ABSTRACT
Shocking Accident.—Windsor, Tuesday.—Early this morning, as one of the vans, laden with baggage and furniture belonging to some of the non-commissioned officers of the Grenadier Guards, was on its way to London, an accident occurred by which one life was lost and several persons seriously injured. On the front ladder of the van some bedding had been fastened with cords, and on the bedding several soldiers’ wives and children were seated. Among them was the wife of Sergeant Robinson, with an infant not more than a week old asleep on her lap, when just as the van was passing the gates of Frogmore Lodge, the cords with which the bedding had been tied, suddenly broke, and the beds, the women and the children, were all tumbled pell-mell into the road. The sergeant’s wife had her shoulder dislocated, and her baby falling on its head died almost instantly. Several of the other women and children were much injured, and the driver narrowly escaped having the wheels pass over him. The injured parties were instantly removed to the Hope Tavern, in the immediate vicinity, and surgical assistance was in attendance within ten minutes after the accident, and the poor woman was humanely attended to, but her infant was past all human aid. An inquest was held on the body on the same afternoon, and a verdict of “Accidental death” returned, the coroner observing the law of deodand had expired [according to the law of deodand, if the property of one person caused death or injury, it, or its value, was forfeit. This law was repealed in 1846], otherwise some punishment might have been inflicted on the driver, owner, or packer of the van, for having used cords not fit for the purpose.
