The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-26 00:00:00

ACCIDENT TO THE DUKE OF

WELLINGTON.

The Duke of Wellington attended at the Marlborough-
street Police-court on Saturday, for the purpose of preferring
a charge of furious driving, whereby his life was endangered,
against Henry Woods, driver of one of the Fulham carriers'
carts. To prevent inconvenience to his Grace from the crowd
which his appearance wo..ild attract to this court, the summons
was so arranged as to take precedenee of the night charges. At
half-past eleven o'clock his Grace, accompaned by Lord
Charles Fitzroy Somerset and Mr. Mayne, entered the court.
His Grace having been sworn, said—l was walking, on
Tuesday last, between two and three o'clock, in Park-lane,
on the left-hand side, going out of Piccadilly, and when
near the Duchess of Gloucester's house, a very heavy four-
wheeled cart passed me. I endeavoured to cross the lane,
to get to the pavement on the other side, under the pro-
tection of this heavy cart. I got as far as the right-hand wheel
of the cart, keeping the cart at my left hand, when I found my-
self struck on the shoulder, and knocked forward. It was a
severe blow, and I found it had been given by another cart, the
driver of which did not attempt to give me warning by calling
out, until he had struck me. I did not fall ; if I had, I must
have been under the wheels of both carts. Now, I have no
further complaint to snake against the man at the bar, who
drove the cart, than that he was going at such a monstrous pace
that he had no eontroul over his horse ; indeed, he came
along so fast, that he got the whole length of Park-
lane without my having cerceived him, and the pace be
was going at was such, that it was impossible he could stop his
horse. This is my complaint, and I bring it forward on pub-
lic grounds, because I think it is not right that carriages should
go along in the public streets at this great rate. The cart by
hich I was struck was a heavy, tilted cart ; the driver was
under the tilt. My groom was behind with my horses, aid I
called him and desired him to follow the cart. My groom
trotted as hard as he could, but he was unable to overtake the
cart until it had got as far as South-street. This will prove
the rapid pace at which the driver of the cart was going.
The defendant said he was truly sorry at what had occurred,
but he declared the whole circumstance was accidental. He
saw a gentleman about to cross the road, and he called out to
warn him, but he was not aware that he had touched any one.
He was not going at very great speed, for his horse was an old
one, and could not accomplish more than seven miles an hour,
and at the time when he passed his Grace, he was going up
hill. His attentlai was directed to the vehicles in the car-
riage road, and this prevented him noticing what was doing on
the foot-path.
Mr. HARDWICK—Had you kept your eyes directed as
you ought, not only to avoid carriages but foot passengers,
the circumstance would not have occurred. The reason you
have given for not seeing his Grace is no excuse for your
conduet.

The Duke of Wellington—There was plsnty of room to
have passed, without running against me.
Mr. Hall, No. 12, Park-lane, said he saws his Grace at-
tempting to cross the lane at the time that a carrier's cart,
which was going at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour,
was coming down the lane. Thinking, from the way the man
was driving, that his Grace would be knocked down, he ran
to the door, and saw the cart strike his Grace on the shoalder.
Had his Grace not turned round sharply, the cart must have
been over his feet. The pace which the man was
driving at was not more than seven miles an hour.
He was driving negligently rather than furiously.
Mr. HARDWICK—Had he kept a proper look out, he must
have seen his Grace? Witness—Certainly. He was going up
hill, and could have stopped the horse easier than if going down
hill.

Mr. HARDWICK—Did you hear the nun call out? Witness
—No, I did not.
In defence, the man repeated he was exceedingly sorry for
what had happened.
Mr. HARDWICK—It appears from the evidence that you
were driving, if not at a furious, still at a rapid rate ; but as
you were going up hill at the time, had you used the ordinary
precautions is driving along the public streets, and if you had
proper command, at the time over your horse„this accident
could not have occurred. A,witness has described your. care.
less mode of driving at the time, by saying you,were neither
looking to the right nor the left, and the whole evidence goes
to prove that your mode; of &riling was reckless, and eareless,
exhibiting a perfect indifference to the life. and,lisnbs of foot..
passengers. This case I shall deal with as a case of assault.
You have committed several serious offences—first, furious
driving ; next, endangering life and limb ; and lastly, com-
mitting an assault, for running against the parson and striking
that person with the cart is as much an assault as if the blow
were give' by hand. For the assault, which is clearly proved,
you will pay a fine of 41., or one month's imprisonment.
Defendant-1 am a very poor man, and I hope his Grace
will show a little compassion.
The defendant was then locked up.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(SATURDAY.)

CLERKEN WELL.

ATTEMPTED MußDEß.—Joseph Kendal, a savage-
looking fellow, was charged with stabbing with intent
to murder Joseph Dowling, a watchman in Red Lion..
square.
The prosecutor, who lives in Fox-court, Gray's Inn-
lane, waa conveyed from the hospital to the court on
that morning. his chest was bandaged. He deposed
that about three months ago he was conveying a drunken
man to the station-house, when the prisoner came and
took the purse out of the drunken man's pocket. Wit-
ness gave information of the affair to the police, and the
prisoner was thereupon apprehended. Since then the
prisoner repeatedly declared he would be revenged upon
him, and that he would knock the breath out of his
body. On Monday morning last, between five and aix
o'clock, witness went into the Red Lion publichouse, at
the corner of Red Lion-street, Holborn. The prisoner,
who was there, immediately attacked him, threw him
against the door, and threatened to strangle him. He
attempted doing so by twisting his neckcloth, until wit-
❑ess became quite black in the face, but some persons
who were at the bar dragged kim away. The prisoner
seized him again, and a scuffle ensued, in which the pri-
soner took out a large pocket-knife. Witness, in ward-
log off a blow, received a cut on his thumb, which bled
at the time, but he did not feel any other wound at the
moment. On arriving at his home he found that his
clothes had been quite cut through, and that his under-
garments were saturated with blood, which flowed from
a stab in the middle of the chest. A surgeon was sent
for, the wound was dressed, and he was removed to the
hospital.
The barman at the public-house confirmed to a great
extent the prosecutor's testimony, and swore that he had
heard the prisoner utter threats of a deadly nature
against the prosecutor. The parties were sober at the
time of the occurrence.

Police-constable 179 G produced the garments worn
by the prosecutor at the time he was stabbed. They
were quite stained with blood. There Ni as a large hole
through them, just over the wound. Arrested tho pri-
soner at his own residence, about an hour after the
occurrence. He did not deny the charge.
The surgeon of the hospital gave evidence as to the
nature of the wound. Had it been the eighth of an inch
deeper it would have proved fatal. The knife found on
the prisoner would have produced such a wound.
Nesbitt, the court-keeper, recognised the prisoner as a
returned transport and a man of very bad character.
The prisoner was fully committed for trial to Newgate.

GREAT MUNSTER and LEINSTER

RAILWAY.

A meeting of the Directors and Proprietors of the
above scheme was held on Saturday, at the London
Tavern, for the purpose of electing Directors. Mr.
C. H. Latouche was elected to the chair, and he was
about to call upon the Secretary to read the advertise-
ment convening the meeting, when
Mr. SMITH said he would object to that, as he was
prepared to maintain that there was no Secretary to the
Company. It was known that some years ago a resolution
was passed, the effect of which was to put the Company in
abeyance. The offices had been closed and there had
been a total cessation of the powers of all parties con-
nected with the Company, and therefore Mr. Harte could
not officiate. In this opinion he had been con-
timed by the advice of several eminent
lawyers. Several meetings had at various
times been held, at which he had invariably acted in the
capacity of secretary, and he would contend that he was
the secretary for all the purposes of the Bill.
The Cnitamsx said, in reply to the Objections or
Mr. Smith, he would read an extract from the minutes of
the meeting which was held on the 13th September. It
was as follows:—A communication having taken place
between the Directors and Mr. Harte relative to his
future services as secretary, it was mutually agreed that his
present salary should cease at the expiration of the pre-
sent quarter, Mr. Harte entering into the views of the
Directors as to the necessity of reducing the expencli•
ture of the Company ; but the Directors deem it essential
to the interests of the ..ompany that Mr. Harte should
still retain the appointment of Secretary at nominal re-
muneration, to secure to the Company the advantages of
his experience, should circumstances enable them at a
future period, to proceed with the undertaking.
After a great deal of discussion, which was
noisily carried on, amidst great confusion, for
some time, as to the eligibility of Mr. Smith or
Mr. Harte to act as Secretary, it was agreed
that their respective claims should, for the present, re-
main in abeyance.
The orignal business of the meeting for the election
of Directors, on the motion of Mr. 13zAmisif, was then
proceeded with. A difficulty, however, arose as to the re-
ception of proxies which wk re held by Mr. Smith. for
persons absent in the country, as it was doubtful whether
they were bon4 fide or not.
It was ultimately resolved that the Chairman should
receive them under protest.

The annexed resolution was then moved by Mr.
SMITE:—It is resolved that the following gentle-
men be electod Directors—viz , J. B. Beamish, J. Par.
nell, B. Shaw, T. Mooney, P. Gale, J. Alexander, Esqs.,
Capt. Lamont, J. D. Lowden, Esq., and that it be an in-
stuotion to those Directors to nominate P. P. Collett,
Esq., M.P., N. IL Thomas, J. Brand, Esqs., Sir T. But-
ler, Col. Bruen, NI.P., E. Grogan, Esq., M.P., W. P.
lloey, R. S. Ginnoss, and T. Redmond, Esq 4., as soon as
the last-named gentlemen had qualified under the Act.
This list was objected to by Mr. BaysoN, who pro•
posed to substitute another, but his amendment was lost,
and the original motion was passed pro forma by the
Chairman, on his receiving under protest the proxies
which Mr. Smith held.

After the discussion of some unimportant routine
business, and a ♦ote of thanks to the Chairms,u, the
meeting separated.

CHARING-CROSS HOSPlTAL.—Yesterday morning
a sermon, on behalf of this invaluable institution was
preached at St. Paul's Church, Covent-garden, by the
venerable H. E. Manning, M.A., Archdeacon of Chiches-
ter. It appears that in the course of the last year 9,518
indigent sick persons were admitted on the books for re-
lief, at a cost of 2,4311. 15s. 21d. ; of these, 1,056 were
in-patients, and 8,462 were out. patients (many of whom
were vicited at their own homes, and the greater part
were restored to the blessings of health and to their
occupations for the support of their families). These,
with the cases reported in former annual statements,
make a total of 102,776 sick and needy individuals who
have partaken of the benefits of the Institution, from
its commencement, in 1815, to the 31st December, 1844.
After a very energetic appeal on behalf of the peculiar
claims which this useful charity has upon the feelings of
the wealthy and benevolent, the sum collected amounted
to 1401. 10s., and an additional annual subscription of five
gulaette freit a beavvole4t sunorter a the Jiospit4f