The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-04-02 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY ACCIDiNT ON THE RIVER

On Tuesday evening last a collision took place between a
small open boat and a steamer, on the river, by which two
lives (so far as is yet known) were lost, and a considerable
number of persons escaped. The following particulars are
derived chiefly from the evidence taken at the coroner's in-
quest, held before Mr. Curry on Wednesday, on one of the
bodies--that of a young woman.
Abont half-past six o'clock Cuthbert Crawford, a boat-
man, and owner of a gig or boat of 22 feet long, took a pas-
senger on board of the ship Helen, lying at anolior off Pluck-
ington Bank. After the passenger got on board, Crawford
was told that some of the passengers wished to go on shore,
and he accordingly waited for them. In about three quarters
of an hour several persons, including a female, got{ into the
boat, and they left the ship and pulled towards the pier. The
boatman's son was with him, a lad of 14 years of age, and
another man pulled one of the oars, and they steered towards
George's pier. The Vale of Clwyd steam-packet was lying
at anchor between them and the shore. When passing her
they saw the light of a steamer approabhing them, though
they could not distinguish the hull. The boat was then from
200 to 300 yards off George's pier. It %vas darkish at the
time, and observing the steamer still nearing, the helm was
put a-port in order to avoid her. The steamer was then 100
to 150 yards distant, and still coming up. The boatmen im-
mediately stood up and hailed the steamer, and the passen-
gersdid the same. The steamer still, however, approached
rapidly upon them, and the boatmen and passengers again
shouted as loud as they could. They saw a man standing
on the paddle-box. The parties in the boat meantime pulled
as hard as they could to get out of the way ; but the steamer
came up, struck the boat on the bow, and the stancheons of
of the steamer struck her on the stern. The paddles of the
steamer were not stopped until she struck the boat. Just
as she struck some of the passengers in the boat stood up,
and the larboard quarter went into the water. Crawford
immediately jumped overboard to clear the paddles, and the
boat, which was then nearly full of water, sunk. After
swimming about for some time, lie was picked up by a boat
that was dropping down the river. Immediately afterwards
he heard his boy calling out " father," and got the men to
back the boat, when he saw some persons in the water. He
took hold of two of them, and held them up till they were
drawn into the boat. One of them was his son. The steam-
boat that run them down wss the Nun, Woodside iron boat.
The only way the small boat could avoid the steamer was,
in his opinion, by putting the helm a-port and steering up
the river.

John Barry, a young farmer who had taken his passage in
the Helen, for Australia, was at the time in the boat, in which
there were, as nearly as he could calculate, about 16 or 17
persons, but he had not counted them. He saw the light of
the steamer approaching them, but not the hull. In about
two minutes more he saw her hull, and could plainly see two
or three persons on board—otte of them. on the paddle-box.
Those in the boat shouted out. The collision threw him
backwards in the water. Ile caught hold of the gunwale as
soon as he could. The boat was full of water, and every per-
son appeared to bz., out of her. lle got into her again, but
she sunk from under him, and he then took to swimming.
He saw the heads of several persons rise to the surface of the
water. At this moment he caught hold of the two oars of
the boat; but soon after seeing two men struggling in the
water, and paddling with their hands as if they were drown-
ing, he pushed the oars towards them. Directly afterwards
he saw the young female, Mary Ann Townsend, who had been
in the boat with them. She was struggling on the top of the
water a few yards from him, and he made for her and got
hold of her shoulder, and supported her as well as he could,
but as there was a swell at the time, and the water had nearly
overcome him in his efforts to hold her up, he let go his hold,
and she went down. He was carried away a short distance
by the tide, and directly after the female again rose to the
surface. He again got hold of her, but as there was
a man struggling in the water close by him, whom he
was afraid of getting hold of him, he missed his hold
of the deceased and got away. He then made for a
boat a little way off and got into it. When brought to the
pierhead, he was informed that a young woman, who had
been taken out of the water, had just been carried away by
some policemen. He went after them to a public-house close
by, where he recognised her. She appeared to recognise
him. He assisted a female and a police•officer in stripping
her, and putting her in blankets. She was placed sitting, on
a sofa ; appeared to make great lament, and water was run-
ning from her mouth. A doctor was soon in attendance,
and administered a little brandy and water. She appeared
to recover greatly, and he went away to get his clothes
changed. On his return to the house, about two or three
hours after, he found that she was dead !
Matthew Johnson, fireman of the Albert steamer, stated
that when the accident happened, their engineer called all
hands to get the boat out, as he saw a boat was run down.
Four of them went in the boat. Johnson first picked up a
hat and a cap, and a little way further got hold of the de-
ceased by the hair of the head. When first placed in the
boat, she did not move. One of the men placed her on his
knee, in such a position as to let the water run out of her
mouth. They landed her at George's pier.
James Campbell, a police officer on duty at the pier-head
that night, heard the cries of the parties in the boat as the
steamer approached. He could see the boat about 100 yards
from the steamer, which was then going on her course. He
also heard cries when the collision took place, and afterwards
heard a female or a boy call out " father." Three small
boats in a short time rowed towards the pier, and the de-
ceased was in one of them. She was taken to the station
house. A doctor attended her, and she appeared to recover
greatly. In about twenty minutes after he left, he observed
a great change in her appearance. The same doctor and
another very soon arrived ; but in a few minutes after, she
expired in their presence. When first he saw the small boat
he thought there was sufficient light to enable persons on
board the steamer to see it.
Edward Greerson, a porter, saw the accident. He thought
that if the small boat had been seen by the people on boardthe steamer at the time he first saw her, the collision might
have been avoided by the engine being reversed. _ _

Richard Edwards, a seaman of the Albert, heard the people
in the small boat cry out " Stop her !" and some one on
board the steamer cried out " Stop her—turn back." See-
ing that the small boat would be run down, he assisted in
lowering their boat, and was in her when the deceased was
picked up.

. Williani Edward Rowlands' an agriculturist, who was
going with the Helen, said the deceased was his step-daugh-
ter, and was to have gone out in the same ship.
Mr. G. Woods, surgeon, who had attended the deceased,
was of opinion that her death was caused by congestion of
the lungs, arising from immersion in the water.
James M'Kee chief engineer of the Nun, said, that soon
after they started f,om the pier-head the caain called out to
him, in a loud voice, " Stopthe engine;" and
her—reverse
a second time he called out " Stop her." He (the engineer)
stopped the engine as soon as he could throw it out of gear.
The jury returned a verdict to the effect that, accidentally,
the small boat was with great reat force and violence ran foul of
by the steamer Nun, when
deceased was thrown out, and
afterwards died from immersion in the water. They also im-
posed a deodand of X 5 on the steamer.

It is stated by the engineer of the Nun (WKee) that after
stopping the engine, which was done before the boat got
swamped, they dared not move the engine for some time,
fearing that some of the persons inimeised might have got
hold of the paddle-box. He adds that boats came off from
the Abbott, the Druid, and several other vessels, and that
(with that which dropped down the river), they succeeded in
Picking up eleven persons. The Druid's boat saved four or
five. The Nun remained near the spot till all possible assist-
ance was given.
The individual who spoke to the number of persons in the
boat is Mr. Barry, and he was by no means certain in sup-
posing 15 or 16. The probability is that there were nct so
many, even admitting that some of the parties were not emi-
grants, but visitors or friouds from the shore, The consign. rs
of the ship Helen know of but one man (an emigrant) v ho
was drowned, so that the loss of life (including the fellable)
did not, it is hoped, exceed two. The great danger of con-
tact to small boats plying on the river after dusk, even if all
preventions are used, is so obvious where steamers are
almost constantly moving about, that this lamentable acci-
dent will, we trust, induce greater caution in future. The
Helen sailed on the mornin of Thursday, and we need scarcely
say that the fatality threw a damp upon the spirits of the
emigrants on board of her.

CHESTER ASSIZES.

(From our own Correspondent.)
The Assizes for this county commenced on Wednesday, on
which day the Hon. Sir Thos. Coltman entered the city, and
opened the commission in the afternoon.
The proclamation against vice and immorality having been
read,
Mr. Justice COLTMAN, in addressing the Grand Jury,
said it was lamentable to find, in looking over the calendar,
that there were several cases where the sacrifice of human
life had taken place. His lordship dilated on some of the
most important cases, and dismissed the Grand Jury to their
labours.
The Grand Jury then retired.

MANSLAUGHTER

John Davenport was indicted on a charge of manslaughter.
It appeared, from the evidence, that on the 7th of July
last two men named Middleton and Cutts fought a pitched
battle on Kindon Common, near Wilmslow, the,result of
which was that Cutts died the following morning; .and that
the prisoner and Joseph Burgess were exceedingly active in
keeping the ring clear. The coroner's jury returned a ver-
dict against all the parties, who, with the exception of the
prisoner, who had fled, were tried at the last assizes.

The Prisoner denied the part attributed to him, and the
jury retured a verdict of Not guilty.

STABBING

William Bilfield, 22, was indicted for stabbing William
Cundiff, at Sutton, near Macclesfield, on the 22nd Nov.
The prosecutor stated, that about 12 o'clock on the night
of 22nd November, he and Ellen Hardy were returning to
Sutton from Macclesfield, and were followed by the prisoner,
who wished the female to go with him. She refused ; the
prisoner persisted, when prosecutor interfered, and in a scuffle
which ensued was kicked and stabbed by the prisoner.
The jury found the prisoner guilty of a common assault.
The JUDGE, in sentencing the prisoner, described the
()rime of using deadly weapons, in similar cases, was
becoming such a dangerous practice, that it was necessary
to make an example by a severe sentence, which was, that
the prisoner be imprisoned for two years to hard labor.
William Owen was charged with stabbing Wm. Simcock,
at Preston-on-the-Hill, on the 28th of August.
This was a case originating in a beer-house brawl.
The jury found Owen guilty of the common assault, for
which he was sentenced to be imprisoned twelve months.
MANSLAUGHTER,

Joshua Renshaw was indicted for the manslaughter of
Benjamin Harrison, at Newton, in February last.
This was a case where the prisoner was riding in his
head
the and in consequence of no person being at the horse's h
the cart ran over and killed the deceased child. f
The JUDGE, in summing up, enlarged upon the legal cul-
pability of carters, where death was caused by their
negli-
gence.
The jury, nevertheless, found the prisoner Not Guilty.
UTTERING BASE COIN.
James Wood, 21, and Win. Chantley, 12, were indicted
for uttering counterfeit sixpences. There was a count
charging Wood with making them.
Chantley was admitted evidence for the prosecution.
The Attorney-General and Mr. Cottingham appeared for
the prosecution; the prisoner was undefended.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, since the witness had en-
tered the prison, he had repeated both the Lord's Prayer and
the Ten Commandments.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and sentenced him to
ten years' transportation.
The Court then broke tip.

ST. ANNE'S WARD.—In consequence of the death of Mr.
Coglan, who expired on Tuesday last, at his house m Queen
Anne-street, a vacancy has occurred in the representation of
this ward in the town-council. James Parker, Esq., is the
candidate iu the conservative interest.
DUBLIN MAILS.—We are informed that on and after the
7th instant the hours for sailing of her Majesty's packets
from Liverpool for Kingstown will be half-past six, a.m.,
and from Kingstown for Liverpool half-past ten, p.m.
THEATRE-ROAY AL.—Mr. Wallack's benefit takes place
to-night here. His bill is a strong one indeed, and a de-
lightful evening may be expected. The " Wonder" was
repeated last night, and went off admirably.
LIVER TIIEATRE.—Mr. Raymond's benefit, and the last
night of the season, takes place to-night. We hope it will
not be forgotten by those who have been so often pleased
with the manager's providing for their amusement.