The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-12 00:00:00

THE LATE ACCIDENT ON THE
EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.
INQUEST UPON THE GUARD.

CAMBRIDGE, A uo. 11.—The inquest on the body of John
Cauldwell, a guard in the service of the Eastern Counties Rail-
way Company, who died in Addenbrooke's Hospital, in this town,
on Friday last, from the effects of injuries received on the Monday
previous, when the accident occurred on this line in the neigh-
bourhood of Littlebury, was resumed yesterday at the Town-
hall, before Mr. C. H. Cooper, the borough Coroner, and a ro-
spectable jurj.
The inquest was opened on Friday night, but the proceed-
ings on that occasion were confined to an identification of the
remains of deceased. On the resumption of the inquiry this
morning the first witness called was

Willi-am Lawford, the resident engineer to the company
between Bishop's Stortford and Cambridge, who deposed that
he was on the train on Monday last, when the accident oc-
curred. He had examined his watch with the clock at Shore-
ditch, and they agreed. He noticed the time at the different
stations, and at Stortford the train was from four to six
minutes behind time. At Wendon they were to time, as spe-
cified in the bill—namely, fifty minutes past twelve ; and here
they stopped about four or five minutes. Wendon is about
three miles from the'gene of the accident. There is a curve
there of two miles radius, or 140 chains. There is an inclina-
tion a'so of one in one hundred and fifty-one feet. The dis-
tance from Stortford to Wendon is about eleven miles, and
during that space thee had to make up the lost time of from
four to six minutes. The fail at this part of the line amounted to
104 feet in three miles. There were no posts put up to direct
the engine-drivers as to where the inclination commenced.
Witness saw the rail which is supposed to have caused the ac-
cident about two hours after the occurrence. It had then been
taken up from its position and thrown aside.
Mr. Fernihough, the superintendent of the locomotive de-
partment, who was upon the engine at the time of the accident,
was next examined. He repeated his conviction that the
train was not going at a greater speed than thirty miles an hour
when the accident occurred, and as to the cause of the catas-
trophe, he stated it as his opinion that it could only be a matter
of conjecture.
Mr. Joseph Jackson, the superintendent of the line from
Brandon to Cambridge, was next called. He repeated the
testimony which he gave at the former inquiry, adding no fact
of importance.
Mr. R. S. Best, a student of Queen's College, said he was
a passenger in the train to which the accident occurred. He
noticed nothing particular before they arrived at Wendon.
After leaving Wendon it nets the subject of conversation among
the passengers that they were going faster than t-f.re. He
did not notice it, however. He only thought they were not
going quicker than ordinary quick trains. Immediately before
the shock he felt an oscillation.

Mr. Phepps, engineer of the line, deposed that he had ex-
amined the scene of the accident. He thought the immediate
cause was the damage to the rail by a blow or jump of the
wheel, and witness described the mode in which the same might
occur, as in his former evidence. He thought that a slight
curve was safer than a straight line, as it kept the engine to its
work and prevented oscillatiom.
Mr. John Randall, manager of Jackson's part of the line,
deposed that, on the particular part of the line where the ac-
cident occurred, there were twenty men to the mile to look
after the rails and keep them in order. The foreman went
over the line at different times during the day to see that all
was right. The iron supplied for the rail was frojn Messrs.
Crawshay, of Merthyr Tydvil.
Mr. H. Mitchell, house-surgeon to Addenbrooke's Hospital,
deposed that John Caultiwell was brought to the hospital on
the Alonday previous. He was suffering from a severe com-
pound fracture of the left leg. The right leg was slightly
bruised, but not otherwise injured. He was sensible when be
was first brought to the hospital. The next day he became
insensible. There were occasional signs of sensibility, but not
of intelligence ; and he remained in that way till he died on
Friday night. There was a post marten: examination by the
surgeons of the hospital, at which witness attended. It was
discovered that the vessels of the brain were generally very
much congested. The leg was set, but was not going on
favourably. It must have been amputated. The deceased
made a statement to witness, but not with the prospect of
death before him. Witness did not tell him that he was likely
to die. Witness thought that the contrary would be the case
when deceased made his statement.

The CORONER ruled that, under the circumstances described,
the statement could not be received.

Mr. Mitchell, in continuation—But for the injury to the
brain, the deceased, in all probability, might have recovered.
The injury might have been, and in all probability was, pro-
duced by a fall.
Robert Scott, a labourer on the line, deposed that he looked
after the railway for half a mile, near Littlebury. Ho had a
foreman over him. He was at his dinner on the bank when the
train was coming up. It was going very fast. He described
the aecident as in his former evidence. He did not see John
Caaldwell until they were taking him from among the carriages.
He had looked over the line after the previous train had gone
by, and found all was right.
A brother of the deceased here expressed a wish that the
statement made by the unfortunate man on his death-bed
should be received ; but the Coroner, after some difficulty, satis-
fied him that he could not legally take it under the circum.
stances described above.

The jury having expressed a wish to examine Cox, the
labourer, who at the Littlebury inquest deposed that the train
was passing down the incline at the rate of fifty miles an hour,
he was called. After some delay, however, it was ascertained
that he was not present. The solicitor for the Company having
informed the Coroner that he should be immediately sent for,
that functionary determined to adjourn the proceedings until
five o'clock, it being already past three.
At five o'clock the jury reassembled. During the interval
the damaged rail had been conveyed from the scene of the
accident and placed in the large room of the town-hall, where
the jury had an opportunity of inspecting it. During the exami-
nation, Mr. Anthony, one of the jurymen, had two of his
fingers badly crushed, through those persons who held one end,
dropping the rail unexpectedly. Thejury were, therefore, de-
tained nearly half an hour, while Mr. Anthony went to a sur-
geon to have his wound dressed.
Mr. Hanson, the local director of the traffic department on
the line, here said that he had made every exertion to obtain
Cox's attendance to-day, He had sent three special engine_•
after him. From the last mission they had received no intel•
ligence. From the other two, information had been brought
back that he had been bound to attend at some police-office in
consequence of a drunken squabble in which he had been en-
gaged the day previous. He complained of persons having ill-
treated him.

Several of the jury were of opinion that Cox's evidence was
absolutely necessary to enable them to come to a just verdict.
A considerable delay here took place.
The CORONER at length said the jury would do well to re-
tire, and consider whether, as Cox could not be found, they
would hear the evidence of Young, the driver. The Coroner's
own private opinion was, that it would be as proper to take it at
once as any other evidence offered during the day. This opi-
nion, however, should not bias the jury's, and they might do
as they pleased on the matter.
One or two of the jury expressed themselves as determined
to have Cox's evidence, and to wait for it.
The CORONER—You had better retire.
Whilst the jury were discussing the point a messenger ar-
rived with news that the absentee had been found.

Immediately afterwards Cos entered the room, and being
sworn, repeated in great part the evidence he had before de-
posed to at Littlebury. Ile added that if any man said the
train was going only at thirty-five miles an hour speed he did
not speak the truth. _ _

In answer to a juryman, witness said he could distinctly see
the jumping as high as six or seven inches at fifty yards' dis-
tance. Other men who were with him also saw it. He had
seen trains go faster without any accident occurring; and he
did not anticipate any accident on this occasion. If no acci-
dent bad taken place he should not have said that it was going
toe fast. He only saw one wheel jump; it was the fore-wheel
nearest to him. He was a ganger on the line over a gang of
men. He saw the rails about once a day, and examined as to
whether they were all right or not. Every man had a halt
mile length to look after, and a foreman looked over a certain
number.

A juror said to the witness that it had been stated he was at
a police-office to-day, to make a complaint against some onc
who had assaulted him. Was it in consequence of the evidence
he had given ?—Witness said it was not.
In answer to another juryman, witness said he was of opinion
that the fore-wheel jumped upon and split the rail, and that the
hind-wheel followed and doubled it up.
The CORONER said that there was a great discrepancy in
the accounts as to the rate of speed. The witness now under
examination stated it to be about fifty miles an hour. Whe-
ther he could be deemed as good and accurate a judge as Mr.
Fernihough and others, who stated that it was not more than
thirty-five miles an hour et the most, was for the jury to
decide.

The general opinion of the jury was, that the evidence of
Cox, although given honestly, was yet erroneous with regard
to time and speed.
The engine-driver, John Young, was here called, and the
oath having been administered by the Coroner, he was exa-
mined at length. He said the train was proceeding at the rate
of from twenty-eight to thirty miles an hour, and added that
he observed nothing uneasy or unusual in the motion till the
engine was thrown on to the ballast. The reason for her
getting off the rail, he thought, was that the road was not good
in that part. Witness, in answer to a juryman, said that he
had 465. Bd. a week, and other -advantages.
After the reception of some other unimportant evidence,
The CORONER summed up. He remarked that, by receiv-
ing Young's evidence the jury had acquitted him of all blame,
and virtually declared he had not been going at an improper
speed. Cox's evidence, it could not be doubted, was given
honestly, although mistakenly. The only question now left
for the consideration of the jury was that of a deodand. After
some remarks on the present state of the law of deodands,
the Coroner, addressing the jury, said he left the case i❑ their
hands, with full confidence that they would do justice to all
parties.

The jury then retired, and after about half-an-hour's delibe-
ration, returned a verdict of " Accidental death, with a deo-
dand of ls. on the engine and Is. on the carriage." They also
added a recommendation to the Company to have direction-
posts at all inclines on the line.

• Mr. Hanson said he was happy to be enabled to Inform the
jury that those posts had been already ordered.

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[ADVERTISEMENT.]—LADY B AND HOLLO-
WAY'S PILLS.—Lady the wife of a distinguished
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lalsu PACKETS.—A correspondent informs us that
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and Dublin to kili such pigs as are in a dying state, and also to
stick those that have absolutely died during the voyage, SO as
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/Ifirieti

:DIED liri li°
On the 17th of March last, at Hobart Town'
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Walkinshaw, Esq. t 'tidies'
East
0!) the 3d of June, at Sawuntwarre, in the fa
Lieutenant Lieutenant Sidney Waller, of the 3d Madras Ligh)Faivaa '
On the 2d inst., at Margate, Miss C. M. Byers' °' t•
on the 3d inst., Mr. Thomas Jenne, of Cannon-streeffede
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et 2. ni,i.t, 1,311,7, toht. itiiiset.%,vfnti-isewlo!;ilitziia_b,
oe,tll,ti., the wife of 31 i'''
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