Police Report Concerning the Death of a Young Man.
An Interesting Artifact of Private Railway Policing [Policing]. Stockton & Darlington Railway Company. [Police Report Concerning the Death of a Young Man]. [Durham], May 20, 1857. Single 5" x 8" (13 x 20.5 cm) sheet, part-printed and completed in manuscript in a single hand, circular device of the Stockton and Darlington Railway Company at head, docket to verso. Moderate toning, horizontal and vertical fold lines, negligible light soiling, small tear to upper right corner. Very good. $250. * The Stockton & Darlington Railway's police force was established around 1825, pre-dating the creation of the Metropolitan Police in 1829 and becoming the first railway police force. Like others of its kind, it operated on a quasi-public basis and came to share jurisdiction with the public police in the area; quasi-public police forces were often criticized for concealing accidents to protect the company rather than the public. They were later integrated into the British Transport Police. This report was made by Robert Brown, an officer of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. It concerns the death of John James, "Lithograph Boy at Holsingham," who was attempting to gather lime from a wagon on the railway. When the engineer unexpectedly moved the train backwards, James was crushed beneath it. He died from his injuries two days later.
Price: $250.00
Book number 85184