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RAILWAY ACCIDENTS An ae:e:iele:ntof a st...
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RELEASE OF MR. COBBETT. Mn. Coiuvktt, th...
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IM PI 11)ENT INTOLKR, A NCI Titic Oxford...
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MURDER: MADMEN AT LARGE. A widow, named ...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Philosophy Of Railway Accidents. Mit...
_?^ _trnv so heavily for accidents arising from no neglect or nt of forethought , or from false economy , but from the individual carelessness of men employed , and which pre as purely accidents as if the tyre of a wheel had been hroken or a train hael been struck by lightning from zr _A _j ' _jt resolved itself into this : railway companies were ade to insure their passengers against all possible _casualties while travelling upon their line . If that -were the law and the companies were allowed to charge accordingly , there would be nothin g to Complain of ; but he did not see hv railway companies should be placed in _q ,, different W osition from other companies . Take , for instance , the case _^ f the Am azon , in which there had been so tremendous a loss of life . No doubt that accident arose from the negligence or in judgment of one of the numerous servants of the
prror company . It was quite clear that no blame could be attached to the board of directors , who had taken every means to build a first-class vessel , and to secure the best men ; yet from the negligence of one man , the ship took fire , and so lamentable a loss of life was the result . That was an exact parallel with the case which had resulted to them in the payment of so large a compensation . The directors of the company had spared no pains to obtain the best men ; but it did happen that , one foggy morning , one of the _servants a very steady , able , and intelligent man—was sent out with two flags , and with strict orders to shot * - the red one but he made a mistake , and held out a green one ; the result was a collision , and several of the passengers sustained shocks to their nervous systems , which , under
the skilful treatment of certain doctors and lawyers , produced serious consequences . All attempts at compromise were resisted , and the matter was referred to a jury . The West India Mail Packet Company got off with a subscription of 200 guineas , and had great credit for their liberality , while they , finding , from the time that had elapsed , great difficulty to find evidence to rebut the statements made by the parties alleged to be injured , had to pay between 3000 i .. and 4000 _Z ., and , he was sorry to say , got no credit for liberality from anybody . ( A laugh . ) These , however , were contingencies over which they had no control , and all that they could do was to exert themselves , as far as possible , in order to avoid accidents for the future . " Mr . Bell objected to this
philosophy" Although a shareholder , he thought it far more important that ample protection should be afforded to travellers than that thf directors should treat the matter as a mere affair of pounds , shillings , and pence . He begged to dissent altogether from the following passage in the report on the subject of the conduct of juries in cases of compensation for accidents on railways : — ' With regard to compensations , the directors will only observe that they believe the time is approaching when the common sense of juries , or the interference of the Legislature , will set some limit to the system under which extortionate fines
are inflicted upon railway companies for accidents altogether beyond their control , and resulting from some momentary act of inattention , or want of presence of mind , on thc part of some one out of the many hundred servants in their employment , however carefully the best men may have been selected for their respective situations . ' Such allusions to the common sense of juries were most unjust and uncalled-for , inasmuch as the law did not make railway companies liable unless neglect was clearly proved ; nor did it make any exception in favour of railway companies from the ordinary rulo , that a principal was liable for tho acts of his agents . "
Mr Laing , in reply , said that there was only one case of litigation pending at this moment , anel that was in its earliest stage . " It arose out of tho case at Fordbridge , where it , woulel bo remembered tho engine-driver _attemptoel to commit suicide . A gentleman of Portsmouth who was in tho train had died subsequently , and tho ongino-elriver was charged with manslaughter . On the case coming before the judges of assize , at Winchester , a few days age > , the juelge stoppeel the case , and directeel tho acquittal of tho prisoner , on the ground that the eleceasorl hael eliod , not from tho accident , bnt from a complication of diseases under which he laboureel at tho timo . With such a decision in their favour , ho could scarcely imagine that tho company woulel be
_Hadelleui with any compensation . He shoulel be sorry to have it supposed that they _looke-d at tho _emeistion of accidents merely as ono of pounds , shillings , anel pence , or that the value or human life coulel bo estimated by money . All that ho wished was , that the principle of tho Carriers' Act shoulel bo applioel te _> railways . Supposing that by one ; of their express trains somo evoning half a ele . _zem _bisheips , or tho Lord Chancellor , shoulel bo ( ravelling , and , although the t : _ompanypaiel wages anel _useel every exertion to obtain tho host mon , one of their servants shoulel _heilel out , a w r < mg _^ _ff > or fi ivo a wremg signal , anel any of thoso _dignified persons we _; ro _injure : d , why shoulel the _e-oinpany he
called upon to pay 10 , < XM ) L for » ' i _binhop , or 20 , 00 M . for a _Lorel Chancellor , whilo thevy only paid thoir 2 \ d . per mile like any ordinary passenger P ( Hear , hoar . ) Tho _Carrier ' Act provided that _specialeiompensation shoulel not bo paid ior ge ) OelH , carrie ; d at the orelinary rates , anel valuable ; goods , as , for _instane . ei , bullion or silk , if tho carrie : r wore ; reqniri : el All r ( , H _l < mHi , ) ' ° ior theim , we ; re e : hargeel at higher ra ( e ; H . All that Iio wanted was tei apply the ; same principle le . _liifiliemi . and to the ; Lewd Chancellor as was now applicable to JmloH of silk or cheats e . f bulliem . " ( Che : e : _rs . ) This is certainly a classification e > f artificial pre _> elue : ts moro cennpe _: nelious than satisfiictory .
Ar00907
Railway Accidents An Ae:E:Iele:Ntof A St...
RAILWAY _ACCIDENTS An ae : e : iele : ntof a strange nature _bolbl the train leaving Birmingham _, for London , at a epnirf or past nine ; on Tuoselay morning . As the train posHeel _Horkswe ; ll cutting , about a mile Houth of Hampton Station , the ; _euigine ; , as the _elrive : r _lesonboH it , began te oscillate ; very much , anel tho duat nnel gravel flew about so that ho coulel Boiirce ; ly see . He _lurnoel tho steam off and _gavo tho alarm , and tho noxt mo-
Railway Accidents An Ae:E:Iele:Ntof A St...
ment the engine had broken from the train , and the carriages were rolling over upon the down line . A second after a down train was running into the displaced carriages . One of the carriages was driven up the bank on the _siele , and was completely shattered . Two passengers , Mr . John Thomas Beddington , and a boy , named William Floyd , of Oxford , were killed . The driver of the detached engine went on to Coventry for assistance . It was found that the ashpan had been torn from the firebox and fallen upon the line and thus eaused the accident * The enginedriver of the down train , as soon , as he saw the carnages upon the line in front of him , reversed the efigine , put on the whistle and jumped off , receiving little injury . An inquest was held on Wednesday , in which the main
object of the investigation was to ascertain the cause of the ashpan coming off . At the commencement of the proceedings , Mr . Bar , on behalf of the company , assured the Coroner that the company woulda render every assistance in their power to ascertain the faCts . Jenkinson , the engine-driver , and James Crawford , the foreman of the locomotive department at Rugby , _eleclared positively that they had examined the engine on the Tuesday morning before starting , and had found her perfectly safe . The engine was about five years old . They thought that the ashpan must have been torn off by coming in contact with something upon the line . _However , the driver had not felt any such jar as would probably have been produced in sueh a case . The coroner was about to close his inquiry on this evidence , but Mr . Whitten , an alderman of
Coventry , on behalf of the friends of William Floyd , insisted that they should not be satisfied with the evidence of the servants of the company , but should have a further examination of tho engine . Upon a suggestion of one of the jurymen , Mr . Mosedale , an independent machinist of the town , wont to inspect the engine . He found it altogether in a bad state . One of the nibs which held up the pan appeared to have been broken off for some time , and the others to have been very imperfect . The ironwork belonging to the pan was decayed . There were some parts of it missing . The fire , however , was burning when he looked at it , and ho could not examine it properly . The jury decided that a further inspection ought to take place when the engine was cool . The proceedings were adjourned for a _weelc .
A man in the employment of the Great Western Railway , named Thomas Watts , was standing at the Wallingford station on Saturday . An express train was approaching _, and just before it passed , he threw himself upon the rails . The engine caught him and threw him a hundred and fifty yards , after which the train passed over him and cut him to pieces . An inquest was held at Canterbury on Saturday evening , to inquire into the . death of Samuel G . Daniels , who was killed at the Ashford Station of the South Eastern Railway , on the twenty-fourth of last month . He was in a third-class carriage which wa 3 unusually wide . The train was passing along a siding , which was roofed over ; the roof was supported by iron pillars , Avhich are but thirty-three inches and a half from the inside of the rail , and which were but nine inches and a half from the side
of the carriage in which Mr . Daniels was travelling . The carriage was roofed over , but was partially open at tbe sides . Mr . Daniels put his head out of the window so far as to strike against one of the pillars . The train stopped at the next station , and the sufferer was taken to Canterbury , but he dieel the same night , his head being found to be terribly crushed . On the application of tho coroner , the Commissioners of the Board of Trade had sent Captain Wynne to inquire into the matter , and ho states that carriages of this width require bars across the windows to prevent passengers protruding their heads . Ho found tho first and seconel class carriages provideel with such bars . Tho jury returned a verdict of accidental death , with a censure upon the company for thoir disregard of the Bafety of third class _passenge . _rs .
Another railway accident happened on Thursday , on tho North-Western Railway . Tho express , precedeel by a pilot engine , was on its way from Liverpool to London . For somo unexplained reason , the pilot got in tho way of the express , anel a collision followed , which resulted in the ; death of the drivor of tho express . The passengers wero not much hurt , only " their nervous system received a shock . "
Release Of Mr. Cobbett. Mn. Coiuvktt, Th...
RELEASE OF MR . COBBETT . Mn . _Coiuvktt , the victim of thirteen years' "standing , " who is almost as well known by the habitiiSs of tho Court as Miss Elite herself , has at last escaped tho clutches of the Court of Chiuicery . Thc Lord Chancellor , e > n Ssitnrday , stated that he hael _discovered , by looking carefully through the papers in his case , that Mr . _Cobbestt was not detained for contempt of Court , but few ne > n-payn > ent _eif costs . Mr . Oldfielil , the plaintiff , ( iir the _e-ause ; to which Mr . Cobbett is , or was once a party , ) consented te > his be : ing discharged at once . Se > _, after thirteen years' captivity , Mr . Cobbett ut length learns tho occasion of his imprisonment . Although cle ; iireel of " contempt , " we doubt whether he take's le _: avc of the ; Oemrt e . f Chancery with any increased respect , for that ve : nerable ; institution .
Im Pi 11)Ent Intolkr, A Nci Titic Oxford...
IM PI 11 ) ENT INTOLKR , A NCI Titic Oxford . Herald , of Saturday hist , furnishes us with the ; following disgraceful placard . No cause much le : ss that , of de , moerue : y and free ; thought , can be se : rve : el by sue _: h me : ans . "The ; Holy liiblo ve ; _rsus the Mass Book . _—Protectants anel CatholicH of Lemelon . The ; past three hundred yours teach , that the mind-perverting anel t yranny-upholdinir Church e . f lteme ; , shall perish by mortal blows , struck at the root of her system by practical demonstrations . As you lovo God , humanity , and justico—como , therefore ) , and
Im Pi 11)Ent Intolkr, A Nci Titic Oxford...
behold your faithful servant , D . de Chylinski , haw effectively he upsets the whole system , of Popery and priestcraft , by demonstrative lectures . Dr . Teodor will perform in all its pomp _theTRomish Mass , to enable D . de Chylinski to demonstrate , by practical illustrations , the mockeries of religion , the derisions of Christianity , and the awful reviling * of God , which the Pope , Wiseman , priests , and monks are doing daily , when acting the theatrical burlesque called the Romish Mass , to pilfer the people of Mass money . The Wafer Gods will-be sold at Id . each , at the doors . —On Tuesday , August 3 , 1862 , at St . Mary's parochial boys ' school , Newington-butt 8 . On Wednesday , August 4 , 1852 , at Bingfield-house assembly-rooms , Lansdowne-road _, South Lambeth . On Friday , August 6 , 1852 , at theEbenezer chapel , Edward-street , Upper Park-place , Dorset-square . Admittance , by tickets , 6 d . each , front seats Is . To commence at seven o ' clock precisely . Britons of all parties ! Rome , abetted
by continental tyrants , tries to overthrow your Protestant throne , British institutions , and freedom—and because I proclaim these facts , must I be therefore sacrificed by you to the vengeance of wicked ambassadors , hon . and rev . wolves , anel Russian spies ? Whoever tries to kill me by libels and backbitings—whoever opposes our expositions of priestly frauds and papal extortions—him you must bring before me , and I will prove that all our slanderers are indeed the impostors—aye , and high traitors to your Protestant throne , institutions , and liberty ; read The Two Witnesses Vindicated ; and insist upon our libellers to justify themselves face to face before me , from the villanies of which we have convicted them—for if you will hearken unto their backslidings—God shall punish you for helping thus Rome , Russia , Austria , and Prussia , to destroy , your best friend and faithful servant , D . de Chylinski , 5 , Clarence-place , _Clapham-road . " Does the rector of St . Mary ' s imagine that this is a creditable way of resisting " Papal aggression" ?
Murder: Madmen At Large. A Widow, Named ...
MURDER : MADMEN AT LARGE . A widow , named Elizabeth Thomas , lived at Prenton , about two miles from Birkenhead , with three sons , William , Joseph , and Samuel , of the respective ages of twenty-five , twenty-three , and nine years . The eldest , William , who was very affectionate towards his mother , has for some time suffered from mental weakness , but he was not considered dangerous . On Saturday night about nine o ' clock , the family were waiting for Joseph ' return home , when the -maniac suddenly told the mother to go to bed , saying that he would sit up for his brother . The mother went to bed with her little boy who always slept with her . " "William then went to the garden and dug a grave of considerable length . Having finished this to his satisfaction , he took a razor and
went to his mother ' s bedroom , and deliberately cut her throat . The little boy was aroused by his mother ' s struggle and screamed with fear . The brother told him to he quiet and carried him in his arms to his own bed , and then left him , kissing him twice and saying he would be with him presently . He went back to the body , and after tying the hands together with a handkerchief , wrapped it up carefully in the counterpane . He carried it down stairs to the garden and hurried it in tbe grave he had dug . An hour or so later Joseph came home . The madman went down stairs to meet him , and said , " Joe , I ' ve killed my mother and buried her in tbe garden . I've made her comfortable , and she will be a good deal better off . Don't you go nnd say anything . " The body was _afterwnrds founel buried in the garden .
The miserable man was brought before the magistrates at Birkenheael on Monday . He seemed quite insane and altogether unconscious of the nature of his position . He was asked whether he was guilty of tho charge ; ho said , quickly and vehemently , " No , I did not ; not as I can _recollect . " Samuel Thomas , the younger brother , was then sworn , anel gavo tho following account : —My mother was a labouring woman . She went out , washing . Sho was a widow . William Thomas ia my brother , and lived with us . Another _breithcr _nameel Joseph liveel with us . On Saturday night I went to heel about nine o ' clock . My mother
_we ; nt to boil at tho same timo . Wo _sle : pt together in tho top room . Thero are three rooms up stairs . Soon after I got into bed I went to sleep . Whon I went to bed William was left in tho " house-place" alono ; anel soon after I got into _be : el I hoard some ; one go out of the _heiuso-placo into the back-garden . After 1 hael been asleep somo time I was awakened by my mother , as it , se : omcel to me , pushing against mo . I them saw William standing by tho bed , oa the siele where my _meithor lay . He hael a razor in his hand , anel was going to cut heir thre > at . It , was dark at tho time . Ho had his twe > knee _; _s on her _bedding her elown . lie ; held tho razor in his right hand , anel a lighted candlo in the otber . He put tho canello in tho winelew-plue : ei anel Srasped my mother ' s throat with erne ; hand , and cut her iroat with the ; _razeir , which ho he ; lel in the other . My mother _wrostlcel and _trieel to get but did neit struggle ¦¦ _wi'iiujwiunticd tiiui irieu to 1 _imji jivjiok _it
away , . _. f-J *' ' _uwiiy , . < uj <* , , _^ _. _u much . Sho struggled a little ; , but was noon _quiteftill . He then came ; rounel tho bod to me ; , anel < : ftrriod mo to his bed in tho front . Wbe ; n he ; h ; ft _me- > he ; said , " I will he with you just new . " I was _e-. rving ve _^ ry loudly all tho time , and he told mo to _heilel my _noine _; . When ho left mo ho we ; nt bock to my mother's _roeim , anel _presentl y afterwards , hearing his stops on tho stairs , 1 looked anel saw my mother's licael . I e : oulel not see ; the ; boely ; it mob being _dragged down stairs . I eliel neit , hoar wheiro William went to after he ; got down stairs . _Abeiut ten _minutcH afterwards he camo bafck to mo , and put a clean shirt on . Ho then wont into my mother ' s r 6 om . Presently X heard k noi » c ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 7, 1852, page 9, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_07081852/page/9/
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