The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-17 00:00:00

ment for debt ;—;`There are in tile prisons individuals
connected with the law, who, having been disgraced
and fallen from .their station, instantly tale pains to
become acquainted with every new comer, with a view
to teach him how to defraud his creditors. The result
is, that debtors who really had the inclination, but
wanted the means, to satisfy their debts, are led to form
a determination not to pay even if they should be able,
but rather to remain in prison for the number of days
that the law affixes as the penalty. This contamina-
tion is one of the causes of the demoralization of the
lower classes in the metropolis, and of preparing for
crimes which swell our criminal calendar." (Page 25.)

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE YORK AND NORTH
MIDLAND RAILWAY.

[ln a fourth edition of the STANDARD of Friday we put
our readers in possession of the occurrence of the above me-
lancholy accident, and we are now able to furnish the follow-
ing additional particulars.]
(From the Leeds Intelligencer.)
We regret to have to record the occurrence of an accident
on the York and North Midland Railway, in the immediate
vicinity of the village of Monk and Frystone, and about fif-
teen miles from Leeds.

We announced last week that in consequence of the leasing
of the Leeds and Selby line of railway to the York and North
Midland Company, all the passenger trains from Leeds to
Hull, as well as those to York, would be despatched from the
North Midland Comjany's station in Hunslet-lane, on and
after Monday last. This new arrangement led to several
changes in the plan by which a continuous succession of en-
gines was kept up on different parts of the line. In conse-
quence of this the York and North Midland Company have
projected a new station, about half a mile from the village of
Monk Frystone, and nearly the same distance from South
Milford, at the point where the branch which connects the
York and North Midland line with the Leeds and Selby lino,
on the south side, branches off in an easterly direction. At
this point a general stoppage of all the trains takes place, the
engine which draws the carriages from Leeds for York and
Hull, for instance, leaving those for the latter place at this
new station, to be taken forward by the engine which may
bring the carriages from Hull from York and Leeds.
It was at this point that the accident took place. It ap-
pears that the usual passenger train for York and Hull left
Leeds on Wednesday evening at six o'clock, there being six
carriages, or one of each description for each town, and that
it was followed in about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour
afterwards by a goods train for York. The passenger train
arrived at the junction in due course, and the customary
changes were in progress when the goods train from Leeds
bore up, and for want of keeping a good look-out, came upon
the passenger train from Hull with a most tremendous crash.
Two of the three carriages for Hull, which had been detached
from the engine and train that was about to proceed to York,
were dreadfully shattered, and precipitated down a short de-
clivity of about six feet. The passengers were squandered in
all directions. _ _ .

One young man was killed on the spot, his head having
been dreadfully crushed, and his brains dashed upon the
ground. An elderly woman had her right arm and left hand
nearly severed off, and she only lingered till the train
reached Selby. Several persons had their legs or arms
broken or were otherwise much injured, but we have been
unable to ascertain the names of the sufferers or the nature of
the injuries, in many cases.
The name of the young man who was killed on the spot
was Henry Pattinson, a printer, in Commercial-street, Leeds.
He was about 22 years of age, and has left a widow with one
child. He was immediately identified by some address cards
found in his pocket, he having left home for Hull on busi-
ness. Immediately after the accident, his mutilated body
was conveyed to the Blue Bell Inn, at Monk Prystone, kept
by Mrs. Grace Ramsden.
On Thursday afternoon, at two o'clock, an inquest was
held on the body of Pattinson, at the Blue Bell, before
Matthew Pearson, Esq., of Selby, the nearest coroner, and
a respectable jury.
The father of the deceased attended for the purpose of
identifying his son's remains, and to receive the coroner's
warrant for their interment. The head of the deceased pre-
sented a shocking spectacle, having been squeezed quite out
of shape, and his face dreadfully shattered and elongated.
His lower lip was severed by a deep gash, on the left side,
quite down to the front of the chin. His eyes presented the
appearance of having been crushed out, and there were marks
on the forehead as if the bones of the skull had in several
places protruded, the nose being turned to the right side.
His left hand was broken, and also his right arm, near the
shoulder.

One of the persons employed on the line by the company
then gave a brief statement of the circumstances connected
with the death of the deceased ; and the inquiry, which was
attended by several of the directors from York, and Mr.
Richardson, one of the solicitors to the company, was ad-
journed to yesterday morning, at nine o'clock.
The poor woman who was so much mutilated was named
Sarah Cussans, and resided at Hambleton, about three miles
from Selby, to which place she was. going with her son-in-
law. She was the widow of the late William Cussani, of
that place, shoemaker, and was about 45 years of age. She
died immediately after the arrival of the train at Selby, and
an inquest was held on her remains in the forenoon of Thurs-
day, before Matthew Pearson, Esq., and was adjourned to
Tuesday nest.
A lady who had her right leg broken, just above the ancle,
was brought back to Leeds, and has been since remaining at
the Royal Hotel. Her name is Mrs. Atkinson, from Liver-
pool, and we understand she was travelling in the gold and
silver lace and fringe trade.
The accident, as we have stated, took place whilst the train
was waiting for an engine to be attached to convey it to Selby.
A young man, a gentleman named Stephenson, and another
gentleman, were seated in a second class carriage. The young
man having the curiosity to look out, remarked that an en-
gine was approaching upon the same line as that on which
the carriages were standing ; whereupon Mr. S. and the
other gentleman opened the door and got out ; but before
the young man found time to follow them, the concussion
took place. It was over in an instant, and the identical car-
riage of which we are speaking was crushed to pieces ; but
the young man received no injuries worth naming. Upon
alighting, which he did immediately, he found a lady lying at
his feet, and instantly rendered her what assistance he could.
It is believed that her injuries amounted to little more than
the putting out of an uncle, and she was able to proceed to
Sherburn. On the other side of the carriage lay the widow
Cussans, bleeding profusely : she had lost a hand, and her
head was much hurt.

Another young gentleman was very dangerously hurt : he
also was conveyed to, and left at Selby.
The concussion was heard at a considerable distance. The
greatest alacrity was displayed by the neighbours, some of
whom, who stated they were half a mile off when it occur-
red, arrived on the spot almost as soon as the passengers
themselves had time to look round them. The less serious
cases were confided to the medical men in the village of Shel-
burn, those of greater consequence were removed to Selby.
The occurrence took place very shortly "before seven
o'clock : it was moonlight, and the moon was at full two
days previously ; but we believe it was rather overcast at the
time, the fog with which the evening set in not having then
yielded to the frost which succeeded.
It is probably to this circumstance that the accident is to
be attributed ; and we understand that the usual coloured
light was hung in the rear of the train, and ought to have
been observed by the advancing engine driver. It is also
stated, that when the engine driver did observe the lights,
seeing that he was close upon them, he signalised the guard
to apply the brake; but, unfortunately, too late to prevent
the fatal mischief.

The driver of the goods train is named Cuddy, or Cud-
worth Watkin : he is stated to be about sixty years of age,
and to be a man of some experience, having been in the
employ of the company from the commencement of their
running.
Immediately after the wounded persons had been provided
for, a number of men were summoned from the neighbouring
villages, to assist in raising the shattered carriages upon the
tram road again. This was accomplished by about three
o'clock, and at daylight there was no appearance of any thing
particular having occurred.