The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-08 00:00:00

Tll E SUN, i3ON DON, FltlD A 1 EVENINd, AUGUST B, i 845.

1•ls 6d,

31. 17s.

955. p

50s.

30i. 1)1

15%

-265. pi

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDEN 1' ON
THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAIL\VAY.
• THE INQUEST.
The Coroner's inquest on the remains of the unfortunate
stoker, Richard Peat, took place yesterday, at the Falcon Inn,
Littlebury. The proceedings etrnmeneed at eleven o'clock,
when, after the preliminaries of swearing the jury and viewing
the body were gone through, the first witness called on was
John Herbert, a labourer on the line, whe deposed to having
seen the deceased at Stortford on M m lay morning in Taal
health and spirits. He identified the deceased.
Robert Scott, another labourer, in the service of the com-
pany on the lire, deposed that he was sitting near the chalk
bank between Ches'erforti and Littlebury, a mile from the
latter place, on Moeday last, just before the accident took
place. Witness was at dinner at the time alone. Ha saw the
mail train coming dawn the line from London. It was as near
one o'clock as could be, and as it came past he saw one of
the carriages off the rail. He saw the engine cross the road and
turn over. The train came on the west side of the road. The
engine turned round with her head towards London. He saw
nothing of the stoker who was killed, for he (witness) was sent
off by some gentlemen to assist the passengers, and afterwards
he was engaged in getting the luggage and carriages clear.
There were three men on the engine. He had been on the
line twelve months, and he did not think that the train went,
faster than it did at any other time previously. Ile had been
at work five days near the soot where the accident happened,
or with:n a quarter of a mile both ways, with eight other men.
These at the reomeat were sitting on the side of the edge at
their dinner. Four trains had passed before during the day.
Thought that the jump of the engine must have injured the
rail. The rail had been examined by the foreman, John Elms-
wood, after the half-past nine train from London hart passed,
and nothing was found the matter with it. The foreman, was
in the h-bit of doing so three or four times a day. He saw
Sim examine the line both before and after breakfast. The
train came off the eastern side of the western line. The line
runs in that part nearly north and south.
William Fernihough, an engineer, in the employment of the
company, and superintendent of the locomotive department,
deposed, that he left London by the half-past eleven o'clock
mail train. John Young was driving. The engine was No.
54. The deceased acted as fireman. Witness rode upon the
engine from London to the time of the accident. The engine
was a new one, and hail only been running two or three weeks.
He was on the engine in the ordinary course of his duly. The
engine was a six wheeled one, and in his judgment a go id one.
The trains came as well as usual down to Wendon. He did
not know at what time they left Wendon, but it was his imi res.
sion they were a little behind time. lie was not very certain
of this fact, nor could he positively swear to it. They pro-
ceeded from the Wendon station, as on every day previously
since the opening of th, line, at the ordinary speed. He was
merely a looker-on, and did not speak at this time to the driver,
who had the entire control of the engine. If witness had perceived
anything incorrect in the management he would have spoken to
the driver. After passing through the second tunnel he per-
ceived the driver reduce the speed by working in the third
notch of expansive gear, as be thought, and the steam nearly
cut off. It was between the tunnel and the second three-
arched bridge, but exactly where, he could not say. There is
an inclination at that part of the road. Ile then saw the en-
gine on the ballast, instead of on the rail, but felt no jump.
The accident took place from the second bridge, at the distance
of about three times the length of the train. The engine
, ran in a straight direction on the ballast, about the length of
the train, until she struck the in-ide rail of the up line, and
then she curved round to the right, and turned on to her left
side. Witness held fast hold of a cock on the left side of the
engine. He did not lose his presence of mind, and thought
he might be saved by holding fast if she went on straight
He was thrown off when she turned over, and was blinded
and confounded among the fragments. When lie came to his
senses he found himself under the back part of the engine,
behind the fire-box. He supposed, from the concussions he
received, that he was torn limb from limb, anal almost killed.
He remained half a moment, and, finding there was
no steam or water flying about, he crept out. lie did
not see anything of the deceased for a quarter of an
hour. When witness got free lie shouted out the names of
the driver and fireman. The former answered, and he saw
him reeling about on the side of the road. Witness was so
exhausted he was obliged to sit down for a short time. The
deceased was found about a quarter of an hour afterwards under
the engine, and then it was only his arm was seen. The en-
gine was removed last. It was plain the deceased must have
been killed immediately, for the whole weight of the engine
was on him, and one or two of the fire bars having been broken
the coke came on to him and burned him. When the engine
was removed deceased was on his back on the inner rail of the
up-line. Witness had been down the line every day since the
opening of the line except the previous Saturday He thought
they were travelling at the rate of 30 miles an hour. When
they approached the inclined plane they slackened their speed
as is usual to do. The accident happened on the incline.
Before they slackened speed they had been travelling about
35 miles an hour. It was his opinion that the driver was
driving properly at the time of the accident in every respect,
and for a quick train, not at an improper or over speed. Had
he been going at such a rate it would have been his duty to
tell him to go slower. He had done so to other men on the
line once or twice before. The driver was only known to him
about a month or two. He considered him as good a driver as
any in the service. He had been on the Manchester and Leeds
line, and was remarkable for his caution and carefulness. He
was snore backward in his driving than otherwise. Witness
was on the engine when she was first tried, and he considered
her competent to be sent out with a quick train. She was,
technically speaking. truly built. She lifted her wheels like
all engines. He did not consider the lifting of the wheels dan-
geious, unless it was a very violent lifting. As to the cause of
the accident, he thought something threw the engine off. The
left-hand side of the foot plate, where he was standing, did not
lift at all. He had reason to suppose that there was something
on the rail—that something was wrong in the stationary affair;
of the line. It occurred as if a bar had been lying across the
line. A stone would not be likely to throw it off by catching
the flange, for it would be instantly crushed. Before the en-
gine got on the ballast he did not perceive any jumping or late-
ral oscillation. That morning he himself had examined the
engine previously to starting from London, and found that
everything was correct.
Mr. Duncan, solicitor to the Company, stated that the driver
was on the Manchester and Leeds Railway for seven years,
and on that line there was an inclined plane of seven miles of
I i n 150.
Witness, in continuation, deposed that a tender had re-
cently come off the road when going at a very slow rate be-
tween Cambridge and Ely. He thought that thirty miles an
hour was not too rapid on a curve, and an inclination. By
his watch they were about seven minutes behind time at
Stortford. He considered the engine not top-heavy for a
large and powerful engine, and as far as top-heaviness was
concerned, if the road was safe, she was safe too at fifty miles
an hour on the level, and thirty down an inclined plane.
John Herbert recalled—He had walked up the line shortly
before the accident, and every thing was clear. No rails or
tools were lying about.
Mr. Joseph Jackson, the superintendent between Cam-
bridge and Brandon, under Messrs. Grissell and Peto, de-
posed that he left London by the half-past eleven o'clock
train on Monday, in a first-class carriage, in the hinder part
of the train. It was the first of the first-class next the
engine. He thought they might have been two or three
minutes behind time on leaving London. He never travelled
in that fast train before, but he knew its speed from seeing it
pass along the line before. They were going along " comfort-
ably," as he thought, when, at. the moment of the accident,
the first thing he felt was a difference in the beat of the en-
gine. He then put his head out of the window, and saw the
gravel flying up ; and the engine curving en the right side en-
abled him to see it. A lady was sitting in the carriage with
him ; he held her back, to avoid as much as possible any con-
cussion. A hump then came, and then another, and all was
at a dead stop. He then got out and took out the lady, after
which he went to look after the passengers. The engine was
lying on her side. He found the driver and Mr. Fernihough,
and then he saw a hand projecting from under the engine,
which he knew must be the stoker's. He knew he must be
dead, from the weight of the engine. Everything was done
to remove the engine, which was a work of some time, and
depended on the number of hands employed. When the
stoker was taken from under the engine, the police took
charge of the holy. The death took place from pressure, not
' from scalding, and must have been instantaneous. Witness
afterwards examined the line, arid found it torn up for some-
thing like a hundred yards of bath rails of the down line.
There was a rail injured at one end, anti he saw in a moment
that that was the cause of the accident, without going farther.
A piece of it was not broken off, but bent right down. He
traced the flings of the wheel, on the bent part, and it oc-
curred therefore to him that that bit of metal was not quite
sound, at least not so sound as the rails generally are. It was
the end of the rail that was bent. He thought there was a
flaw in the rail which could not be discovered previously.
Before the accident occurred they were going, in his opinion, at
an ordinary pace ; and lie did not think that thirty miles an
hour down the incline was too fast. Between the engine and
the carriages there was a horse-box and a luggage van.
The broken rail was here brought into the room through the
window, and it was inspected he the jury.
Williem Cox, a labourer on the line, deposed that he was at
work near the spot where the accident occurred on Monday,
and passed in about a quarter of an hour previously, and the
line appeared to be perfect and right in every point. Had
there been anything to obstruct the train, he must have seen it,
as it was his habit of observing that portion of the line three or
four times, to see all was right. He saw the train coming from
where he was on the chalk bank, on the east side. It appeared
to him to be going at a faster rate than ever he saw it going
before. He saw the engine rocking when at a distance of
about fifty yards from him. He then saw the engine jump up,
leaving a space of between six and seven inches between the
wheel and the metal. Then she came on to a joint, and front
this to the ballast. She ploughed the road up and curved
round and went into the chalk bank, falling right over. After
that he assisted the passengers out of the carriages, but saw
nothing of the deceased. The road was in as good repair as it
could be. 113 thought the cause of the accident was in the
great speed at which the train was going, which in his judg-
ment was about fifty miles an hour. He had worked on rail-
ways for about eight years, and could tell their rate of speed
very well from experience in looking at them.
A conversation occurred here between the Coroner and
several gentlemen connected with the Company has to the curve
and the inclination at the place of the accident, from which it
appeared that the curve had two miles radius; and Mr. Hanson,
the director of the traffic, said that whether the curve had an
inclination or nut made very little difference.
Mr. Phipps, the engineer of the line, in answer to the
Coroner, was of opinion that the train might have proceeded
at from thirty-five to forty miles an hour down the incline,
and he agreed with Mr. Jackson as to the immediate cause of
the accident.
Mr. Lawford, 03e of the resident engineers on the line, in
answer to a question from the Coroner, said he got out of the
train at Wendon, where he thought they had arrived not at all
after time. They had, however, been behind a few minutes on
leaving London.
The CORONER, said the great point to arrive at was whether
the train went at an improper speed or net ; and he should like
to have Mr. Phipps sworn, and take his opinion on the accident
as far as he could give it.
Mr. Phipps was then sworn, and deposed that the accident
must have occurred from the rising of the fore part of the
engine, which might arise from the depression of that par•
titular joint of the rail, or from preceding joints putting the
engine in a state of oscillati in. This he was inclined to hold
,nz. to in preference to the opinion that the train went at too great
/6 a speed, which would have made no difference in such a slight
2y inclination. Certainly an engine and train might travel down
it with perfect safety at thirty-five miles an hour. lie thought
"I the engine one of the best.
Mr. Hanson here stated it was one of the two that took
down the Directors and their friends on the opening excursion.
Mr. Fernihough said, in answer to the Coroner, that the
engine was worth I,Boj/., and the damage to it he estimated
at about 230/.
Mr. Phipps, in continuation, was of opinion that over-speed
did not always cause a jumping of the engine. She would
jump more, probably, from irregularity in the road—he meant
by irregularity depressi in in the joints.
It was the duty of the inspector of the line and his men to
- see after this.
Mr. Fernihough explained how Cox's testimony could not be
- depended on for accuracy. That witness had stated that the
engine jumped six or seven inches ; that he saw space between
the flange of the wheel anti the rail, and at the distance of fifty
yards, which was impossible.
The CORONEia stated that if it was the fact, as Mr. Law-
ford had stated conversationally, that the train arrived at
Wendon in time, it might be fairly inferred the driver could

have no ohject id increasing his speed. He thought, however,
tha• it could satisfactory to have that gentleman sworn.
Mr. Lawfo..-d, the engineer between Stortford and Cam-
bridge, &posed ihlt he left Londin in the train oa Monday,
and examined itis watch and tla., clock at Shore liteh, which
a2re,-_,I. He looked :it his rra,ch again when be arrived at
Wend m, and found they had arrived in time to a minute. It
ought to tak, fit ininutei am 3 ) mil's an hour to reach tie
spat w!n,re the accident occurred from \Vendor]. Nobody
,ondl +ell at wit d moment it occurred. He got out of the
tiain at Wendon.

The Cocos En said that it was very m ich to be desired that
General Paley he examined, as he had investived the cir•
eumstanees of the accident, and in all ptohability ha I come by
this time to a conclusion as to how it originally occurre.d. They
had gut at the immediate cause, but not at the first one. if
even some intelligent passenger could be brought forward, he
mi,dit throw some light on a matter which was still involved in
some mystery.
One or two of the jury expressed their coincidence with the
Coroner's opinion.
The CORONER then said that, under all the circumstances,
he thought it his duty to adjourn the inquest until General
Pasley's evidence could be obtained.
After souls consultation it was agreed to adjourn the inquest
to Wednesday next, at twelve o'clock.

; LLEGED MEDICAL ILL-TREAT-

M ENT.

Yesterday forenooe at nine o'clock an inquiry, adjourned
from Tuesday last, was resumed before Mr. T. Wakley,
at the White Horse, Great Saffron-hill, on the body of Elal-
beth Anne Crouder, aged 59, the wife of a poor labouring man
in the employ of Mr. Merry xeather, engine manufacturer,
of
Long-acre. The inquiry was attended by a large number of
medic al practitioners.
Sarah Thornton was first called. She sail she knew de-
ceased, who resided at, aa, Saffron hill. Oa Wednesday we
last the deceased was suddenly taken in labour, and Mr.
iiicvk:ns, surgeon, of 54, wen-garden, was called in to
attend her. About eleven o'clock that morning deceased
gave birth to a male chill. Sh wtly after the deceased was
again seiz d with violent pin, and expressed her conviction
to Mr. Hawkins that she was about to give birth to a second
child, and put it to him whether he would not re-
quint further assistance. in reply to this Mr. Haw-
kins said that deceased was going on favourably, and added
that if there ware twenty medical men present, they could
ren.le.; no assistance. From the appearance of deceased,
witness felt c invinced there was a second ehiLl, but Mr.
Hawkins denied it, and said that all that remained was a small
portion of the " presenter." Mr. Hawkins remained with the
deceased up to five o'clock the next morninea when lie went
awl), to •procure some medicine for her. The witness here
entered into a minute detail of what took place between the
interval of the birth of the first chile', aid Mr. Hawkins 's
leaving the deceased, the greater portion of which is unfit for
public ction. The facts deduced went to show that Mr.
Hawkins used forcible and un lue means towards deceased, the
effect cf which was to cause great laceration, and ultimately a
protru.ion of the intestines. During the period Mr. Hawkins
was lursuing this course of treatment towards her, the de-
ceased, who was suffering the most excruciating agony,
frequently complained of his behaviour.
Ars. Elizabeth Smith proved that she was ca'led up at
halfspast five o'clock on the morning of Thursday week to
attend deceased ; she remained with her until her death,
which took place at half-past six the same evening. Previous
to dying, the deceased declared that Mr. Hawkins had mur-
dered her, and she made a similar declaration to the minister
who was sent for to afford her spiritual consolation.
The CORONER—When the deceased charged Mr. Hawkins
with murdering her, is it your opinion that she was aware that
she was in a dying condition ? Witness—Certainly. She
thanked us all a qua: ter of an hour before her death for our
kindness towards her, anti' she then said that. Hawkins had
murdered her.
By the Jury-1 heard deceased ask Mr. Hawkins whether
he did not require other assistance, but he rein ed to call in
any one until deceased's husband insisted upon having another
medical gentleman sent far. Mr. Thorne, another surgeon,
came on the Thursday morning about nine o'clock, and on
seeing deceased l, instantly declared that there was another
child, acid that she was in a hopeless condition. After the lapse
of a few minutes he succeeded in delivering deceased of the
second child. This infant was full-sized anedead, but the first
chili was alive and well. The deceased had had nine children
previously.
Mr. John Thorne, of No. 4, Mylne-street, Pentonville, said
he was a surgeon, and was sent for to see deceased on the
morning of Thursday week. On examination of deceased, he
found lirge portions of the intestines protruding, and the head
of a child presenting itself. The face of the deceased was
pallid, and the pulse feeble ; indeed it appeared as if the vital
power was fast sinking. Seeing this, witness lost no time in
delivering deceased of the second child, which he effected with
a whalebone fillet. Mr. Gibson, another surgeon, had also
arrived, and delivered deceased of the second " placenta," and
returned the protruding intestines. He then called witness's
attention to a large laceration in the posterior portion of the
vagina. Stimulants were given to deceased, in consequence of
her sinking condition.
Mr. Gibson, surgeon, of 115, Holbarn-hill, and Mr. Bartlett,
of 24, Hatton• garden, another surgeon, who were called in,
corroborated, in all the main points, the evidence as to the
condition deceased was in.
Mr. J. Hall Davis, of 17, Russell-street, F.tzroy-square,
physician, and lecturer on midwifery, said he had made a post
mortent examination of the body. Dr. Forbes, Mr. Thorne,
and Mr. Gibson were present at that examination. Mr. Haw-
kins was not there, although he (witness) had sent him notice
in writing when it was to take place. The witness proceeded
to describe the lacerations before alluded to, more particularly
the rent io the vagina.
By the CORONER—I have no doubt but that the latter in-
jury was done with the hands, in efforts made to separate what
was considered by the medical man as the "placenta." The
injuries she had thus received were the cause of death.

The CORONER. here inquired of Mr. Hawkins if he wished
to make any statement himself, or that he (the Coroner) should
call .any witness in his behalf?
Mr. Hawkins desired that his sister might be sent for, as she

had a conversation with the deceased on the morning she was
first taken ill. This was d .ne, but the whole of her statement
wag flatly contradicted by the husband of the deceased, and the
witnesses Thornton and Smith.

The CORONER recapitulated the evidence. The evidence
adduced certainly implied an extent of ignorance truly in-
explicable; how any man, possessing a medic ii education,
could have pursued the course adopted by him was truly asto-
nishing
'1 he jury found, " That the death of El:zaheth Anne
Crouler was produced by the ignorance and un,kilful con-
duct of James Hawkins."
The CORONER—Are you aware, gentlemen, that such a ver-
dict is tantamount to one of manslaughter?
The Foreman—We are, Sir. .

The CORONER said, then he had no alternative but to com-
mit Mr. Hawkins to Newgate on the charge of manslaughter.
Mr. ilawkini applied to be admitted to bad, but the Coroner
said he had no power to do so ; and he was committed, on the
Coroner's warrant, to Newgate.

[IcR MAJESTY'S EMBARKATION. WOOLWIC
Ann. 7.—A very superb pianoforte WAS brought to Woo
with to-day by one of Erard's vans, and immediately put on
beard the Royal Victoria and Albert steam-yacht for her
Majesty. The river opposite Woolwich is now very animated
in consequence of the number of steam-vessels at their moor-
ing, and the numerous boats passing to and from the royal
yacht, the Black Eagle, the Lightning, the Porcupine, and
the Monkey steam-vessels, intended to proceed to Antwerp on
the occasion of her Majesty's visit to the Continent, and the
Cycluop, Duteh steam-vessel, preparing for the embarkation
of the King of the Netherlands. The Lightning steam-
vessel, Master-Commander Petley, and the Monkey steam-
vessel, Master-Commander William Bryant, are expected to
sail to-morrow morning with several of the royal carriages on
board, to be landed at Antwerp. The Monkey steam-vessel
has also taken on board to-day a considerable quantity of new
gear and a new screw propeller from Messrs. Penn and Son's,
for the use of the Fairy, steam- tender to the royal yacht, in
case those articles should be required during her Majesty's
progress up the rivers of the Continent.
THE LONDON AND YORK RAILWAY.—The prompt
contradiction given to the allegations of Mr. Bruce's petition
against the London and York Railway, in out particular in-
stance within the knowledge of a Member of Parliament, who
was :attending in his place when the petition was presented,
has been followed up by further disproof of its charges in the
Committee. In truth, the promoters of the petition already
show a sense of the consequences which they have incurred by
having rashly made a wide and sweeping statement. Mr. Bruce,
the petitioner, disclaimed any knowledge of the facts per-
sonally, and said he drew up the document on the information
of Mr. Parkes and Mr. Humphreys, who appear to have egre-
giously misled him. 111 t. Parkes, having in vain endeavoured
by an excuse, which was overruled, to get an adjournment,
then applied to be allowed to select 17 out of the Gd cases, in
which motion lie was overruled also, the Committee properly de-
ciding that they would take them all in due course. Taking
them so then, the list was began unsuccessfully enough for the
petitioner. Nevertheless, we do not and cannot doubt but that
some of the allegations which he has been made to make will
be established. But the question, after all, for Parliament to
decide will be, whether there is a sufficient admixture of frau-
dulent subscribers to contaminate and disqualify the whole
number, and to defeat a great undertaking. If fifty righteous
men could save a wicked and condemned city, how many of the
opposite kind shall it take to condemn a company ? We do
not implicitly sympathise with the indignation of gentlemen
at the bare questioning of their adequacy to meet demands
to which they voluntarily come forward and make them-
selves liable for. In some sort they provoke the in-
quiry. But, on the other hand, we are bound to re-
probate the random attack upon solvency by rivals no better
qualified. Such a system resembles the speculative and fishing
objections against voters, which it has been found necessary to
restrain by a provision for giving costs when they are made
frivolously and without cause. Enough has already transpired
to satisfy us that the proofs of Mr. Bruce's assertions will fall
very far short of his allegations. Unless his agents can make
out a case of guilty participation or connivance, or negligence,
and want of proper precaution, and would bring it under the
Galway precedent, they will not be entitled to have the Bill
thrown out. The Select Committee have set about their task
with an energy which is the more laudable as it is most un-
common, but although they hail not at two o'clock this morning,
concluded a sitting which commenced at eleven A. M., we fear
that the delay already incurred will render the passing of the
Bill this session impossible.— Times.

SOUTHAMPTON, AUG. 7.—Th- Oriental Comp iny',
steam-ship the Duke of Cornwall, arrived at the Matherbank
at one o'clock this morning, and landed the East India and
China mails, which were forwarded to London by the two
o'clock a.m. mail train. She left Alexandria July 20, Malta
July 26, and Gibraltar August 1. The Cornwall has a full and
valuable cargo, and the following passengers:—Abdell Effendi,
Mr. Bonham, Miss White, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Knox, Mr. Black,
Miss Cotton, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Clifton, Mr. Kouch, Mr.
Burst, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Galiatti, Mr. Macdonald, Mr.
Cagell, Mr. Cleverley, Mr. 13attrey, Mr. Wedderburn, Mr.
and Mrs. Northmore, Miss Wilson, and Miss Harman. On
August the sth she exchanged colours with the West India
steam-packet the Forth, in lat. 46.04, long. 7-26. The same
Company's steam-packet the Queen, Captain Russell, left the
ducks for Gibraltar, with the Peninsular and other ma ls, an
average cargo, 25 passengers, and three very fine horses, for
Gibraltar. The Duke of Cornwall is expected to :lc release,,
from quarantine to-morrow.
FOOT-RACE IN HYDE PARK.--YesterdlY ! c
mile running match came off in Hyde ParkbetvAe-ereenslll.oalslii-dio‘t
The stake,
Brompton anti Weller of Pimlico.
At the la: es
inoulitte:tdari maintained
ensued.ffiorh
sa
mite, tart
nilloislliosptpooonkenthtecaleffliet,u
pss,•hainehd
They ran well together, both making great exertions .or vic-
awnads %c.,oams
la)leectoerddbinygtliyiedev,cilnanreetrl
xtvoirnyn,
ear n. el
The
i cohnNeVme
leer
un
fc haircovuendd,
ire five minutes nineteen seconds.
GLENLUCE CATTLE MARKET, FRIDAY, AUG. I.
From the number and quality of the stock, and the attendance
of buyers, this was decidedly the best market of the season,
though no advance can be stated on prices since last market,
the month's keep being c mscquently lost to the farmers. Three
years old Galloway; brought from 71. to 91., according to
quality. For 40, and one lit of 50, three and rising four years
old, ten guineas were paid. This price had been previously
off.red for the 50 at the last Stranraer market. Although
prices did not come up to the expectation of the farmers, there
was a great deal of business done, and by five o'clock most of the
lots were disposed of.