The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-10-02 00:00:00

lITOSZIZSTEB 2111WTON.

SAD DEATH FROM INCAUTIOUS USE OF

FIREARMS.

An inquest was held on Wwineslay before Dr. ()myna
Leach. c ironer for the disteiv,st lios•lbury Brian, on the
deeto
Newton.p Ifi 1
whit, death
If: e "Ft
plato lii. prar4.ri ,4 i servantnudr
yu'i nfiel tot :pc
the incautious nee of firearm. It appears Mr. Adams
phoed • loaded gun outaide his house to be reedy for
shooting rook, and pigeons, whioh had made and havoc
orith • field of taut near. William Watts, &cad 14 years,
who was attending • man thatching ricks on the farm,
ht
ktuhl ade shouldered
eight
md of
ft tef
hr front. 0221 i
ue,ladne
d" pointedtedu antiggs whor
entaile
pa heren od b
blew
wan: Far
head to aroma, death being instantaneous. Watts states
that be did net know the gun was loaded. The following
iseidenea was taken :—Theophiluo Adams. I StMer. Stock.
field Vann, stated the deceased, Cetnerine Mary Riggs,
, was hie serreet, and was 17 years of age. She had been in
his .errici three mouths. On the previous day, about 11
a in, be left her at the house nicking butter. Ele believed
she was then alone. The gun produced belmged to him.
He bad it with him on the previous morning for the
purpose of shooting at cite pigeoes and rooks in the field
adjoining lois Inoue. H, hid not shot it off. The gun
eait leaded with g wet .0.1 coop mdse. He left it
ti th•• boat of hi. heti.' sog doot ih •ea 'ii the court and
want bis hg eat Cuomo-. 11 , b•liseed be left the
gun helfo,.ckel.—Ch•••les Mi•chell, tit itch.,, of 1111/41.
bury, said on the previo • de. ho was thatching the
wheat rick in the berton ett icheil to the house. He came
in about qoarter-past twe re to see for some tea. The
deceased and she would make 001110 and bring it out. She
wee then butter maklue,_ Sneppard was in tie
oame room churning. W•tuessw.nt olltild• and took up
the gun, which was then lying against the wall of the house,
about gorse feet from the doe. lie took off an old cap
from one of the nipples, Put it on again, and put down
tho hemmer on it, but coold not inoy on which barrel it
was. He put the gun down In the same plass and went
on with his work. He saw Watts standing outside the
door. As he was going on be brood Watt. and dogwood
in conversation, and they seemed to he arguing about the
tight of the gun. Witness heard deceased telling Watts
how Mr. Adams shot with the sight a yard in front of a
firing or running bird, and almost directly he heard the
report lie turned round and um the dee wwwl lying
on the threabold, and Watts ran to him screaming,
She's dead ; shoe dead. and then fell down him.elf.
He did not hear the dames. d cry out, nor see her m ire
at ter she felt. B•fore he not to return to his work she
Came out and sp Are to William Watts and witnes% but
they hal neither of them touched the gun before he
—Philip Steiner, of Fiddieford, labourer, said on the '
previous day he was working for Mr. T. Adams in the
bean field. H. went into the house a little after twelve
to enquire the ince, an I asked deceased if she had any
ale for their dinner. Sue said no, hut would make some ten
in an hour's time. William Watt' IF.II standing at the
door and witness left him there. Al he want up the field
he beard the report of • gun. and William Watts canoe
ninnies out screaming. Winces, went back to the
her feet just over the threshold. He did not see the via
her
ack
before or after. He then went telooll mrster.—Philip
OCh cr deceased..
...h deAwodd;hbomr,wdseb to ur. said I
.udT:lhtheirnd.pg;t:rainhi
4:Be
unTpe.r ohm;
ryinilimom re;:rwhh
ogr
and rab
Tel :
stated ig
thri
44.rwedgne connoted of 4 and 6 shot. about an ounce, and
loaded,
the guep 'order about two and adielf drachms. The left
headlock is worn and goes off reedy, not so the right.—
jonamthaeT‘prrie7o*ulls. surgeon,
ygeoanbOut two p.m. he heard a itaa
accident bed happened at Slockfield by which • young
irl
er
deceased lying in the doorway exactly as detcrilod by
ch
r right
see.
ifcr hnPoii hi
littlefe gt t tetab:oh, pthantleow:c
floor.dci."iliaTrol, h:apbtnatir
ifdeEtbatc:b that
end:
hwg:
da:rhbus sitrst
ens g
E.: was
and
I 11l d,Ol tit
umlb, dead
inennbti body
:"dtoto:v.nee over
oboti abliatt!e
conclusion she was killed by lois shot, and the charge
of the skull. Death must bare been tawattaideeeda. H.
considerel the deceased must hoes been in a stooping potition.—Ttds concluded the evidence. —The boy Watts
who was view in chugs of
said he wh. holding the gun in a slanting position, and
the deceseed bent her head forward over to show him the
sight when it went off. It appewed be had a toc., jacket
on. and it is believed • button caught the trigger and fired
off the gun.—The
Accidental death. ju"
ry unanimously returned • verdict of
"

BRIDP-C-IRT.
DEATH OF A 80LICITOR IN A CONCERT
ROOM.

The villas' of Burton Bradatock. near Brldport. was
thrown Into a state of painful excitrocarent and mournin
on Timmins night by btu sodden dos% of Mr.