Coroner's Inquest.
The Times, 1824-11-23T00:00:00

Yesterday atternoon an inquest was helc, at the Committee-room of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, betore TPSoXAS SHrELTON, Esq., the coroner for London, on the bodr of John Hide, who was kiUed on Blackfriars-briclge, on Saturday last. lr. Jobn Kinner, residing itn Gartden-vow, London-road, deposed, that on Saturday last, aboat three o'clock in the afternoon, he was passing to town over Blackfriars-bridge, and saw the deceased driv- ing a pecularly constructed vehicle, filled with some kind of slush: it was a very large tun or cask capable of holding at least 400 gal. lons,.fixed on a carriage with tsro wheels, and drawn by three horses. The deceased was walking by the side of thehorses on the fbot-pavc- ment, when suddenly his foot slipped down ttie descent, and he fell underthe belly of the wheelhorse,andthe near wheel passsed ovcr his lower extremities; the deceased groaned heavily whilst under the vwheel, and the bl-od flowed from his small clothes in torrents. A aentleman procured a coach, into wbich the deceased wasplaced, end conveyed tO the hospital. He appeared to be nearly dead when picked up, but as aell as he vas. able gave his name and address. XVitneUs considered the weight of the vehicle and its contents to be at least two tons and a half. The Foreman of the Jurv observed, that the state of the bridge, since it had undergone the iew system of Macadamizing, was truly dangerous. A Juror said, that the only thing that surprised him was, that accidents of this kind were not more frequent. It vwas most shame- ful to witnless the state of the pavements since the alterations (imi. provements theywere styled) had been made; the carriage-road on the centre of tbe bridge was at least 30 inches below the foot.pavement, and should a passenger by chance slip down the descent, it was fifty to one they ever got up alive. The Co2oxrEn could not bht agree with the aelnion of the jury as to the dangerous state of the bridge at present and if it was the intention of theBridge- ommittee to let it remain as it is, and the foot-paveFnent to be three feet albove the carriage-road, the public ought to be protected from accidents by the erection of a hand-rail, whereby thse passengers would not be liable to slip from the curb. stone. In its present state, no nervous person ought to pass oser aRer dark. The Foreman trusted that the publication of thme proceedings would have the effect of indudng the gendemen whohbave the eon- ductiag of the Bridge afTairs to adopt some plan to protect the livea of tbe public. M1r. Burclay, a ehsymist, residing in Fleet-market, deposed that he came up soon after the deceased had slipped down, and saw him lying under the wheel of the vehicle. Witness assisted others in re-. moving the poor fellow on to the pavement, and then ran for a back. ney.coach,and accoanpaniel the deceased to this hospital: hethought the poor fellow would have breathed his last before he reached hisi destination. In justice to Smith, the bridge-beadle, he begged to state that he acted tnost humanely towards the deceased man. The CoitONER complimented Mr. Bare-ay, and said thathis con- duct, and that of Smith, the beadle, waa highly creditable to themL The House Surgeon to the hospital stated, that he taw the deceased when brought in: he was in a dying state;, He had a desperate wound, about four inthes inx depth, on the' poste. riots; his left leg was teiby lacerated, andlthe small bone of hi: right leg was broken. He also wras severely injured in the loirns and back. lie lived about twohoora in d the most exeruciating agonyi and the injuriee he had related caused his dissolution. The Jury, under the leisroed Coroner's direct.ion, returnedl a verdict of Acciiden&i lDeathJ. CORONVER'S INQUEST. FATAL ACCIDENT OY BLACKFRIARS-BRIDGE, OVIN'G TO TrIHE BAD STAT'E OF THE PAVEMIEN TS.