Page:Passages from the Life of a Philosopher.djvu/360

344 performing in the Old St. Pancras Road, wasthe cause of a most dreadful accident. At the time mentioned, the band referred to was playing at the corner of Aldenham Terrace, when a man named Charles Field was driving one of Atcherley's (the horse-slaughterer's) carts down Aldenham Street. At the end of Aldenham Street there is a great declivity into the St Pancras Road, and just as the cart was turning it, laden with a dead horse, the big drum was beaten with extraordinary violence. A cart was standing on the opposite side of the road, to avoid which a short turn on the part of the driver of Atcherley's cart was necessary. The sudden beating of the drum caused the horse to take fright, and the driver being pitched head foremost from his seat, caused him to lose control over the animal he was driving, which dashed in amongst the children and others who were standing in the road listening to the music, knocking them down right and left. When the consternation created by the occurrence had subsided, no less than six poor children were found lying on the ground in a helpless condition, the vehicle having passed over some part of their persons. They were conveyed as fast as possible into the adjacent surgery of Dr. Sutherin, of 28, Aldenham Terrace, who, with his assistant, promptly attended upon them.

"William Hill, aged nine years, of 34, Stanmore Street, who had sustained fractured ribs and other injuries; and

"Charles Harwood, aged eleven years, of 4, Clarendon Square, with fracture of the left arm and groin, as well as right leg, caused by the vehicle passing over them, were removed, by direction of Dr. Sutherin, to University College Hospital.

"The other sufferers are Robert Thwaites, of 2, St Pancras Square, aged seven years, injury to leg and one of his feet;

"James Gunn, 34, Stanmore Street, crushed toes;

"William Young, 8, Percy Terrace, aged six years, contusion to head and face; and

"A child, name unknown, considerably injured.

"The persons who witnessed the occurrence do not attribute any blame to the driver; but as soon as it took place the German band were off with as little delay as possible."—Daily Telegraph, Oct. 3, 1861.

If this sad accident had fortunately happened in Belgravia, there can be little doubt that the law would have been altered, in order to prevent the recurrence of such frightful misery.

No attempt, however, has yet been made to remove the cause; and I have myself more recently seen a German brass band playing in a very narrow, crowded street, close to the