard's van
there was found the lid of a tin case, having upon it the
initials "T. B." The station-master at Birmingham
inquired in the neighbourhood of the Edgbaston station
if there was anybody thereabouts whose name answered
to the initials ; a man named Thomas Baggaley, a breaks-
man of ballast-trains in the company's service, was im-
mediately mentioned. A detective and one or two others
went to his house close by; seeing a light they entered,
and some circumstances exciting suspicion, a search was
made, and a sum of twenty-seven sovereigns found
upstairs. Baggaley was taken into custody, and brought
up before the magistrates at Birmingham on Saturday
morning. He was remanded until Thursday next. The
prisoner has been fourteen sears in the company's service,
and of course was well aware of the exact spot where this
box, containing the receipts of the day from some small
stations, was deposited. Some forty pounds are still miss-
ing, and it is expected that Baggaley has an accomplice.
The spectacles which the guard wore in some measure
saves his eyes from the consequences of this dastardly
outrage. It may be added that various discoveries were
made in the course of Saturday, all of them tending to
increase the suspicion attaching to the prisoner. A portion
of a bag which contained the money in the box was picked
up on the way from the train to Baggaley's house ; and it
is said that the " lid" left on Cie guard's van fits a can
found on the prisoner's premises.

MR. DOULTON IN A _FOREIGN COURT.

- - -

At the time of the Doulton trial, it was stated that the
Procureur• General had no intention of dropping action in
the case, notwithstanding his defeat, as it were, on the very
threshold—the power of the court to try the matter. He
has appealed. The appeal was heard on Friday, at the
Court of Appeal, Brussels. It maintained that the
offence came within the provisions of the Belgian penal
code.

The president of the ccurt was M. Scauffiaire ; and his
assessors were four counsel—M. Grenier, M. Mockel, M.
de Hennin, and M. Holvoet.
M. Mention, the contractor, was recalled and re-exa-
mined. He stated that it was a fact that he offered to do
the work for twelve and a half millions of francs, and that
he made it fifteen millions with the company at Doulton's
desire, Doulton saying that he had to provide for paying
something to Mr. blench with the £lOO,OOO, and if the
witness made this double contract he (Doulton) would
afterwards reimburse the witness the amount of
an error he had made in his calculations. The witness
said several of the late directors of the Belgian Public
Works Company knew of the existence of the double con-
tract. And witness said he could name Albert Grant and
Heritage among others who knew of the contract.
John Smith, the engineer, whose name was so often
drought into question at the trial, was now called. In
answer to questions, he said he had been interrogated by
the Juge d'lnstruction, as it was believed he was incul-
pated with the defendant Doulton in criminal actions. In
respect to the history of the contract, he said that several
contractors had "put in" to tender besides Mention.
Mention, the witness said, offered to do the work at
12,500,000 f., and at the demand of Doulton made the
tender 15,000,000 f,, Doulton wanting the extra 2,500,000 f.
to pay for the costs of obtaining the concession. One of
the other contractors who tendered was, witness said,
Brassey, the London contractor, and the terms of his
tender amounted to £625,000. Doulton offered £615,000,
and this was accepted on behalf of Brassey by Mr.
13rassey's representative, under the reserve that the con-
tract should be approved by the principal, who, however,
would not accept the contract. The contract was then
made with Mention for £600,000 (15,000,000 f.), thus pro-
viding for the pot-de-vin to Doulton of £lOO,OOO (2,500,000 f.)
The contract was made with Mention on the base of
£600,000 ; but this was 16i per cent. better than the first
contract, and the difference was to be remitted through
my hands to Doulton. It did so pass through my hands
to Doulton. Being questioned as to the reason of the
difference in price offered for the works by Brassey as
against Mention, the witness said the Belgian contractors
could afford to do the work for less, as they would not
be exposed to the cost and trouble arising from carrying
on works abroad ; and besides, they had a reputation to
make, while the Englishman had achieved that. The
witness said he wrote the 2i million pot-de-vin contract in
Doulton's office at Doulton's request, and the contract
made by Mention with the company was also written at
Doulton's place in Brussels.
The Procureur-General then addressed the court on the
evidence given that day and at the trial. In proceeding
to give a history of the case, he dwelt upon the facts
which had been proved as to the manner in which
Doulton had all through avoided coming face to face with
justice. In May last, when called upon to appear, a state-
ment was made on Doulton's behalf that he was at the
point of death ; yet a few days after that date he was in
his seat in Parliament. At the date of the court re-
assembling, the 9th of July, the report of a physician
was given in, stating that Doulton had a grave
liver complaint ; but he had been seen by witnesses
who knew him well to be in good health, walk-
ing about the streets of London, and it seemed as if
the physician had been shewn some sick Englishman
who was not Doulton. Then it was requested that the
case should be adjourned still longer, as its hearing might
prejudice Doulton's position as a member of Parliament,
and it was adjourned on condition that he appeared on the
22nd of October. The condition was made, and still
Doulton did not come ; and he did not even present him-
self to this court when he had the greatest interest in
defending himself. The Procureur-General concluded by
declaring that the charge of swindling had been made out
against Doulton, who had offended against both the old
and new penal codes of the kingdom, and called for the
punishment of the offender.
The presiding judge said the court would take time to
deliberate.

EXTRAORDINARY ATTEMPT TO SHOOT AN ENGINE-
DRIVER AND STOKER.—A telegram from Holyhead says
that whilst Saturday's Irish mail, which leaves London
at 7.15 am., was passing near Mostyn, in North Wales,
at 9.30 a.m. from Holyhead at full-speed, Elias Williams,
the up-train driver, noticed a hand with a pistol
stretching from the Irish mail towards the up-train.
Immediately after passing, the driver and stoker heard a
pistol shot, and witnessed smoke. It is supposed that the
shot was aimed at the up-train driver and stoker, as several
empty trucks followed the engine. The engine-driver
reported the case at Chester. The carriage coupler reports
hearing a passenger defending Fenianism before the train
started.

THE WEST OF ENGLAND AND THE LAWYERS.—
uponi
elections,n
lasta3l7ottlii)ethDe alialyw N
officersc4.s'e oomf me
then teinrgo the that
It will be seen,
the present Government represent Devonshire con-
stituencies. The preference of West of England electors
for members of the bar has been marked from the time
when Falmouth returned the late Lord Cranworth,
and Exeter sent to Parliament Sir William Follett.
The present Master of the Rolls sat for Devonport, Mr.
Justice Montague Smith for Truro, and Mr. Justice
Brett for Helston. For several years Sir Roundell Palmer
represented Plymouth, Chief Justice Cockburn sat for
Southampton, and Sir John Itolt for the western division
of Gloucester. Devonport now returns Mr. Montague
Chambers. and Tiverton the Hon. G. Denman.

Ti4,111/34
• tral

HER MAJESTY.

• OSBORNE, Dec. 19.
Her Majesty, their Royal Highnesses the Crown
Prince and Princess of Prussia (Princess Royal),
and Princess Louise, drove out yesterday after-
noon.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise,
walked in the grounds this morning.

Dec. 20.
The Queen. the Crown Prince and Princess of
Prusssia (the Princess Royal), Prince Leopold,
Princess Louise, and Princess Beatrice, attended
Divine service at Whippingliam Church this morn-
ing.