Wrexham Guardian

TEBilBLE DISASTER; ON TH:8 | GEAT WESTERN RAILWAY. —— HEARTRENDING SCENES. 1 /fREXHAM AND RUABON VICTIMS. THE INQUEST: STATEMENTS BY THE DRIVERS. A railway aceid; nt, which caused a profound sensation throughout tne kingoom on Christmas Day, occurred on the Gieat Western Rudway on Thursday wetk, a few hundred yards fr< m the Tillage of Hacjpton Gav. anJ clcso to Shiptuu-on-Cherwell, near Oxford. The train contained a large number of passengers, most ot whom were siting fneuds for the Christmas. They were being conveyed in 13 earri«ges. and two engines, from the Great Western station at Oxford, at 11 40. to Birmingham and the north. The train, which was half au hour late, proceeded safely about six miles, when the tire of the wheel of a third- class carriage broke, and immediately left the metals, and for at least 300 yards plunged along over the sleepers, many of which were cut in two, and rushed Over a wooden bridge across the river Cherwell. Between this bridge and a similar bridge over iie Oxford and Birmingham Canal the carriage was thrown down the embankment, as was evident from a deep sear cut in the grouBd, and dragged after it several others It wag here that tbe accident occurred. The train was going at the rate of 40 miles an hour, pnd the impetus given to the carriages an they left the rails carried them with terrible force for a lorg distance until they w finally dashed to pieces in the meadows below. Three carriages and a luggage van were deposited beyond the canal. One Carnage carried away one of the stone abutments of the bridges and fell in splinters into the water. The frag- ments of two carriages, turned wheels upwards, were literally strewn about the embankment, and one carriage was hurled right across the up line on to the bank. The front part of the train continued its course for soire distance. There can be no doubt whatever that in the Case of the majority of the victims death was instan- taneous. The overturned carriages, the heart-rending shrieks of the injured, the dead bodies seen in all direc- tions, and the scattered luggage, combined to render the spectacle horrible in the extreme. The more slightly in- jurt i a! once net to work with piniseworthv alacrity to help their uisi; eased fellow travellers. Large fires were lighted along the embankmeut from the broken carriages, and Thirh r the wounded went in dismal groups, whilst ethers sat disconsolately in the snow, apparently over- come with the magnitude of the disaster and their own providential escape fiom a fearful death. The sad Occurrence was witnessed from the Hampton Gay paper mill by the workmen, who apprised their master, Mr Pearson, of it; and the mill was immediately stopped and they proceeded to the pot, about a quarter of a mile from the llllll. Mr rearsoa and his men at once pro- ceeded T8 rescue the sufferers, some of whom they con- veyed as fast as possible to the manor house at Hampton Gay. Owing to the distance, however, from this place, great difficulty was experienced by Mr Pearson in re- moving them, while haruly any assistance was sent, to him from the neighbouring stations, two of which were within sight of the accident. At the earliest opportunity, telegrams weve despatched to Oxford ana other places for medical assistance but here, again, there was considerable delay, and it was about au hour and a half before a doctor appeared, Mr Maliam, surgeon, of Oxford, being the tiist on the spot. Be was followed by others, all of whom were most un- remitting in their attention to the unfortunate sufferers, whom they caused to be conveyed in a special train as quickly as poss.ble to the Radcliffe Infirmary at Oxford, fee, '1 he scene at the Oxford station WàS most exciting, as it haa become known throughout the city that a dread- ful accident had happened and hundreds of persons presented themselves in the fear that relatives and friends had been victims. Most of the wounded and dying were conveyed without los. of time to the Radcliffe Infirmary, while others were sent to New College, Jones's Rad- Way Hotel, the Randolph Hotel, the King's Arms Hotel, &c., where they received the best, medical assistance. At the infirmary, 50 patients were counted, of whom most are known. Some wonderful escapes were mentioned in Oxford, and among them is that of a gentlcn n sitting with his nephew between his Knees, who WH, unhurt, while the youug man was killed. In a com; artreent containing 11 person*, five of whom were relatives, the latter are said to have escaped totally, wh.le of the remaining six none survived. Two ladies were thrown on the up line out ot a carriage, winch was immediately shattered to pieces. The work of extricating the dead and wounded from the rubbish was a most difficult and painful one. Not only were they got out one by one, but by threes and fours, and underneath the fragments of one carriage no fewer than 13 dead bodies were found. One man was ji.tnmed into the ground across the loins by the buffer of a third-class carnage, and it was three hours before the fragments could be raised sufficiently to extricate him. As the bodies were removed fivm the wreck they were placed on the tide of the line, and were then conveyed on hurdles and other extemporised biers to a shed adjoining the paper mill. Here in an hour or two lay a row of dead bodies; some mutilated beyond description, from the old nwa to the child of tender years. The dead were carried across a ditch, over which the side of a carriage served as a bridge, and in the sned above alluded to the shocking task was performed of searching the bodies with a view to identification. Lord R. Churchill and several ladies from Blenheim Palace, with a Christian feeling which entitles them to the heartiest gratitude, administered nourishment and stimulants to those who stood in need of them. The canal bridge, curious to say, although carriages have been hurled right and left of it. is still standing, but its timbers have sustained a fearful shaking. While the work of getting out the dead was in progress, a well-dressed man attempted to steal the watch of a gentleman, and, being detected in the act, he was roughly treated by the crowd. He was safely handed over to the custody of the police and locked up. As darkness fell upon the scene the exertions on the part of the workmen were suspended for the night. The repair- ing of the line was, however, actively proceeded with. The greatest excitement was exhibited on the whole of the Great Western system north of Wolverhampton when it became known that the accident had occurred. Owing to the telegraph communication being blocked no precise information as to the accident could, however, be ascertained that evening. The non-arrival of through trains was sufficient proof to the officials that an accident had occurred, but the majority of the public north of Birmingham were kept in ignorance of the true facts until the arrival of the papers on Christmas morning. All along the line crowds of passengers assembled on the platforms at the stations on the look-out for friends, and making anxious inquiries of the officials as to what had taken place. All newspapers coming to hand were eagerly sought for, and the newsmongers found their supplies nothing like equal to the demand. At Buabon considerable excitement prevailed when it became known that in the ill-fated train were several persons bound on a vicit to friends in the neighbourhood. Some of the injured boucd for the district continued their journey on the Thursday night, and were forwarded from Oxford vie. Worcester. Amongst the number was Mr Edward Crutchloe, of Barton, London, who, in company with his little hoy, were about to pay a visit to his friends, who reside in Oswestry. He is suffering from severe injuries to both shoulders. He stated in answer to inquiries that he could aot give much account of the accident owing to being stunned and confused. He was travelling with his son in a first-class carriage in the train referred to. There were two gentlemen, one of whom was a hencbman, in the same compartment as himself they got along very well until after passing Oxford. The first thing he noticed wrong was the jolt- ing motion of the carriage; next they appeared to be dragged along, the carriage being off the metals. Immediately afterwards the carriage turned over on its side. Mr Crntchloe was stunned, and upon coming to himself found that, together with his little boy, they were lying at the bottom of the carriage. The French- man escaped without injury, but the other occupants were less fortunate; one gentleman was cut badly. Mr Crutchloe's soc, as well as himself, was badly hart. After a time a porter went ta their assistance, but. they were not extricated until the top part of the carnage 1 was removed. Mr Crutchloe found that he was I able to walk with a little assistance, and he and E his son were then wrapped up in rugs and t placed on the side of the line. He remarked t hat the scene at this point was something terrible, and it Ippeared to him that with one or two exceptions the c hole of the carriages in the train were smashed. Most hsartrending were the cries of the injured, who in r romy instances called upon the more fortunate passengers 1 toassist them out of the wreck. After lying on the I sicW of the line for sometime he with others were I attended by a surgeon, and subsequently they were taken n back to Oxford. Finding that he was able to continue a his journey he was conveyed with his son and numerous w others in a special train via Worcester to Wolverhamp- v ton, w here they arrived abuut ten o'clock at night. On w this part of the journey the injured persons were kindly h attended to by a surgeon who resides at Wednesbury. t< Later on they proceeded to Oswestry, which place was ir reached between two and three o'clock in the morning, n Both Mr Crutchloe and his son were removed to his II brother's house, and Mr Sides Davies, surgeon, called in a! to u.t' Although both are at the time of S riti +,0 their beds, they are progressing f( lav" there were two ladies on their rp vIas Madoc. The tl face was ce i of the young «ewi a wish to tb -villain in Oxford for the time being, and they were ai once conveyed to the residence of a surgeon. ] Another of the injured passengers was the Rev. J. Book, virar of Moreton. Oswestry, who was returning home. Wh'n it was known on Christuias-day that th. 1 ■>~v. ec;;t!emin was in the unfortunate train, quite II wlb cast over the pariah in which he resides, and ■r anv and anxious inquiries were made after the worth; vicar. When tidings reached Wrexham of the disaster the greatest excitement prevailed, and the station was besieged by persons anxious to know if their friends were sufferers. No authentic news was however received until a late hom, notwithstanding the exertions of the stationmaster (Mr Fryer). On Christmas Day the newspapers were quickly bought up. and many were compelled to wait until Saturday for particulars of the accident. The following were amor? the 35 killed:—Mrs White wife of Mr White, Little Knolton Hall, Mr J E. Richards, surgeon, The Fennant, Ruabon; Mr J. T. Hughes, barrister, The Fennant, Ruaoon Mr T. T. Pilkington, O E., Wrerharo Mr J. A. Pilkington. Wrexham; Miss Jane Pearson. Shrewsbury Miss Barker, of Brymbo; and Mr Humphrey Williams (who was on his way to Dolgelley). In the list of the injured are the following:—Miss Barker (sister of the above-named) .daughter of Mr Barker, of Brymbo. The two sisters were returning from London to spend the Christmas at home. The younger of the two lost her life, and the other is in a precarious condition in Oxford Infirmary. She is suffering from a fracture of the base of the skull and a broken arm. She occupied a respectable position as school- mistress at Plumstead, London. At midsummer last she came over for the holidays, and on return- ing she took with her a little sister, eleven years of age. The Rev. J. Hook was taken to the Radcliffe Hotel, suffering from dislocation of the collar bone and fracture of one rib. He is progressing favour- ably. Mr O. Perrott and Miss Perrort, son and daughter of Mr E. S. Perrott, Bronhyddon, Oswestry, escaped with a few cuts only. Mr Perrott was very active in assisting to rescue the passengers, and to carry away the dead bodies. A daughter of Mr Green, of Cockshutt, who was on her way home from London, was injured. She is a home and progressing favourably. A son of Mr Griffith Jones, lhh, was also injured. It is said that the youthful Lord Kenyon was a passenger in the train, but he escaped without hart. Several others from this district were injured by the accident.

THE WREXHAM VICTIMS. INTERMENT OF THE BODIES. The gloom which overshadowed the Christmas celebration, consequent on this terrible accident, has been largely shared by Wrexham and its immediate neighbourhood, furnishing as it aid a liberal quota of victims to the holocaust. Much sympathy is felt for the family of the late Mr Pilkington, of Chevet Hey, who was well known and much respected in this district. The deceased gentleman was by birth a Scotchman, and by profession a civii "cr. He was descended from a noble ancestry, having several titled rela- tives, his great grandfather on the mother's side being the sixteenth Earl of Duncairn. Mr Pil- kington had resided in Wrexham during a number of years, and had taken some part in its public affairs. For three years he was a member of the Town Council, and he had recently been appointed chairman of the Stansty School Bonrd. As an engineer, he planned and superintended the con- struction of the Wrexham waterworks, and subse- quently carried out very successfully the water- works scheme at Ruthin, where he was well known, and where the intelligence of his untimely end created a most profound sensation. Latterly he had been engaged it planning a railway system for the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean, and in furtherance of that object had paid several visits to the island. His professional pursuits of necessity made him a frequent traveller. Mr Pilkington was returning home in the ill-fated train with a son by his first wife, Augustus John Cameron Pilkington, a youth of 19, who was a midshipman in the merchant service. There were to be great re- joicings at Chevet Hey this Christmas, for, in addition to the ordinary festivities, the eldest daughter of the deceased was to have been married. Great preparations had been made for the wedding, and the sailor boy was journeying to Wrexham with his father in order to be present at his sister's nuptials. The awful suddenness with which father and son, in common with many of their fellow- passengers, were launched into eternity has been already fully described, and most of our readers are tolerably familiar with the details of the sad catastrophe. Intelligence of the fate of Mr Pilkington and his son reached Wrexham with the morning papers on Christmas Day, and the grief of the bereaved wife and children, as well as the sensation created in the town, may be better imagined than described. The same evening, Mr William Low, jun., and Mr Marsden Low, a surgeon, sons of Mr William Low, of Roseneath, to whom Mr Pilkington was related by marriage, his first wife being a sister of Mrs Low, proceeded to Oxford to identify and claim the bodies. About two o'clock on Saturday morning the bodies arrived at Wrexham station, and were conveyed to the residence of the deceased. From the absence of any external marks of violence, it was evident that death had resulted from some internal injuries. The countenances of the deceased had undergone no perceptible change since the accident and from the placid appearance of their features they appeared more like persons in a deep sleep, and had evidently passed out of existence almost without a struggle. The face of the youth did indeed show cuts, but they were merely super- ficial and not in themselves sufficient to account for death. It has been reported that Mr Pilkington's face bore evidence of bis having received a heavy blow in the temple; but this is an error. There was no scar of any description either upon the visage or about the head, though the forehead was swollen and reddened as from a sudden effusion of blood to the head, which, in the opinion of Dr. Williams, who examined the bodies, was in his case the probab]e cause of death. The deceased, of course, wore the clothes in which they were attired at the time of the accident, the sailor being dressed in his naval uniform. It is somewhat remarkable that the clothing was not in the least disarranged or torn or soiled, their shirt-frcnts appearing as spotless as when their under-garments were first put on. Mr T. C. Jones, who conducted the funeral, thought it a pity the corpses should be disturbed in order to be enveloped in the ordinary shrouds, and they were therefore placed in tho coffins in the clothes they were woariBg at the time of death. The wooden shells were placed in metallic coffins supplied by Mr Pierce, Bridge-street, Wrexham. On Wednesday, the remains of Mr Pilkington and his son were conveyed to Minera for interment. The funeral procession left the residence of the deceased about noon, and was com- posed of two hearses, two mourning coaches, and several private carriages. Most of the shops were half-closed, and the greatest sympathy was mani- fested by the townspeople, some of whom appeared to be deeply affected. The following was the ordar of the procession:— 1st Carriae-Dr. Williams, Key. J. Dixon, and Mr John Jones, solicitor, The two Hearses and eight bearers. 1st Mourning Coach—Master Charles and Master James Pilkinfrton, sons of the dec 'used Mr Low, Mr Bell, brother of Mra Pilkinsrton, and Mr 1.1 wellyn Low. 2nd Mourning Coach—Mr W. Low, jun., and Mr Alfred Low. Mr Anderson, and Mr Rouse. Dr Davies s private carriage containing Dr Davies and Mr Watkin Williams, M.P. Mr Low's private carriage in which were Mr Turner, Mr Ajnworth. Mr Bull, of Oswestry, and the Rev F. B. Brown. In another private carriage, Mr Jones, of Ruthin, Mr Joyce, Mr T. C, Jones, and Mr William Pierce. A drive of about an hour and a-half brought the funeral to Minora Church. The bodies were met. at the gate by the Rev, J. Williams, the officiating clergyman, and conveyed into the sacred edifice, where the burial service was read in a most impres- sive manner. The party afterwards proceeded to the grave, which was dug close by the place of in- terment of the first wife and one or two children of the deceased. As each coffin was lowered into the grave a wreath of qamillas was placed upon the lid. A melancholy interest attaches to these flowers, as it appears they had been grown expressly for the marriage celebration. The ceremony was a very simple one, and was soon concluded, and the party then returned to Wrexham. The weather was in- tensely cold. Much sympathy is felt in Ruthin for the family of the late Mr Pilkington. The new burial ground, Ruthin-road, Wrexham, received the remains of two other victims on Thursday afternoon, Mr J. T. Hughes, of Fennant, liuabon, and Mr J. E. Richards, his cousin. Mr Hughes was the son of the late Mr Hughes, of Fen- nant, nnd his cousin the son of the Rev Mr Richards, |1 a former vicar of Rhpsllanerchrugog, and during J whose time the present church was erected in that village. On the death of Mr Richards, his children were adopted by Mrs Hughes and brought up with I her own. Young Mr Hugbes had not lcng been called 1 to the bar. The last time he attended at Wrexham in a professional capacity was at the Michaelmas » Quarter Sessions, when was prosecuting counsel J Ln a case of salmon stealing and he also appeared is a junior in a cose of assault that was tried at the same sessions, in which Mr Swetenham appeared t for the prosecution, Mr Morgan Lloyd, Q.C., Mr c rrevor Parkins, and Mr Hughes being retained for he defence. The funeral cortege arrived at the 8 «metery in the following order:— Carriage containing the Rev. J. JOBes, rkar of Bboei and 1M Be". D. WUliMBB, carat* 0 -_1-. Hearse conv ying the body of Mr John E. Richards. e S'cond hearse conveying the body of Mr John Thomas I Buihes. F;rt mourning coach containing Mr "William Hughes IInd iv Mr P. Richards, brothers of the deceased Mr J. Edwards, Ty Bi oughton, Hanmer Mr J. Bateman, Hanmer. <1 Second mourning coach conlsinin the Hpv. A. 1. T'1ylor. t1 Mr Charles Wright, Ruabon; Mr William Thomas, h and Mr E. Smith, undertaker, Wrexham. a 8eron:l carriage containing ten bearers. i1 The bodies were transferred from the wooden r shells in which they were conveyed from Oxford, to a metallic coffins, from the establishment of Mr Pierce, h Wrexham. v The Vicar of Rhos. who has been most kind to Mrs 11 Hughes and her family in their pad bereavement, y read the funeral service. In consequence of the t frost which succeeded to the partial thaw on Sun- d day last, the paths in the cemetery were coated with n ice, and in a dangerously slippery condition. The d authorities were applied to for a few ashes to be r strewn upon the paths. Strange to say the applica- i tion was refused, and Mr Smith was obliged to get A sawdust put down before it was possible for the bearers to carry the bodies with any degree of a safety f Another fatal Ruabon case was that of Mrs v White, whose husband is butler to Mr Walker, of r Knolton, a mansion in the neighbourhood of Over- f ton. The unfortunate woman was on a visit to her t husband, and entered the train at Oxford She at ( one time intended to bring her two children with ( her; but happily for the latter changed hpr mind f at the last moment, and came alone on the journey which proved to be her last. t Mrs Attree, widow of a brother of the wife of Mr Whalley, M.P., is lying in a critical state at the King's Arms Hotel, Oxford, and also Miss ( Attree, who has a fractured arm. The late Mr I Attree was a civil engineer, residing in Corwen, 1 with offices in Cannon-row, London. He was a clerk to the Enclosure Commissioners.

STATEMENT BY A PASSENGER WHO RODE WITH MR. PILKINGTON. Mr John Mason, Royal Ferry Hotel, Now Brighton, wntes a letter to the Times, in which he gives a graphic account of the accident. It will be of interest to our readers, as Mr Mason rode in the same comp-rtment of a carriage with Mr Pilkirgton. He says: Upon arrival at Oxford the train was generally well filied, and the compartment I rode in had no vacant seat in iL There were many passeBgers upon the platform, and a rush was made for seats. Two passengers alighted from our compartment, and five came to occupy their places. I had a little boy in my charge to take to Birmingham, where his friends were to meet him, and to make room. I took him between my knees. At this time, and since leaving Reading. I sat upon the near side of the carriage next to the window,—that is, on the left of the train as it ran,—and with my back towards the locomotive. Upon the same seat, upon my left hand, there sat six persona. Next in order to me were three women, one of whom sat upon the lap of another; next to these were three men; the farthest removed from me were Mr Pilkington and his son. Upos the opposite seat there were six passengers. Not long before the train started a guard came to the door and said more carriage room had been provided, and there were seats T for those who chose to take them. No one moved, and 8 the train started, leaving as seated as I have described. I looked at my watch, and it was then 15 minutes past 12 a o'clock. Abont ton minutes later, and shortly after F passing Woodstock-road Staticn, I heard three sharp, i] short beats of the engine whistle. I knew the signifi- ance of this whistling, and my attention was fixed by it. Ji Immediately afterwards, within a second or two, thera ] were indications of something wrong in front. I hfard it i grating noise as of wheels upon the ballast, I turned of my head over my shoulder and looked through tho side r window, and saw small pieces of timber fly past and into f ,he hedge at the foot of the embankment. In another jitt nstaut the front wheels of our caniage appeared to ?ai eavc the rails, and by a sudden jerk we were disconnected Cai 'rom the carriage in front, the coupling-iron breaking, but »V e then left the rails entirely, and it appeared to me that. assi he after-part of the train was overrunning us. A second tW0 of violent rocking ensued, in the course of which let he carriage seeped to tilt over to my side and towards the Sir lope of the embankment. Involuntary I leant towardi to < he opposite direction, and the last recollection I have o lati nything preceding the final crash was throwing mysel sec o my face on to the floor of the carriage between tb Wi eats, the little boy still remaining between my knees. [ had a dim sort of impression that something behmd us was crushing the body of the carriage in upon us; but reflection since satisfies me that rea)1- did not happen, and that the wreck of tb? superstructure of the carriage was caused by contact with the ground while it turned a summersault as it was hurled down the embankment. As it lay tbe e^ it was divested of everything but its lower frame an running gear. The body. the compartment divisions and the seats were torn aw!>.v, and it was lying at th bottom of the slope parallel to the railway, with its si' wheels in the air. Underneath it I found myself flat c my back, firmly fixed and quite unable to move n" head was towards the ton of the slope, my ler-s fully e- tended and spread out diagonally across the carriage ad downwards. Upon my left arm, and upen a. level wh me, were two women, quite dead dooe to these, loer do a gentleman's head, much wounded and bleedig. rested upon my hand. He begged me not to withdlw it, as I tried to do once m an effort to extricate mvlf, and I let it remain. On the other side of me tw or ihree others lay dead, and across my bodv and legs and woman lay, still dive. They conversed and utred fervent prayers to God for a long time. At lengt the voice of the woman ceased the man only spoke At the frst I beard and recognised voices and crie/rom flvf or six persons these became silent one b" one, until only two of us were able to speak. B^ing rarest, to the "lit-1de. I was at fi-st asked to cali to tl«se we could hear moving about. I did this, and expreed the I entertained that in liftmg up ihe body of 1e car- riage it would take a different bearing and crush lose of who yet lived. I begged that the carriage be Mckt d* or shored up, so as not to fall or slip from thf>osition it was then lying in. These injunctions thfengine- driver of the tram, a No ih-countrvman, pd great attention to, and he was ultimately the means orescuino: who were still alive. He informed me iterwaids hatof 17 persons who were under the carriaf. he saw and assisted to take out 14 dead. Myself and .vo others were probably all who providentially esrped with their lives. As nearly es I can calculate we were extricated from our terrible situation with' 40 or 50 minutes of the occurrence of the accident. Itemed an age hut from what I saw later, and from O num -rous appeals which must have been mad to the few office's of the company and others who we* capable of renrJering assistance, I fesl satisfied the 1st was done ander the ciicumstances, though, if that uel pressure could have been earlier relieved, more might have been saved. 1 was much shaken and unn vnd, and was bruised and cut on the head. Under the csriage, exeite- menr kept me in possession of my faculty which, bow- ever, deserted me soon after my release. When I came to mvseif, I took a general survey of ie seene of the accident, and endeavoured to come to so conclusion in ray own mind as to its cause."

EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENT. A JeaHi,^ gtutleman of the univejty writes:—"I have visite the sufferers at the Infirmiy, and have con- versed with many of them. A Wolvrfiampton gentle- man, I find, was an occupant of the arriage known as 'he Oxford third. He had bepn trapcting business in the City, and on Thursday mornineproceeded to the station to return home. lnsre^d of ravelling, as was his custom ordinary via Worcester, h was told that he could get to his destination by thetO.O express, then considerably overdue. On its arrivphe found that all the carriages were full, and he wflJkl up and down the platform trying to find a seat in n. It was found rfcessary to put en another carriae. and a third class was presently brocght, up and piacl at the end of the train next to the second engine, e was so struck with the appearance of this carriage thahe formed an opinion ■that it was unfh fino unsafe for ravelling, and for a moment he hesitated whether hehould enter it or not. Ultimately his anxiety to get horrovercame hi> scruples, and, although he had taken a ticet of a superior class, he got in on the spur of the moisnt with six other per- sons who had been waiting at, 1e station. No sooner had they started than he and h fellow passengers re- marked the shaky condition of Ie carriage < It shook and trembled so much,' he sa, that I made up my mind I should never get safe! to my journey's end. After travelling a short ditaJ6 we heaTd sometbinsr humping ag inst, the bottom c the carriage, and almost immediately the floor of the liddle compartment rose as if rrised up with a crowba We then became aware that the carnage hadleft thesis and was bumping over the sleepers. I put my hea out of the window and seized the signal rope or eonnnnication, which 1 pulled with all mv might to alarm e guard or the driver. To my great surprise it would rt yield as I expected. In fact, it seemed to have no efct whatever. At the same moment a man who was with me, pnd who is in the telegraph service of thtJompany, put bis body out of the wirdow on the other s of the carriage, and shouted and waved his hat. The;ext instant we collided with fearful violence against th bnttress of a bridge, and I saw no. more. When I covered consciousness I found myself sitting at the bottn of an embankment, and at first I felt that 1 was injd, and attempted to rise but could not."

THE LIABILITY OF THE RAILWAY COMPANY. The Financier 8ay: Some doubts have been freely expressed duiag the last day or two as to whether the Great Wstern Railway Company will be held liable for daages for the injuries incurred by passengers throuh the late deplorable accident at Sbipton. It ha been asserted, in support of this view, that the atastrophe was of an unavoid- able character, andhat no amount of vigilance on the part of the .I way officials could have pre- vented it. These'pinions, however, are altogether without foundat;n, and, in fact, we are unable to understand how 1ey could have been for a moment reasonably proDlted. It is admitted on all sides that the accidet was caused by the breaking and flying off of thtfyre of me of the carriage wheels, and a study of aptain Tyler's last report on rail- way accidentsshow that this contingency is regarded by tt Board of Trade as one absolutely avoidable. Inhis report for 1873, the Govern- ment Inspect( remarks that there were nine accidents arislg from the same cause during that year, and he^bserves that, if railway companies persist in no*adopting the method of fastening tyres to wheelrecommended by the Board of Trade they must sufr for the consequences. The method recommendedis, that the tyre should be made fast by a double (circling clip bolted through no accident of a kind now recorded is known have taken placewhere this system has been It is knownoowever, that the wheels of j 1. Jreat Western csf'age in question were fitf. i with tyres on aiifferent principle, and one which was expressly eddemned in the report referred to—viz., with four countersunk rivets. It is therefore evident th;, 80 far from there being a doubt as to the liabiiy of the company, the prospect of its being muted in damages is unusually clear."

RELEF OF THE SUFFERERS. A prtfet has been set on foot for the relief of the suffers. The initiative was taken by the Duke o Marlborough, who forwarded a cheque for JB20 His Grace, who is Lord-Lieutenant of OxfordJire, addressed the following letter to the Mayor f Oxford (Mr G. Round):— "Blenheim, Christmas-day. "Mdear Sir,—It has occurred to me that a subsection may be possibly set afoot in Oxford and nghbourhood for the relief of some of the suffer(B in the accident at Shipton, which has ap- palledis all so fearfully in its magnitude, and the numb" of its victims. "Iiany case, expense# will have been incurred both t the infirmary and other places where the suffers have been removed, and I shall therefore bemth obliged, if, as I am leaving home for some timen Monday, you would allow me tophcein your banc the enclosed cheque which can be applid in any manner for the above object which you lay consider advisable. make any use you like of this letter,, and belike me, Yours faithfully, MARLBOROUGH. 'The Mayor of Oxford."

INCIDENTS. is stated on good authority that the Board of Trade wi now hold an inquiry into the whole of the circum- stll ces. Fryer died on Tuesday. Great apprehensions a; entertained respecting some of the wounded in the pdcliffe Infirmary, but most of the patients there and iiprivate lodgings are getting on well. Two deaths occurred on Thursday, namely, Mary Jirker, of Morden, Dorset, who has died at Walsall, and Jittle girl named Yates, of Wilts. This increases the tal deaths by the disaster to 35. Joseph Simmona has )t yet recovered consciousness. The funeral of Mrs Laverfck, housekeeper to the Earl Carnarvon, took place on Wednesday, in the pretty :tle cemetery on Lord Carnarvon's estate, Highclere irk, near Newbury. Owing to the confinement of Lady jrnarron, his lordship was preventad from attendi rg it many of the friends of the unfortunate decea se sembled round the grave. THE QUEEN AND THE SUFFEBERS.—The following tter has been received at the Kadcliffe Infirmary from x William Jenner :—" The Queen has commanded me ask, in her Majesty's name, how those injured in the te accident are progressing." Mr Hallewell, the cretary, has since been in communication with Sir illiam, to whom be liu forwarded dot. Ma"v B iker, one of the sufferers, died on Wednesday, t Poole. The Railway Passengers' Assurance Company calculate ^at the cliems for insurance wi'l not be large. Mr A Nclo-t--s, commercial traveller, Ketiilworih. had a ticket pn'iitbn? Irm to XI 000; Mrs White, third class, one for -C?00 and Mr Gardner, also third class, a lickei for X200. One of the injured passengers also is insured. Among thoe who escaped in the icciueut was Mr George James Eustance. who, with hi* two (lauettitals. WHS on h s way to Shrewsbury to spend the Chi isrmas hoJidRYs. Mr Eustance wis thrown violen-ly again6t the p:utiticn of thH compartment, and is face was cut and bruised. For a f-jw moments he remained insensible, and. on recovering consciousness, hJ clambered out of the wi idow. Fortunately, the doors on ttie uppermost side of Ihe <"arria^e were unlocked, and Mr Eustauce having released his daughters (who escaped without wounds, al- 1 hough rendered partially insensib'e), drew out a young lady named Bnn liey. who was proceeding to Doluellev on a visit to her grandfather, Mr Roberts. Miss Brimiley sustained a severe laceration on her forehead, foolll which blood flowed copiously, but. she had sufficiently recovered by the evening to enable her to continue the journey to Wales. Mr Eustance opened the othe-- doors of the eir-irge, avd, fizid,pg that i.-iie of the occupants were seriously injured, left his daughteis on the embankment while he went to uffoid such assistance as he could to those who stood in need of help. He came to an eldeilv woman whose ;eg was entiui; led among some iiouwoik. She was moaning out, "Christ, have mercy upon me! Lord, have mercy upon me Mr Eustuece speaks of the lindness of the Pei, hbouriig residents who sent soap and b-andy to the suffeiing, and mentions that one of his ft,ilow-.pa,ssei)gei-s, who entered the train at Oxford, had with him some shirts, which he thoughtfully handed over to the medical men for use as bandages.

THE INQUEST. SATURDAY. The inquest was held on Saturday in the Manor House of Hampton Gay, the teaidcnce of Mr Pearson, the paper manufacturer, who, w:th the whole of his employes, rendered such valuable assistance to the maimed and wounded passengers immediately after the accident. Mr William Brunner, coroner for the central district of Oxfordshire and for the city, presided. He was assisted by Mr George Brunner, the deputy coroner. Mr Richard Gening. a gentleman farmer of the neigh- bourhood, was elected foremaa of the jury, and the inquiry was instituted into the death of Edward Sylvester and 25 others, who had met their death so suddenly. Mr Webster, of the Home Circuit, appeared for the Great Western Railway Company, the officials of the company present being-Sir Alexander Wood, deputy chairman; Mr Grierson, general manager; Mr Arm- strong, locomotive general superintendent at Swindo, Mr Tyrrell, general superintendent; Mr Stevens, divisional superintendent; Mr Gibb", stationmaster at Oxford; Dr Cooper, surgeon; and Mr NeLon, solicitor. There were also present a large number of the friends of the deceased, and notable persons of the neighbourhood. The Coroner, in open ng the proceedings, said they had met to satisfy their Sovereign ind the country of the causes of a catastrophe which he believed to be almcst without parallel in the railway history of the country. He desired, however, to say nothing then, except in the most moderate terms, in regard- to the accident, because in such an inquiry they should forbear coming to any conclusion from what they must have heard, and listen to the evidence, which on that occasion would only be as to the identity of the bodies, that they might be removed and buried. They had now only to institute a good and diligent inquiry, and make such presentment as might strike them as the result of their inquiries into the evidence tending to show the origin of this terrible catastrophe. In performing this duty they would be watched carefully at every stage from one end of the kingdom to the other. He hoped, therefore, for their support in the discharge of the duties which had fallen so heavily on him. The coroner and the jury then proceeded to view the 26 bodies lying in the paper-mill close by, where there was a painful scene, a number of the friends and relatives -of the deceased having arrived in the same special train with the coroner from Oxford, and being engaged in the sad work of identification. The whole scene presented an appalling and ghastly appearance, and must have created a nauseating sensa- tion in the heart of the most callous. The man W illiams' (Dolgelley) features were calm, with a visible smile, and but little injured. Mrs White, wife of a butler at Knolton Hall, was a woman dressed in purple j she was not very much injured apparently. The jury next proceeded with the officialsof the Great Western Railway Company along the Tne, where they learned from the experts who were present their explanation of the accident, so far as it could be gathered from the appearance of the wrecked carriages, and the injury done to the sleepers and permanent way. On their return it was stated that thirteen out of the twenty-six bodies had been identified, and orders weret issued for the interment of several of them. E The first witness was Mr B. H. Van Tromp, whil identified the body of his only child. The witness mor j than one-. broke out into uncontrollable grief. I Mr Lov. Burgeon, of Wrextiam, identified the bod v of John Thomas Trotter Pilkington, civil engineer, 5 p and John Augustus, aged 19 years, The latter was midshipman in the merchant navy, and I have knov him ail his life. They were coming from London n Wrexham. ti Mr William Charles Hughes, of the Fennant, nc ci '21 Ruabon, farming with his mother, sai 1: I identify Jo h Edward Richards, a cousin of mine, aged 24: or 25, n, surgeon, of 12, South Crossland Grove, Hacknoy, L tl don. He lost his father when a young child, and a1 mother adopted him until he was old enough to c< c( mence his studies. I also identify John Thomas Hug 11 my brother, aged 26, a barrister, of 2, Middle Tea pi Lane, Temple, London. He was practising his et fession. They were coming home for Christmas, I pc left Paddington by the express train on Thursday. bt William White, college servant at Christ Churct be 26, Speedwell-street, Oxford, spoke to the identi-ca jji; of Mary W hite, aged 35, wife of Edward Wha butler, his brother, at Knolton Hall, Ruabon. s (h was on her way to see her husband, as she ke.1 tbl lodging-house, New Inn Hall-street, Oxford, andt 1b, the train at the station there on Thursday morniro m go to Ruabon. ;hi James White, bill poster, of 49, King's Cross-1, London, said that he identified the body of HumlY Williams, aged about 50, a journeyman carpenter, 4. Rushton-street, Hoxton, as his uncle. He was trfTtfg from Paddington to Dolgelley, North Wales, tC hd his Christmas with relations and friends living thin. Other bodies having been identified, A conversation ensued between the coroner ni,ry and tke representatives of the railway compary, It" t be course the future inquiry should take, the fistnt being whether the unidentified bodies should bereced to Oxford, where the other proceedings were eenlI) decided to be carried on. The Coroner paid itvof b' necessary for him to summon another jurv fr tin quiry in the city of Oxford but he would no hath bodies removed from the Mill uutil they wereienec Mr Webster, on the part of the railway oan¡ said that they felt the greatest regret at the ccone of so terrible and melancholy au acei(lentin(fee only too desirous to afford every possible ilif,mall-0 the Coroner and the jury on any point. rilpry reason why the company had suggested Oxrd toe further proceedings was that probably SOe he friends of the deceased would come from Jndl 8J.d Oxford would be more convenient for iem lie company, however, only desired to consult 9 w'e! of the coroner and jury, and if they decid ttfit at Oxford a special train should be put at tbdi of the jury, so that they might reach the citit sf tme they might fix. After some consultation with the meJerf the jury, the Cororer -aid they had come to 1 Colilion to sit at Oxford, but they should expect st ttere everything required for their investigationnd ket to be furnished with a plan on a large scale cheie) in- cluding the part where the evidence existeof ttim- meuceinent of the accident. Mr Webster at once complied with the ues Permission was then given by the coro' anuT to clear away the damaged and overturned Lrrits, the one of which a tyre broke being ordered) btfut on, or, rather, its remains, to Oxford. This rmpii was the more readily accepted as the body thaissing child, it was suggested, might be under te oaem, it not in the river, and it was then settled tt tl would meet at 9.30 a.m. on Monday, at the ftior mse. to complete the identification of the bodierttoto Ox- ford, and open the city inquest at the )unflail at 12 a.m., and then sit from day to day Ul tnqUlry was finished. MONDAY. The adjourned inquest for the ldenfeati 01 in bodies was held to-day. The Coroner said he was pleased to ve e oppor tunity of telling them that nearly the wb of e bodie would be identified that morning --ei)abt hi to got Oxford, open the inquest. In order per™ tli duties properly they purposed that thuryrom lit county and the jury from the city shd sitogetler but not amalgamate, and hear the evi3coviva <?c< from the witnesses. He observed thaot nly "ete they called upon to perform a duty to t tow, butJie eyes of the whole country were directec,ya>s thti to clear up this affair. They were calleon;o peorm a sacred duty to their fellow-creatures ato tie Id at large. He was quite satisfied, by the f irwhi the jury had hitherto attended to their (es, thothey would perform the duties of good citize Georga Rivington, a printer, living mreffsbti sa'd among the bodies viewed by the jury wntil that of Jane Peirson, who was a single wen, ondiative of Shrewsbury. She was a millinerid as years of age. She was coming from Whittrclb iamp- shire, whero she was employed, to ShtebfT spend J Christmas. She was witness's niece. David Thomas, steward to the E of (arvon, identified the body of Margaret Lavericwbo house- keeper to the earl. She was single non. j' William Kemp, crcotRercMl travel) of Swell s,) Exeter, identified the body o^mes Elljs a who was a herbtdist, residiiat Shrewsbury R 1 J known the deceased some tlve years. He'had'he'n away on a journey for five mhs, on hi„ f!« was a mumed man, wi a wife living and'a children. ° Robert Gardner enichliuel-, G6, Osborne-stre- Manchester, identified his so.iohn Gudner ag,,¡j >i years, who was travelling f*)8w:rmoii to Ma«cne "r t'he deceased was also a co^i .er,a,ld waa t „ home to enjoy his Chnstna.ii Tjje derease at work for the railway coup, ;,nd v he (witness) expected at Get. He had a work ncket to travel at half-fare, his wns the poor tV, I who had an insurance ticetulld ou him 'for Xn i issued at, the Swindon Staion Othe!- b,)diet, wre ilei)ti -,I It trauspired during the hetg of the evid w t t some hen rt le^s scoundrel hd II nuking it lUll ke: u of the occurrence of the act'd^nd had'aken ocri t to impose on a tradesman ,)f Cir(j Mr Tuck ci t -by going to thai gentkumi representing tC. },» was the father of June P«one 0[ the feiniles ki ) A in the accident. He add! thhe was short of fun.'i., and requested Mr Tuck tclemm a Sovereign, ai e same time tendering him hat ported to be hisaddn-s Subsequent inquiries, hoever!lcidated the f-ict Mi it the address was a false u, ar»f course Mr Tuck v 1 defrauded of his money, .Th,'Coroner mention. had conrmmic, „d with the Board of Traddetag how he had d-- mined to pursue the uqy. cuencii.g with the t- ing of the tram from Pdingl and the eve.Its attended its progress at sev, stoppages, rekuiv o the change of carnages^ askil]g the £ d Tra.te to take part in thtquii This was the whole «he cwd;ngs at fJ oay, bat. just as the ju wer Hvmg the mill { 1 poor countrymen arrive an,t once ideurifM -emaining male corpse that th",ir brother, tie recognition being accoanu with that ouuvvrd expression of feeling wt j ,dos at all time3 inr„; « agony of mind. There !g n.cial frain iu r..ad.. to convey the coroner o Ord, the brolhera w ordered to go on there fve tence. An adjournment theri, pi to the Oxford Station where another jury v emielled in one of I he waiting rooms. The Coroner, in op<> throceediugs, said a v-rr important duty devoW.ponem that day as m ■/ bers of society and-me/to inquire into he unfortunate accident i, the death of til X four persons. The wb,un was informed of the facts respecting it byrepg in the papers, sev,ral of which confined thwes f .cts, and some ex gerated a good deal. ouicierefore advise the- to give their verdict accc to 4 evidence before them t'roui the important tu lHeld, he owed a d,b to our Sovereign by thdict ey g.ve in com,ott with this calamity wh dded so fa ally to 111'101 of hisi fellow-creaturd • t0 Ma fellow-c.riz-nfc He should take care noime was begtud^d and nothing done to pre,& fit,'Iucidation of the He was fully satisfiedthe lway authorities wouid give them -very, ftssisin tir oower. Three other bodied idtified, and the jury ex- pressed a desire to thdine, and the coroner acquiesced in the sion. i. visit was paid to th. Eadchfre Infirmary fdietfication of the boy of Mr Csesar. J It was expected Mr irker, from Wrexham, woiid arrive and giden of identitv as to hi, daujnter, Aggy Barb littJgirl lymg at the statior, ancno one putting- ipp ance, the jury were jis. TutdV 1Dla UT TKEY WMID MEED °A I -he inquiry waaied i Tuesday, before the cifr and county junoe Canty-haU, Oxford. Mr Wbster. barrister, nted « railway company. Mr Nlson. solicitor to npan and Colonel Yolland tb Government inswerelso present, beside. Mr V\ F. Loch, of 'he.y Paenger Assurance C m- Py,' McBrucy stenntendent at Norwich; n ssessn° the Board of Trade The first witness > W. H. Head, bunder, olEgham who id the ody lying at the Lifir- Hry, as that of Usesur, reengrocer, of Egha-n. The next witrw MrHugh Hughes, station sptnnreadent at Itou. He said he sa. w the ex- pss train start frddiugm to Birmingham. It casisteil of ten cowo bike vans, and one engint id teiider. All fages lere in regular use, and » old ones were jt Padington. The wheels of I carriages are ei on tb,r arrival at the station. II that are founAre fotase. The train started va minutes late ie of a uard named John Price, here is a cord cicationbetween the gu.iiu and aver, which wased, aa found right before th* ain started. John Peach, stster, leading, stated xpress was ten irate at ieading on the morning >f the accident, would have been an ■; •■ual )Ccui --ence but fong Chritmas time. At readmit here wera about sons Siting to go by a; traip tnd he: put on annrd-clas carriage and a ;u^gasi ran. The train from Wing 25 m aates iate. rbe carriage put been used on the Basingstok# ine, and was in jer. Ie had no doubt that the vheels of the train 'ere tapped at Biaditur irevious to its defor Oxord. Mr Adkins, t supeintendent on the Great vestern, stated traveled by the express on the lormng m quesar as Gcford. at which place the rain arrived at ates pat twelve. A tliird-clan uriage and anorine wire attached to the train ere, the coach four vheels, and being placed L-it to the secoie. "vV tness did not know where ie third-class came f roki. The second engine waa ttached in cons of th, driver stating that ha )uld not keep tag to the slipperiness ofthe rail* the formatiooress ttain., it was n06 usual to t in four-wtarriag^, although in Cases of nergency this e. The rate this train Was sun. )sed to run betndon and Reading was.(3 milet it on this day an at tho rate of 37fuliles per lur, and betweing and Oxford at the 'ate of 36 ties. Mr James Wbbs said: I am statiotfnaster at Oxford, and ha twenty vears in the -ervice of the Great Westtfay Company. I was fl duty on ine arrival of tss on Thursday last. in engine md tender weroat Oxford, and placedin front of ;he other enginird class carriage wasalso added ;o the train, a placed next to the toder of the second engine, irriage had bpen 1ls.!( at Oxford the three prews. It had four It had been running bVolverhampton a, d Oxford Be considered thas perfectly fit fo! uk. OIl its arrival after irneys the whoels II'erl ted. Oa arriving at 02 carriage was put itP I shed for use. It was tion Thursday for the eyra traffic of third-class rs. William Tcrd inspector at PiLddirg,)n said it was his duty t; carriages before they Tere put to trains. He i the making up of ie 10 am express on TI The carriages mad dip In that train were tan different haes in thltaddingtoll Station, some haying come in hi 'tbt before He thought tl out of the whole ttfVe rCiicleg had come in ht before. They ram up four. wheel carriagin express trains. Hfcut a four_ wheel composho Brecon express e*y day. it was preferred had instructions no; pat a"s- wueel in for ]I As to patting four-v^] carriacM into expresseilv he had no instructs. h« his own judgto tha^ Henry Rh engine-driver, in he emptor of the Gresirn Company, said had been in the emplfor 24 years, during years of which he hadriver. He drives 41, six-wheel engme withoot driving wheel J separate tender. He he 10 a.m. express Oxford 011 the 24th. 1cs for that express wfchanged at Oxford. HÜ was first put on aftfae change and eonsequ was attached next ftrain. He had cime frerhampton that nighnd arrived at Oxford at the run to Oxford he tid the rails very slipperyd not iatended to tafesgCQnd en- gine with thfrom Oxford. In the 0arr coarse he would ncone so. He could tell how it was that a mgine was put on. hen he had gone over tho pick up the third-3 carriage anbtier engirt for. and this Engine waa put,u in froi He did not koowo attached his Ogine ferriages. It was coq with the coujling bolo itself. There werq;je chains. It .as net > have them betwfthe tender anahe c-trrilhich it is attached. did n,,t see thehird-clage loaded. He wa-led by the heti guard, .ce. As the train l'xford botk enpos were; to draw it. The t-ift at 1215 rb rails welippery after it leffard, and in hisudgmented was from 30 to iles an hoar upo the tin accident. The trad attainpa th speed b(ot to Woodstock hmd after it paid Wolvnction. It ran atspead up to tfjtime of tlent. He was sta: on the off si< of the ewhich is tho driyje. James fl, his fireis on the engine who He wag 6tlping douove a piece of wn which ke pi his foot ie observed the b gong rope I n/ing. T just after the had passed I Bnpton C.nd a few yards shthe wooden b'ge over er. He had not the gong sond On he rope moving hlij along the ss of theses on the off-side w pieces of siw and cng about. Thefcared to be cning fromthe carriages whicbeen put en aOxford. t off steam and bl whistle for t3 brakes, his mate said there carriage off fe line. Oing the second (th) bridge the <gines and got parted from tfcf tho^train. 1hat he haidescribed happetweea a ,.rds on thed side of the ChEriver bridge, !yond Hairfhurch and the caige. It this lattet the separation oc He cannot IY what caae separation. Id not say at hich end canal bridge the Son occurred, e did not i carriage off thehen his mate .Iled attenthe fact that a c was off. As on as heed the cord mov reversed the igine, whimate put oa the He