The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-03-21 00:00:00

WEYKOI7TE.

BUN KILLED ON THE GREAT WESTERN

RAILWAY.

About a quarter-past 12 on Sunday morning the
London goods train (due at 10.30) was being shunted
when a sad accident happened be which a p .rter
ironed John Jones, of Vyke, was killed. Thep .rters
had made one shunt and then had to get two truck.. up
in the siding to make room for the coming-in train to
be put away by the platform. To do this they h.oa to
attach a tow rope to the truck at one end awl to the
engine at the other that the trucks might be towed on
by the engine. At the engine end is au iron link, at
the truck end a strong hook, awl the latter is generally
hooked into the ironwork at the side of the truck,
because it is easier to detach it thence than from the
middle draw chain. Jones in this instance hooked the
rope to the middle draw-chain. aw I the engine, which was
not on the same line as the trucks but a different line
• few yards off, towed the trucks a little way beyond
the cattle pen, north of the goods shed. As the
engine went farther on the lateral distance between
the trucks and it increased, and the angle the tow-
rope formed with the trucks became more acute, the
rope itself being brought nearer to the buffers f the
trucks. Deceased now bad to unhook the tow-rope
from the middle draw-chain, awl it is thought he was
caught between the buffers awl the tow-rope. An
exclamation of "Oh caused the engine driver to
look round, and he saw deceased under the wheels of
the first truck. The cheek given to the trucks, it is
supposed, caused the link f the tow-rope at the
engine end to break, for it was broken; but whether
it broke before the man was killed—awl, in fact,
caused him to be knocked down--seemed to Immo an
open question. The driver of the engine immediately
stopped, and the fireman, Parker, took deceased out
from the wheels; but he was not only dead but fright-
fully mangled, the head being almost separated from
the body. Doctor Rhodes was sent for and stated
that death had been instantaneous ; and the remains
were gathered together awl cons-eyed to the Queen's
Hotel- for the inquest Deceased, who was a very
steady man, leaves two children, and his wife is near
her confinement.

THE INQUEST
Was held in the coffee room of the Queen's Hotel,
on Monday morninc, before Mr. Jr. Lock. deputy
coroner, and the following jury :—Mr. G. T. Wads-
worth (foreman), Messrs. derrard, Lovelace, R. Rolls,
K L.Leg-t. Ilablietts, Williams, Codk, White,
George, Rowsell, and Kellaway.
Mr. Collett, stationmager, Inspector Forester, and
Mr. Gaudern, were present on behalf of the Great
Western Railway Company.
After hearing the evidenoe, a full report of which
will appear in The Telegram of Thursday next,
The Coroner said more accidents happened through
shunting on railways than in any other way, and if
anything could be done to reduce the number of acci-
dents it ought to be done. The poor man was clearly
on the wrong side of the rope, he hooked it on the
wrong place, and ought to have then shifted his
position, so as to be on the right side. He presumed
they would return a verdict that the accident hap-
pened through deceased being on the wrong side of the
rope, and that there was no blame attached to any
other person.
The jury retired to consider their verdict, and after
being absent over a quarter of an hour, they returned
a verdict of "Accidental Death," but appended the
following recommendation :—" We would recommend
that in consequence of the shunting of trucks being at
all times a very dangerous occupation, side hooks he
placed on all trucks for shunting p "
The Coroner said he could not do better to carry
out the wishes of the jury than by handing the recom-
mendation to the stationmaster.

—Mr. Collett had much pleasure in handing it to the
proper authority, and gave the recommendation to
Inspector Forester.
The Jury very kindly gave their fees to the widow
of the deceased.

MILTON ABBAS.

A BAND OF HOPE has been formed in this village,
and already nearly 50 young people have been enrolled
as members. Mr. Jacob has placed his lecture-room
at the service of the committee for the purpose of
holding their meetings.
ARRANGEMENTS have been made with Messrs. Moore
and Harrison, whose evangelistic labours in various
parts of the county during the past twelve months
have been signally successful, to spend a week with us
in this village. The evangelists will ID. V.) commence
their mission here on Sunday, the 26th inst.
ON Thursday evening last the lads attending the
Milton Abbas Boys' Bible-class met, with a goodly
muster of their friends, to hear the report for the
session just now closed and to receive the prizes for
which they hail been working. The prises were IBA-
tributed by Mrs. Kemp with a few kindly words to
the boys. The first prize was awarded to Charles
Hall, who had obtained 62 marks second, George
Guy, 18; third, D.,vid Roll, St All the other mem-
bers of the class were presented with boobies rewards
for general good conduct Brief addresses were then
given by Messrs Jacob and Slater exh wting the I tds
to remember the lessons they had learned. The boys
gave three ringing cheers for Mrs. Kemp and three
more for Mr. Slater, their teacher. The meeting
closed with singing some of Mr. I. D. Sankey's hymns
and prayer.