Croydon’s Weekly Standard, June 5, 1886

DESPERATE STRUGGLE IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE. Axel Edwin Agerstrom, 28, and David Charles, 32, seamen, were brought up at Marylebone Police Court on Tuesday, June 1, for being drunk and damaging a railway carriage to the amount of 20s., the property of the London and North-Western Railway Company. Agerstrom was further charged with assaulting Edward Byrne. The evidence of Francis Fickie, guard in the employ of the Company, was that he had charge of the afternoon express from Liverpool to Euston on Monday, in which was a party of sailors, amongst them being the prisoners. Between Castlethorpe and Wolverton a first-class passenger pulled the communication cord, and the train was stopped. It was then discovered that a violent disturbance had taken place between the sailors and the other passengers in the carriage, and that during the struggle the windows had been broken, the blinds torn down, and the seats besmeared with blood. Byrne, who had been assaulted, and who had a large wound on his forehead, had climbed out of the window while the train was in motion to escape from his assailants, and had to stand on the foot-board. The occupants of the carriage were separated and brought on to Euston, where the defendants, who were still drunk, were given into custody. Mr. de Rutzen said he could not deal with the matter of the damage, as it was committed in Northamptonshire, but for being drunk they could each have to pay 20s., or in default seven days’ imprisonment.

First-class compartment with glass front

Another account furnished by a contemporary say: “On Monday as a party of men under ganger Arnold were at work at the water trough situated some little distance to the south of Castlethorpe Station, and well known to all travellers on the L. & N.W. Railway, their attention was attracted to the mid-day express from Liverpool to London, and they were surprised to see a door fly open and a man get out and make his way along the foot-board. Noticing the train, which at the time was going at the full speed of sixty miles an hour, was slackening, they hastened to learn what was the matter. It seems a gentleman who was travelling in a first-class compartment with a glass front saw a man come round from the coach in front, and seat himself on the coupling. The fellow was in a very excited state, his face was cut and his clothes torn, and, suspecting something was wrong, he pulled the communication cord, and the train was stopped almost immediately. The passengers were naturally much alarmed, and eager to know the cause of the sudden pulling up. Several left their seats, and on the guard, Francis Fickie, and several Post office officials who travelled with the train, going to see what was the matter, the man, whose name was Byrne, told him in a rambling manner that he had been assaulted by his two fellow passengers. All three were foreign seamen, and were on there journey from Liverpool to London. A dispute arose on the journey, during which he was attacked by the other two, and during the melle the window was smashed and serious other damage done to the carriage interior. Fearing something serious might follow, Byrne left the compartment, and was eventually discovered in the dangerous position described above. On the guard going to the carriage one of the occupants made his way to another compartment, leaving the third man, who was drunk and had some blood upon his clothes, lying on the floor. The man was roused up and locked in the compartment by himself. Byrne was then taken into the guard’s van, and the train proceeded on its journey. On the way to London, Bryne made a charge of assault against his fellow travellers. On arriving at Euston both men who gave their names Axel Agerstrom and David Charles were given into custody, and were yesterday brought before Mr. de Rutzen, at the Marylebone Police Court, and fined for being drunk. It seems almost a miracle that Byrne was not killed in escaping from his infuriated companions, but being a sailor, may probably account for his marvellous escape. How long the altercation had been going on it is impossible to say, but judging from the weakened condition of the compartment, it must have been some considerable time. The express in which the outrage occurred is one of the fastest during the day, performing the distance between Liverpool and London in four and a half hours, and in ordinary circumstances only stops at Crewe and Rugby. Many exaggerated reports were current in Castlethorpe and the district on Monday night and Tuesday, it being widely circulated that the men, who were stated to have been stripped to their shirts, had stabbed each other. From what we have been able to learn from eye-witnesses, this is not the case, and the men fought with nothing than their fists.