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CHAPTER VIII. 



r HAVE already referred to the numerous 

 -*- accidents that occurred on the road to stao-e 

 and mail coaches, and could fill a volume with 

 casualties caused by overturns, violent driving, 

 horses proceeding miles without drivers, drunken 

 coachmen, low gatev^^ays, overloading, breaking 

 down, and racing. One of the most memor- 

 able events connected with racinsf occurred in 

 1820, when Thomas Perdy and George Butler 

 were charged at the Hertford Assizes with the 

 wilful murder of William Hart, who was thrown 

 off the Holyhead Mail, of which Perdy was the 

 driver, and which had been upset by the Chester 

 Mail, of which Butler was the driver. The 

 grand jury having thrown out the bill for the 

 capital offence, they were tried on a charge of 

 manslaughter. Two witnesses who were suflfer- 



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