The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1869-01-26 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE WEYMOUTH
ROAD.

On Wednesday night last an accident of a most Cs-
keeling nature oocurred oa the turnpike road leading
from Dorchester to Weymouth, which resulted in the
death of one person, whilst another 'sustained such
serious injuries that fears are entertained for his
recovery. It appears that on the day in question Mr.
Frederick Pitt Read, son of Mr. and Mrs. Read, of the
Royal Oak Inn, Dorchester, proceeded on foot to
Bineombe, in company with Mr. Henry Wellspring,
bandmaster, of the 3rd D.R.V., to spend the day
with Mr. Edward Bridle, manager of Binoombe farm for
Mrs. Reed. biz mother-in.law. Mr. Bridle 'doom-
pulled them darn:lth' day, and at five &Mock in the
afternoon they returned to Mr. Bridle's home, partook
of tea together, and, about ten o'clock, started in a
foarwheel for Dorchester, Mr. Bridle having offered to
drive them home. When they arrived about 200 yards
on the Dorchester side of Gypsies' Corner, the horse
started, and, in endeavouring to check Ills headlong
speed, Mr. Bridle was dragged from his seat and thrown
to the ground with such violence as to mass his sub-
sequent death. Mr. Wellspring, in jumping out, caught
his foot in the step, fell on his beck and rolled to the
hedge, by which he was injured so severely that his
life is endangered ; and Mr. Bead, in attempting
to leap from the binder part of the vehicle fell, but
✓eefed with • few slight contusions, and, of coarse, a
rather rough shaking. Tba born continued on his
way, &Atha through Monokton gate, which was shut,
and was only stopped by coming in contact with the
iron palisades at the bottom of the South Walks, owe
of the iron poets of which was snapped in two by the
coll_ _

On Thursday afternoon an inquest was held at
the house of the deceased at Binoombe, before H.
Look Faq., depntreoesser, and • respestab6 jury, of
which /G. William Cake was foreman. After viewing
the body,
Frederick Pitt Read deposed : I live with my father,
and I kne• the deceased. Yesterday morning I and Yr.
Henry Wellspring came to Binoombe. We started
&book 10 o'oloak, and arrived hero at about a quarter to
twelve. We killed some rat., sad walked round the
faros. About gee we returned to Yr. Bridle's house to
tea, and stayed there until about no, when we started
for home. We walked from boreheeter in the morning,
and I proposed walking home, but the deceased offered
to drive us in a forewheeL I did not notice the state
of the banter previous to starting. Mr. Bridle drove
us • Mr. Wellspring occupied the seat by his side in
froitt, sad I eat in the binder part of the vehicle. We
rode on to the &II milestone on the reed to Dorchester.
The horse then suddenly " bolter with us, and ran
some little way before Le threw es out. Yr. Bridle
triad to atop it, but be had lost mil control over it. 11. r.
Bridle kept • Ann bold on the reins, and whilst run-
ning the hone kept "ducking" his heed. By so doing
he dragged Mr. Bridle from hie oest on to the splash.
board, and the swaying al the foes wheel threw him out.
Mr. Wellspring them attempted to get out, and in doing
so fell forward. Mentioned riding in the tee's. I was
serried on for some 100 yards. and I then determined to
jump for it. I put my foot On the step and
oat, but NU forward on the ground. I got up annlagen
west beak to look for Kr. Wellspring, whom I Found
=ewe by the ass of the road. Mr. Bridle was
by his side. He (Mn. Bridle) said "Come, my
boys, let's run and try to get the hone." and Mr. Bridle
then started at a run towards the turnpike pas, in the
direction in which the hone and trait had Pramed•L
helped Mr. Wellspring on to the ternpik• gate, sad
theta we found Mr. Bridle. He had washed his fats.
We washed the blood from our heeds, and Mr. Bridle
then said "Let us go on to Dorchester and see after the
horse and trap." Mr. Wellspring made an 'Hemet to
start, but when begot to the door he said he could not
walk. Mr. Thorn (the gatekeeper) Mr. Bridle and my.
self then sot out for Dorchester • brit when we got about
200 yards from the gate Mr. Itridl. said he was afraid
ho would not be able to go on. We promised to go on
and look after the horse, and advised him to go back to
Thorn's house. I and Thorn time continued to walk
on, and when we came to the cemetery we met two of
Mrs. Dean's servants, from the Junction Hotel, who
said they had got she horse all right. Thorn than
turned beck, and I wanton to Mrs. Dunn's and requested
her to send on s Sy to take up Mr. Bridle and Yr.
Wellspring, se soon as poenbls, I waited there *MB
the 67 was OW off, and I than woos straight how

Cornelia, Thorn deposed: I keep the turnpike gate
on the Weymouth road. Between 10 and II "'ohmic
last night& trap went very rapidly through the get..
The gete was not Open; it was closed, but not fittem.d.
I did not see the Imp go through. I was in bed at the
time, but my daughter sailed nie and I got up directly.
When I came down stairs I foond sthat.the gate was
very much broken. It was off its hangings at the
bottom. I re-bong it, and tied it together with ropes,
which operation occupied me about a quarter of an hour
or 20 minutes. I heard some one holloa "Aye !" I
shouted beck "Como, na." The voice sounded as if
the speaker wag from 200 to 3C03 yards distant. Then
Mr. Bridle came up without a bat on. He was °covered
with blood and dirt. He came into the house, and my
daughter got some water and washed his face. The
right cheek was bloody, but I did not notice any bloxi
on any other part of hiapereon. After bowie washed he
went on some 100 yards or so towards Dorchester, but
came beak again. I did not eons back at the same
time, but went on until I met Mrs. Dunn's servants.
Ur. Wellspring and Mr. Reed same In about five
minuies alter Mr. Bridle, and we washed them a. welL
Mr. Bridle asked Mr. Wellspring if he could walk on
to Dorchester, but he could not, as he was quite
crippled. Mr. Read and Mr. Bridle and myself went
for about 100 yards towards Dorchester, when Mr.
Bridle complained of • giddiness 10 his head. and he
said be would go beak, and did so. I and Mr. Read
cantinned till we met • tun and boy from Ma. Dunn's,
when I returned to my bonne and Mr. Read proceeded
to Dorchester. I fogad Mr. Bridle and Me. Welbiptins
at my house. Mr. Bridle was sitting in • chair, with
his head reclining on the table, on a pillow. He aim.
olained of the beak pert of the head, and told my wife
that he board something crack in hie head whilst he
was returning to the hones. About twenty minutes
after, • fly arrived from the Junotion, into which I and
the driver assisted Mr. Bridle, and we then came on to
Macomb°. Mr. Bridle spoke to me several tame on
the road. The pillow agninst which his head rested in
the fly kept slipping, and when I replaced it he repeat-
edly thanked me. He also said "I will reward you
some time or other for this. Thorn." I requested him
not to think of that. When we came to his own
house he did not speak stall. I thought be was iassusi.
ble. Ile snored very much at times, and I then
imagined he was sleeping. I went up the road Hau.
morning, and found 's het about • mile from
the turnpike gate.
Bliss Cross said she was scatter's wife, and lived at
Binoombe. On Wednesday night about ton minutes to
twelve she was milled from her house to attend Mr.
Bridle. She went in immediately. He was very all,
and lying on a soda. He neither moved nor spoke after.
She wiped his fess with • damp cloth, and tabbed his
hands, thinking they might be numbed. His hands
suddenly closed, and he ceased snoring. She then
went in to Mrs. Reed and said "My poor master is
gone" She was eertain be was dead.
Mr. Reason depreed : Last night about 10 minutes
before 12 I was collet to attend the deceased and I
arrieed at this homes about 30 minute. before three. Mr.
Bridle was then quite dead, and had apparently been
so for some minute.. His body was warm, and his
limbs relaxed. There had evidently been a violent blow
on the left sick of the face. There was • greet deal of
disoolouratioo of the eyelid.. There wee a bloody
mucous issuing from his nostrils, but no blood bad
MT;horn either ear. There was • Nimes' and
of the lips, and the nails had a livid &pommies.
From what I saw myself, and from what I sollsoled
from others, I believe be had sustained a fracture at
the basso of the Ault. At any rata, if no fracture ellsta
that region, I feel sure that a blood vessel bad been
ruptured at the base of the brain, or in the brain sub-
statue. The gradual escape of blood in this vessel on
the brain would account for the deep snoring coming
on, which was Dolled before Mr. Bridle died. The
bloodvesesl having been ruptured at the hese of the
brain, and his walking at so rapid • rate &Harvard',
would increase the quantity of blood lost. I think, if
any one has receive' • severe blow on any part of the
head, end snoring ensues, that it is • very bad symptom,
as the escape of the blood from the proper vessel, on to
the brain, senses the monies of breathing to become
paralysed, and as the escape increases, the nausedee eon.
tinue in • state of paralysis, until the breathing ceases
altogether. lam entirely of opinion that Mr. Bridle
died from the rupture of • blood-veesel on,,the brain.
In answer to the Coroner, the witness Bead said they
had only one or two glasses of grog after tea until ten
o'clock, and previeus to that they only had two glares
of home-brewed de. They were all perfectly sober.
The Coroner then briefly summed up the evidence to
the jury, and, after • short deliberation, they returned
• unanimous verdict of "Accidental death."
Mr. Bridle was generally respected, and his lamentable
death at the age of 20 years is a source of great sorrow
to his many Monis. He leaves a wife and two children
, to deplore his untimely end.
I Mr. Wellspring has sustained • very serious shock,
and we regret to bear that up to last (Monday) night be
had 'town seareely say amendment from bin prostrate
condition when first found oiler the accident