The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-08 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL DEATH.

NORWICH, Aram 6.—lt is with much concern we
have to announce the death of Mr. William Newall,
the respectcd manager of the Norfolk division of the
Eastern Counties Railway. An inquest was held
upon the remains of the unfortunate gentleman at the
tavern near the railway station at Needham yesterday
(Friday), and from the evidence adduced we gather
the following facts of the melancholy event may
be stated that the body, when viewed, presented a
shucking spectacle. The scalp had been taken off, and
the brains were scattered over the permanent way.
Shortly after 10 o'clock on Thursday morning the
deceased, with Mr. Samuel, the resident engineer of
the Eastern Counties, Mr. Ashcroft, the inspector of
the road, and another person named Latham, left the
Norwich terminus on the little express engine called
the Eagie, for the purpose of inspecting the Yarmouth
line, but more particularly a bridge near the Haddis-
coe station, which was reported out of repair. Having
viewed it, the engine returned to the Reedham Swing-
bridge. Just as it had crossed it, and when about
30 yards on the other side of it, the deceased gentle-
man jumped from the car behind the engine, and
which was going the reverse way, three or four
miles an hour, the same way he fell. On leaving the
car he f-11 right forward, and the engine went over
his body, dragging it about twenty yards, killing him
instantaneously, and mutilating his remains as pre-
viously described. It appears that on the engine
coming up a goods train was waiting on the line,
about eighty-three yards distant, for the engine to
pass. The unfortunate gentleman recollecting that
he had not telegraphed their approach from Haddiscoe
to Reedham, and thinking the goods train was in mo-
tion and fearing a collision, it being near some points,
under the influence of a sudden impulse, jumped off.
His boot caught the ledge of the car, and before there
was a possibility of arresting his fate the car and en-
gine ran over him. The body was found doubled up,
and a macintosh which he wore had been pulled over
his head. There appearing no blame attributable to
those on the engine, a verdict was returned of " Ac-
cidental death." Mr. Newell was in his 38th year;
he had been for some years in the service of the com-
pany, and was much respected by the directors and
officials, who have evinced the utmost sympathy for
his melancholy fate. Previously to joining the East-
ern Counties, Mr. Newall was a valuable servant of
the London and North-Western Company. The be-
reaved widow is seriously ill from the severe shock
she has received.

COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT.
(FROM OUR OVIN CORRESPONDENT.)
COWES, APRIL G.
DESTRUCTION OF TUE AMERICAN BRIG LINCOLN,
OF BOSTON, UNITED STATES.—The Phenix, pilot-
boat, of this port, arrived here last night, with the
captain, crew, and passengers cf the above vessel,
who were taken out of the German ship Maria Chris-
tina, of Altona, Voss master, off Portland, hound up
channel to Hamburgh. The master of the Lincoln
informs us that he sailed from Boston, for California,
on the 29th January last, and pursued his voyage
under favourable circumstances until he had reached
the latitude of 4 N. and lon. 25 W., when, at 10.30
of March 2, during a heavy shower of rain, and
without any menacing appearance of lightning, the
vessel was struck with the electric fluid, which shivered
the mainmast, and found its way into the hold. On
opening the scuttle, volumes of smoke were emitted,
and finding it impossible to extinguish the fire, they
endeavoured to stifle it by closing every aperture. In
this state they remained for nearly four days, with the
fire burning in the hold, when they were relieved
from their perilous situation by the providential ap-
pearance of the Maria Christina, and taken on board.
Previous to leaving the ill-fated brig the hatches were
opened, when the flames burst forth, and in thirty
minutes afterwards the mainmast fell over the side.
Captain Averill is very anxious to publish to the
world the very kind treatment that he and his unfor-
tunate crew and passengers received from Captain
Voss, who did everything in his power to comfort
them in their distress.
TUB PUBLIC lIE•LTH ACT.—Mr. Ranger, one of
the superintendent inspectors under the above Act,
has given notice that be will open his court at the
Town-hall, West Cowes, on Wednesday, the 17th
the Act (
inst., to inquire into the sewerage, drainage, supply of
water, &c. The commissioners
under
walks—no public
uBbll6ic)
for improving the town are setting their house in
order; there are very few Public
baths—no grounds for recreation belonging to the
public ; the grave-yard is crowded and the drainage
imperfect, there being no power under the Act to
compel owners of property to connect their house-
drains
TtEh.e—flo' public
y i cseeawr se rist.has been the practice to
withtrain3s°a°cßt the whole of the parish business at the vestry
meetings in the parish church. The church being
between two and three miles from the town of Cowes,
few of the rate-payers ever attended these vestry
meetings, and the whole of the parish business has
been left in the hands of the parish officers and from
two to ten of the rate-payers. Numbers have got but
of paying the rates that ought to have been paid, and
many properties have been rated at a nominal sum—
some at one-half and others at not more than a fifth
of the fair annual value. At the last Easter vestry it
was agreed to adjourn the vestry from the church to
the Town-hall, and the first meeting will be held
there on Wednesday next.

The British and North American Royal Mail
steam-ship America, Captain Channon, sailed from Liverpool
on Saturday afternoon, carrying out a large number of pas-
sengers, and the mails for Canada and the United States.
From this until December the steamers will sail for America
each Saturday, and the return steamers will begin to ply
elkl y in May.