PRESTON.
FATAL ACCIDENT TO MR. COUNCILLOR CROSSLEY, OF BLACKBURN.-An accident, unfortunately attended with fatal results, befell Mr. Councillor William Crossley, of Blackburn, on Saturday evening last. The deceased gentleman, after transacting his business at Blackburn during the day, returned to Bamber Bridge, as the nearest station to his residence at Hoghton-lane. On Saturday, after performing his business at Backburn, he returned by the train leaving Backburn shortly after nine o’clock. He seems to have fallen asleep on the way, for he passed Bamber Bridge without getting out of the carriage. When the train arrived at Preston Junction a porter found Mr. Crossley asleep. He awoke him, and he got out of the carriage, stating that he had intended to get out of the carriage at Bamber Bridge, but he had been asleep when the train passed that station. The porter told Mr. Crossley to remain on the platform whilst they collected the tickets. Mr. Crossley, apparently anxious to get home, started to walk up the line. When he had got a short distance he appears to have been knocked down by a passing engine, and frightfully injured. A railway guard, proceeding home from Preston to Bamber Bridge, when a short distance past the Preston Junction heard some person moaning. On getting to the spot from whence the sound proceeded he found an elderly gentleman lying on the Liverpool down line, moaning, and apparently suffering most intensely. He went for the station-master, and the poor fellow was carried to a luggage van, and run down to the Preston station, from where he was sent to Deepdale station.
He was carried from that place to the Infirmary. where he died at about half-past twelve o’clock. He had been most dreadfully injured. His skull had been fractured, his right thigh broken, and his ribs had also been broken. The inquest was held on Monday evening at the Preston Infirmary, before Mr. Gilbertson, coroner, when the jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”-On the return home of Mrs. Crossley, who had been attending the inquest, she met with rather a serious accident. Mrs. Crossley was being driven home by her son in a whitechapel, and as they were just mounting the brow to cross the Darwen bridge the left wheel of the conveyance caught the iron protecting rail, and Mrs. Crossley and her son were pitched out. Mrs. Crossley tell under the carriage under the rail, and she we severely hurt, but young Mr. Crossley was comparatively uninjured. The horse broke its traces and freed itself from the vehicle. The injured lady was assisted into the Unicorn Inn. One of her legs was very badly hurt, and she said she thought she had been kicked by the horse. Her face as bruised. A cab was procured, and she was sent home in it.
DISTRICT INTELLIGENCE
Date: Saturday, Feb. 13, 1875
Publication: Lancaster Gazetter
Gale Primary Sources, British Library Newspapers:
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/R3209171486/BNCN?u=lancs&sid=bookmark-BNCN&pg=3&xid=cdefbff9
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