From the Folkestone Observer 10 January, 1863. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

ROBBERY

Monday January 5th:- Before the Mayor and John Kingsnorth, Esq.

Thomas Groves and George Cockson, privates in the 96th Regiment, stationed at the Camp, were placed in the dock, and the following evidence was given:-

Thomas Brown, K.C.C., was on duty at Hougham on the 2nd of January, and at ten a.m., at the "Royal Oak" in that parish, saw the prisoners, who were drinking in the tap room, and told him that they had passes, but they had lost them. He approached them as deserters, they being in uniform, but Groves had no military cap on. He saw the chisel produced sticking out of the pocket of Groves's tunic, and charged Groves with having stolen property in his possession. While talking, the chisel fell out of the pocket, and witness picked it up. Groves said he bought the chisel at Dover. Witness then asked Groves for the hammer in his possession, which he had been offering for sale. He at first denied having a hammer, but after a few minutes he gave it up. He took them in a conveyance to Seabrook station, and on the way they found Groves's cap. The prisoners were committed from Hythe as deserters, and after they had been conveyed to Shorncliffe Camp he apprehended them on the present charge.

James Quested Petts, builder in Folkestone, was building a house near the railway station. The workmen and himself left their tools in the house at night. The chisel produced was his property, and was in the house at five o'clock on the 1st of January. At half past 7 the following morning he missed several tools, but having no occasion to use the chisel he did not miss it till the afternoon. That morning he found a ladder against the back kitchen window, the window open, and a piece of candle in the yard.

There being no evidence against Cockson the charges against him were dismissed, but Groves elected to be tried by a jury at the Quarter Sessions.

Groves and Cockson were then charged with a second offence.

John Allen, labourer at Hougham, saw the prisoners between 9 and 10 on the morning of the 2nd of January come out of a meadow near Steady Hole (sic) on the road to Dover – Groves being without his belt, and Cockson without his cap. When he first saw them they were standing in a corner of the field, and he thought they had left something there, so he went to look, and found the painter's basket, tools, and two coats, now produced, which he took home, but he did not open it until P.C. Swain came to his lodgings for it.

George Haynes, painter, was at work on the 2nd of January at Mr. Petts's house, near the railway station. The basket, and the dust brush, chisel, two punches, scraper, screwdriver, and nail claw, now produced, were his property, and were left in the building at half past four o'clock on the 1st of January. The hammer was also his property, and was left in the basket. The tools were worth about six shillings. There were two other articles in the basket.

The prisoner Cockson said he left the barracks about half past three o'clock on the 1st of January, with two men who slept in the same room. He went to the "Three Horseshoes," but did not remember leaving there. He supposed he went out about tattoo until next morning, when he found himself lying in the Dover Road. He had lost his waist belt and the number of his forage cap, and looking about to find these articles he saw Groves. They went together to a public house, where they had a pint of beer. They left that house, and went on to the "Royal Oak." The policeman came in there and took them into custody as deserters. He saw nothing but the chisel and the hammer in the house.

The prisoners were then committed for trial at the Sessions.

Note: The tools were stolen from the then-nearing-completion of the "Railway Bell." Jan Pedersen.

From the Folkestone Observer 14 March, 1863. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

ADVERTISEMENT

To Be Let, with Immediate Possession, the "RAILWAY BELL INN," near the Upper Railway Station, Folkestone. The house is just completed, and contains large Bar and Bar Parlour, Tap Room, Parlour, and Club Room, Six Bedrooms, commodious Cellars, and all the usual Conveniences, besides a large Walled Garden.

For particulars apply to G. Holledge, Esq., White Post House, or Mr. J. Gardner, Architect, Folkestone.

From the Folkestone Observer 4 April, 1863. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

QUARTER SESSIONS

Thursday April 2nd:- Before J.J. Lonsdale, Esq.

Thomas Groves, 24, and George Cockson, 24, Privates in the 96th Regiment, were indicted for stealing one hammer, one painter's basket, one dust brush, one chisel, two punches, one scraper, one screwdriver, and one nail claw, the property of George Haynes, at Folkestone, on the 1st of January last. Both prisoners pleaded Not Guilty, and a petty jury being empanelled, Mr. Frederick George Francis being foreman, the following evidence was called.

George Haynes, painter, was employed on the 1st of January last on a house that was being built by Mr. Petts near the railway station. He last saw the tools that had been stolen in that house on the 1st of January, in an upper room, in a basket, where he put them at half past four o'clock, and he missed them the next morning at seven o'clock. The outside of the house was locked, but not the room. In the morning the back room window was open. The articles were worth about 6s.

Thomas Brown, K.C.C., on the 2nd of January, found the two prisoners at the "Royal Oak Inn," in the parish of Hougham, at half past ten in the morning. The prisoners were drinking in the tap room, and said they were on pass, but had lost their passes. He then apprehended them as deserters. While talking with them a chisel fell from the tunic pocket of Groves, who then said he had bought it at Dover. Witness asked him for the hammer, saying that he had had information of his trying to dispose of a hammer and chisel. At first he denied having a hammer, but afterwards he produced it from his trousers pocket. He then secured the prisoners, and conveyed them to Seabrook.

John Allen, labourer, saw the two prisoners in a meadow near Steddy Hole, Dover Road, between nine and ten in the morning of the 2nd of January. Suspecting something from their manner, when they went away he went to see if anything was left behind, and he found a basket with a quantity of tools and two old painters' coats. The coats were laid over the basket, and the whole was under a piece of gorse. He took the basket and coats in his hand to his lodgings at Steven Burvill's, where he put them in the front room. Before he got to the place where the soldiers were, he had passed by the house Mr. Petts was building. When the prisoners were in the field they were about thirty rods from him, or six times the length of that room, but he could swear to them. Groves had his belt, but no cap; Cockson had his cap, but no belt. Burvill went to the "Royal Oak," and between two and three in the afternoon P.C. Swain came to his (witness's) lodgings, and he delivered the things up to him.

P.C. Swain on the 2nd of January went to the "Royal Oak" in company with Mr. Petts, where he saw Mr. Burvill, who said that his lodger had got a basket of tools and two coats, and he went on to Burvill's house under the cliff. Burvill went down to the house, and returned with Allen and the basket and coats.

This was the case for the prosecution.

The prisoner Groves then said that he came into possession of the hammer and chisel by picking them up in the Dover Road. He had been drinking for two days, and when the policeman asked about the things he was not in uniform, and it was on that account he told him he had bought them.

The Recorder, in addressing the jury, threw some doubt on the testimony of the witness Allen, who gave positive evidence before the magistrates as to the identity of the prisoners; afterwards, on cross-examination, said he was not positive, and now again had become very positive, but gave a description of the dress of the men differing from that he gave before the magistrates. It was for the jury to say if this was due to the confusion of mind of an ignorant witness.

The jury retired for a short time, and on returning into court gave a verdict for both prisoners of Not Guilty.

There was a second indictment against Groves for stealing, at the same time and place, a chisel, the property of James Quested Petts; but as the case was supported only by the same evidence as that upon which he had just been acquitted, the prosecution was dropped, and both prisoners were strongly admonished by the Recorder, and discharged.

Note: The theft was from the nearly-completed "Railway Bell." Jan Pedersen.

From the Folkestone Observer 28 May, 1864. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

EXTENSIVE ROBBERY

Hugh McMarth, a young man of very intelligent and respectable appearance, who was recently in the employ of Mr. Peter Thomson, draper, was charged on Monday with stealing a quantity of cloth and a variety of articles, the property of Mr. Thomson. The prisoner had been apprehended at Folkestone, and handed over to the Dover Police by the magistrates of this borough. He was brought before C. Stein Esq. at Dover on Saturday, and was remanded to complete the evidence for the prosecution.

Prosecutor deposed the prisoner was lately in his employ as traveller. He gave him notice to quit on the 16th instant, and paid him his wages at nine o'clock in the morning. He then asked the prisoner if he had anything to be booked against him, and he replied “No”. He asked the prisoner how many pairs of boots he had had from him since he had been with him, and the reply was “Three”. He told the prisoner he had only accounted for two pairs, and deducted for another pair from his wages. He asked the prisoner if he had any goods to give up, and the answer was “No”. The prisoner then went away. Between eleven and twelve o'clock the same day he saw two of the boxes now produced taken from his house and put into an omnibus. On the following Thursday he saw the prisoner in Folkestone, carrying upon his back a packing box and leather strap which belonged to him. They were in the prisoner's charge when in his employ, but he had neither given him them or given him permission to take them away. He stopped the prisoner and asked if he was going on business for himself or if he was travelling for anyone, but he replied “No”. He then took him to the "Railway Bell" public house, and after they had had a glass of ale together he gave him into custody upon a charge of stealing the packing cloth and strap. At the police station he opened the pack, and found in it two pieces of calico, each six yards long, two five yard lengths of skirting – the former bearing his private mark and the latter matching with some in his possession. In the pack were other things which he believed were his property. On Thursday evening he went to the "White Horse" public house, St. James's Street, and found three boxes, two of which he knew belonged to the prisoner, and had been removed from his house the previous Monday. The boxes were taken to the police station, and when they were opened he found they contained a variety of things, some of which he identified as his property – viz. – three sunshades or parasols, a pair of Scotch tweed trousers, a flannel shirt, three pairs of stays, a scarf &c. Those articles which he could swear to as belonging to him he valued at £4, but he believed the whole of them were his property.

Prosecutor, in cross-examination by Mr. Fox, said the prisoner entered his service in April, 1863. The agreement between them was that the prisoner was to travel for him for three years, if he conducted himself properly, at £25 per year, and £30 if he suited him, and all travelling expenses. There was nothing said about determining the engagement by notice. He gave the prisoner a month's notice to leave because he was not satisfied with him – because he rode about on horseback and in flies, stayed out late at night, and because he suspected his dishonesty, as he had lost things from his shop and could not make out where they were gone. He did not verify his suspicions until after he had discharged the prisoner, but he travelled a fortnight endeavouring to detect his dishonesty. There were no other reasons for his discharging the prisoner. He paid the prisoner his wages at the rate of £25 a year. After deducting several items for clothes he paid him £8 19s 6d in cash as the balance due to him. The prisoner's duties were to solicit orders and take goods for sale. The goods he took out he cut from pieces in prosecutor's shop, and was supposed to enter them in a book, but some of them he could swear the prisoner had not entered. To the best of his belief the letters on the sunshades were in the prisoner's handwriting, and the figures in his wife's handwriting, but he could not swear to this. He identified the Scotch tweed trousers because he was wearing a pair of the very same material. The prisoner, when charged with stealing the packing cloth and strap, said they were his property.

P.C. Ovenden, Folkestone, deposed that he had received the prisoner into his custody at the "Railway Bell," Folkestone. Nothing was then said by the prisoner, but at the police station he said “I know the prosecutor has got an account against me for some things which I have received and not accounted for”. The prisoner also asked him what he could do in the matter, and he replied he could not tell him. The prisoner said the things in his possession were all his own property. Upon the prisoner he found a bunch of keys.

William Cheeseman, an omnibus driver, was called to prove that the boxes found at the "White Horse" were those he conveyed thither, from the house of the prosecutor to the prisoner, but all the witness would say was that he took some boxes there, but did not know how many there were, nor what they were like.

John Friend, landlord of the "White Horse," said the prisoner came in an omnibus with the three boxes produced, and two of which had been identified by Mr. Thomson, to his house about noon on the 16th inst., and left the boxes there. He afterwards showed them to the prosecutor, who removed them to the police station.

Police sergeant Bailey said he received a bunch of keys from the witness Ovenden, and with them he unlocked the boxes brought to the police station by the prosecutor, and which contained the articles enumerated.

Mr. Strood submitted that was the case for the prosecution.

Mr. Fox said the prisoner would reserve his defence.

The bench committed the prisoner to take his trial at the next quarter sessions for the borough.

From the Folkestone Observer 2 July, 1864. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

EXTENSIVE ROBBERY BY A PACKMAN

The Dover Quarter Sessions were held on Monday, before the Recorder. The case of chief interest was the following:-

Hugh McMath, 23, draper, was indicted for stealing a packing cloth, strap, two pieces of calico, and a quantity of other articles, the property of Peter Thomson, at Dover, on the 16th of May. Mr. Biron (instructed by Mr. Minter) was for the prosecution; Mr. Channell (instructed by Mr. Fox) conducted the prisoner's defence.

Mr. Biron, in opening the case, said the prosecutor was a draper carrying on business in Castle Street, and for rather more than a year previous to the 16th of last May the prisoner was in his employ as a packman, in which capacity he used to travel round to neighbouring towns and dispose of his master's goods. Upon making up his book, he ought to have inserted a list of articles he was going to take away, so that his master might have an opportunity of taking an account when he returned. For some reason or another, the prosecutor gave the prisoner a month's notice to leave, and on the 16th of May he left his employ. The prisoner's wages were £30 a year, and he also had the privilege of taking at cost price such articles of clothing as prosecutor kept in his shop, and from time to time, as his wages were paid him, prosecutor deducted any money which might be due on his account. On the 16th of May, as the prisoner was leaving, they went into the accounts, and prosecutor said “Have you got anything I am to charge against you?”. Prisoner said there were three pairs of boots which he had had repaired, and this was deducted from his wages with some other trifling charges, and the balance, £8 19s 6d, handed over to him as his wages. But before he left, prosecutor said “Have you taken anything else?”. Prisoner replied “I have now accounted for everything I have had”. This transaction took place about nine in the morning, and in the middle of the day the prisoner came and fetched his boxes away, which he had conveyed to the "White Horse" public house in St. James's Street. In the course of the day the prosecutor went over to Folkestone, and there he found the prisoner with a pack. The oil-skin cover and strap belonged to the prosecutor, and ought to have been given up before the prisoner left. On opening it, the prosecutor found it to contain two 6 yard pieces of calico, two 5 yard pieces of skirting, among other articles which he identified as belonging to him. The prisoner was then charged with theft, and given into the custody of the police at Folkestone. He was afterwards brought over to Dover and taken to the "White Horse," when his boxes were opened, and in them was found a large amount of property which had been taken from his employer. When apprehended at Folkestone, prisoner said in reply to the charge “I know that I have received property I have not accounted for”.

Prosecutor was then examined. He spoke to the facts as detailed by the learned counsel, and added that when he met the prisoner at Folkestone with the pack he asked him whether he was travelling for anyone or in business for himself. The prisoner replied “Neither” but added that he must get a living. He then requested the prisoner to let him see the contents of the pack, and subsequently took him into custody for stealing several articles which it contained. The calico, stays, sunshades, scarves &c., he identified by his private mark upon them, and said they had never been accounted for by the prisoner. He missed some stuff like that of which the trousers produced were made in January last, and he asked the prisoner whether he had sold or taken any of it, but he replied he had not. The whole of the stock which the boxes and pack contained he believed to be his property, although he could not swear to them from any distinct mark.

Mr. Channell cross-examined the prosecutor in reference to the several articles named in the indictment, and endeavoured to identify them with entries of goods taken and accounted for by the prisoner in the day-book, but the prosecutor distinctly swore that he had been through the books carefully from January last and found that the articles which the prisoner was charged with stealing were not entered and had not been accounted for.

William Cheeseman, an omnibus driver, stated that he removed the prisoner's boxes to the "White Horse" at his request on the 16th of May, and John Friend, the landlord of the "White Horse," spoke to receiving them in his care for the prisoner.

Charles Ovenden, of the Folkestone police, took the prisoner into custody, and at the police station prisoner said he knew the prosecutor had something against him which he had not accounted for, and asked him what he could do in the matter. He told him he did not know. The prisoner also said the things in the pack were the property of Mr. Thomson.

Police sergeant Bailey said he received the prisoner into custody from the last witness, who also handed him a bunch of keys found upon the prisoner, with which the locks of the boxes were unfastened.

Robert Smith, tailor, of Military Road, stated that he made the trousers produced from cloth brought to him by the prisoner in January last.

Mr. Channell made a forcible address to the jury on behalf of the prisoner, and said that the admission made by the prisoner to the Folkestone policeman, that he had received some goods belonging to Mr. Thomson and not accounted for them, far from operating against the prisoner, was exactly the defence he was about to offer. There was no doubt that the prisoner was in possession of these goods, but he would ask the jury to take a charitable view of the case, and suppose the prisoner had no intention to defraud the prosecutor, but that he was selling them and would have paid the money over to Mr. Thomson as soon as he had sold them. Assuming that this was the prisoner's intention, the prosecutor's remedy would be in the County Court.

The Recorder, having summed up, and pointed out the fact of the prisoner having retained the property of his master after all business connection between them was at an end would constitute the offence a larceny.

The jury consulted, and gave a verdict of Guilty, but recommended the prisoner to mercy.

The Recorder: On what grounds do you recommend him to mercy?

A Juror: Because we think the prosecutor did not take sufficient care with his books.

The Recorder (to prosecutor): Have you any doubt that all or any of the things belong to you?

Prosecutor: Not the slightest.

The Recorder: What is their value?

Prosecutor: About £42.

Mr. Biron: I am told there is also about £40 the prisoner has received in January, which he has not accounted for.

Prosecutor: There are also about 110 yards of silk missing which I can find no account of.

The Recorder, in passing judgement, said he had great doubts whether it was not necessary to send the prisoner to penal servitude. This man was receiving liberal wages, and yet carrying on a system of robbery against his employer. He must therefore be treated with severity, and stopping short of penal servitude, he must have the full extent of punishment the law would admit. The prisoner would therefore be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for 18 months.

From the Folkestone Observer 10 December, 1864. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

TWO YOUNG WOMEN KILLED ON THE RAILWAY

A very dreadful mistake was made on Sunday by two young women, daughters of coastguardsmen at the Pelter Station, and in the service of Folkestone, by which they in an instant lost their lives. One of the young women, Mary Ann Wade, would have been seventeen years of age on Christmas Day next; the other young woman, Mary Rebecca Williams, was but sixteen years and six months old, and was remarkably tall and well formed. They had been on an afternoon visit to their friends, and were returning to their places of service, having to be in by five o'clock. As the girls were hurriedly getting ready, the father of one of them advised them not to be in too much haste and get overheated. It was but a quarter past four and there was ample time for them to get leisurely into town. It was usually the case, we believe, that nearly all the young folks in the coastguard colony accompanied the young women into town on Monday afternoons, but on Sunday last Miss Williams entreated them not to go with her – she would rather that they not go that evening; and only one girl set out to accompany the two who were returning. This young woman soon afterwards remembering that her own sister, then at tea, had to go into Folkestone, and was afraid to go by herself over The Warren, left her companions and returned home. There is a footpath through The Warren (an old and extensive landslip from the contiguous cliff) and running at first by the side of the railway, where the railway is an embankment or open cutting. This path must have been in good condition on Sunday, but the deceased appear to have intended to take their way through the Martello Tunnel, for they got on to the line soon after they had left the cottages, and after their companion left them were proceeding along the down line, in quiet conversation, facing any train that might be on that line, and so likely to receive an intimation of any danger that might threaten. Very soon after they had entered on the line the afternoon mail emerged from the eastern tunnel, and came on with it's usual quiet rapidity through the gathering shades of evening. The stoker of the train, observing some persons on the line, drew the driver's attention to them and he looked out for them, keeping them constantly in his eye, but refraining from sounding his whistle lest he should alarm them, they being then safely on the down line. The wind blowing strongly down the line, the young women did not hear the approaching up train, but just as it neared them they were hailed from the top of the cutting by a person who wished to put them on their guard. That hail was unfortunate. One of the young women turned her head, and rushed instantly, as all women do, into the peril which a simple standing still would avoid. The fatal movement was seen by the engine driver, and he quickly turned to his whistle and gave the alarm – too late, alas! The shriek of the whistle was a shriek of the dead. Just at the moment the whistle gave forth it's sound the buffer struck Miss Williams on the back, sending her forward thirty yards – dead. Miss Wade received her instantaneously fatal blow at the base of the skull, then the wheels cut open the upper portion of her leg, smashed the bone and flesh of the lower portion, and tore off half a foot. The men who had hailed them from the top of the cutting rushed down to them, but found them utterly dead. The unusual yell of the engine whistle alarmed the coastguardsmen and they ran up to the rail, only to find dead beyond recall those young friends who eight minutes before were in exuberant health. The engine driver slowed his train to the Folkestone Junction station, where ordinarily he does not stop, and reported the fatal mishap; then a messenger was dispatched for surgical aid, and everything prepared for service, should human service yet be of avail. But all was useless. The bodies of the young women were borne sorrowfully to the houses of their relatives, and every kindly attention paid to the shattered remains to fit them as far as possible for the necessary inspection by the coroner and his jury.

On Monday afternoon the borough coroner (J. Minter Esq.) held his court at the "Railway Bell," and the jury having seen the bodies and the locality of their death (the railway authority placing a train at the service of the Coroner and jury), the following evidence was taken as to the death of Mary Ann Wade:-

Peter Mitchell, ticket collector to the South Eastern Railway, said: At twenty three minutes to four yesterday the driver of the 4.15 mail train called me to him, and stopped the train, which does not ordinarily stop at the Junction Station. He said he had knocked two females down just beyond the Martello tunnel, who were dressed in black. I told him I would see to it, and he proceeded with his train. I immediately got assistance, and went down, and found the body of Margaret Ann Wade was lying on her back on the up side of the line, between the embankment and the outer rail, with her feet on the rail and her head towards the embankment. The body was about 200 yards from the tunnel. Mary Ann Wade was dead. I found the body of Williams about 30 feet from the body of Wade, also between the embankment and the outer rail.

George Mercer, carpenter, Folkestone, said: I was in The Warren yesterday afternoon, a few minutes after four, and saw the mail train coming up. I was on the top of the cutting, on the sea side. I was walking towards Dover in the company of George Elliott. I saw the females before I saw the train. Elliott said to me “George, there are two females on the line”. I looked over the cutting, and saw two females walking, with the train coming. One was in the six foot and the other in the four foot, the up line. There was no-one else with them. The train was about thirty yards off when I saw them. I hallooed out “Mrs. There's a train close behind you”. I could not see whether they were young women or aged persons. Before the words were hardly out of my mouth the train struck them. They both ran together, as if they were arm in arm. They ran to get on the sea side. I believe they both had one foot on the outside metal when the train struck them. The train knocked one of them on towards Folkestone. Elliott said “I think they are clear”, and I said “No, there one lies, there”. The buffer struck them. I first went to the body of Mary Ann Wade. She lay on the metal, on the four foot, with her head towards Folkestone – on the up rail, between the two rails, with her clothes over her head. I pulled her clothes down over her legs and picked her up. I held her a second or two in my arms, and found her head drop on one side, and she had no use of her legs, and was dead, as I thought, and I took and drew her on one side of the rails, and laid her against the bank. The accident happened 200 yards the other side of the first tunnel. The wind was dead against the train; I could not hear it coming. The driver blew the engine, I suppose, as it was blowing just at the moment the engine struck them, but the wind was blowing so hard I could not hear it but then, and I could not hear the train. The young women were in the act of crossing sideways before I spoke to them. They were walking apparently close together, one with her foot against the metal on one side and one with her foot against the metal on the other side.

Silvester Eastes, surgeon, said: Yesterday afternoon about 20 minutes to 5 a messenger came to me from the railway station and said two women had been run over by the mail train down by the tunnel, and Mr. Wilkes was sending down to bring them up to the station. I had a carriage waiting for me at the door at the time to take me to a patient who had sent an urgent message some time before, and I sent word that as soon as I had seen my patient I would come. I went on to the station soon after, and was taken down on a trolley to the Pelter Station. I saw the body of Margaret Ann Wade, and found that she had received a most extensive fracture of the upper part of her skull, through which some considerable portion of the brain had exuded. The left leg was torn off close up to the knee; the bone was fractured in many places, and it only held on by a piece of the skin. About half the right foot was also torn away. She must have died instantaneously.

William Pepler, residing at No. 3, Pepler's Road, Old Kent Road, London, engine driver, in the employ of the South Eastern Railway, said: Yesterday I drove the engine of the mail train from Dover, leaving Dover at 4.15 punctually. Just before coming to the Martello Tunnel my attention was attracted to the females on the up line. I took them to be one female; my mate said there were two. It was very dark. I could hardly tell who it was, man or woman. I could only see it was someone in black. I passed over to the other side to see what it was, and no sooner did I see them than they ran across to the other side. I stand on the left of the engine, but no sooner did I go over to the right side than they ran to the other side. They were first on the down side. I could not tell whether it was one or more than one when they crossed. I blew my whistle as hard as I could, and we both tried to pull up as quick as we could. I never felt anything – whether we struck them or not. I did not see anything afterwards. We could not stop till we came to the end of the tunnel. Then we proceeded slowly to give information at the station. My mate said to me “I believe there's two”. We were going about 40 miles an hour. I could not have pulled up the train when I first saw them. They were standing clear, and I never like to blow the whistle when I see persons standing clear. It alarms them.

The Coroner then pointed out to the jury the bearing of the evidence towards an accidental death and read the following rule, that had been constantly hanging in the public room at the Pelter Coastguard Station to which all had access:- “Folkestone. 9th July 1862. Whereas the Railway Station Master has spoken to me upon the subject of women and children continually lying on the railway in the rear of the Pelter buildings, it is my direction that they be not allowed to continue such practice, and this is to be made known to the men, their wives, and children. T. Davies T.C. This order is to be retained at the Pelter Station in case of any accident occurring by the disobedience of it”.

The jury immediately returned a verdict of “Accidental Death”.

The inquest on the body of Mary Rebecca Williams was then proceeded with, and Peter Mitchell, ticket collector, repeated the evidence given in the former case.

George Elliott, labourer, living at East Cliff, said: I was at The Warren with Mercer yesterday afternoon, standing against the fence at the top of the cutting. I saw the steam from an engine coming from Dover. I looked down on the line and saw two females in the four foot between the rails of the up road that the train was running on. I should think the train was from 20 to 30 yards off. I did not see the engine till it struck the girls. I remarked to Mercer “There`s two females on the road”, and he said “Yes” and called out “Look out, Missus!”, and the train struck them. When he called out I think one of the two females looked round, and then ran. She appeared to me to have hold of the other one's hand, and stepped from the rail with the left foot. The buffer struck her, and knocked her out of the rails, clear of the embankment. That was Miss Williams that I went to. I heard the driver sound his whistle before the girls were struck. As soon as I saw them in the four foot I heard the whistle blow. We got over the fence and I made a remark to Mercer – “I think they are clear”. He said “No, they are not. There lies one”. That was Miss Williams. Her feet were about 15 or 18 inches from the rail. She was dead.

Mr. Eastes said: I saw the body of Mary Rebecca Williams. I found a most extensive fracture of the right temporal bone of the skull, which extended through the base of the skull, and which caused instant death; also a fracture of both bones of the right leg, great laceration of the muscles, and integuments, and fracture of the right arm.

The Coroner briefly left the case to the jury, who in this case also returned a verdict of “Accidental Death”.