The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-08-07 00:00:00

SHOCKING ACCIDENT ON BOARD THE

HERCULES.

This ship, which has been with the other ships of
the Reserve Squadron on their annual summer emit.,
returned to it, old station on at ir lay, ant, wh in
mooring the sh:p, a shocking aoci lent behll three men,
IMMO Johnson, Tomliuson, and Frost, th first man
receiving such terrible injories that ho die 1 witbin a
few hours of the sat occurreoci. About nine o'clock
In the evening deceased, with other men, were told off
t haul on to the hook-rope, deoeaaeil ant the other two
iojured men standing between the rope an 1 the c ehle.
When the order was given, "off slip," deceased was
caught by the hook-rope, and, with hie two comrades,
drawn between the cable and bell end. The rope was
cut, and the man extricated aol t eke,. to the elk bay,
where it was foun 1 Johnson's loft hip bone was
broken, and that there was a deep wonted between his
legs, in addition to severe internal injuries. Tomlin-
son and Frost hal each sustained a fractured thigh, in
addition t other injuries.

_
TSB HMO rwr
on the body of Johnstone took place on Monday
evening at the Beak water H del, Portland. before R.
N. Howard, E.g. (coroner), aol • jury, of whom Mr.
Chriatophor Gills was chomp foreman.
The enquiry having been formally opened, the
C .roar and jury procee lei in • Steam launch to
M S. Hercule., where they viewed the scene of
tho accident, from theme they wore cmveyed to the
mortuary at the Breakwater. where they viewed the
body and returned to the hotel. The first witems was
John Bradbury, who mated be wee a private in the
Marine., belonging to H.M.S. Hercules, now lying in
Portland Roads. The &roomed, William Johnson,
was also • private of Marine, on board the same
ship. Had known the deceased since he had been on
the ship. Deceased had been on board about twelve
months, and witness nearly two year.. Ois Saturday
evening last, the 28th of July, about nine o'clock, the
Corporal of Marines gave the order to the watch, then
on deck, to haul on to the hook-rope- The deceased
stood about three pace* from him inside the rope, and
between the rope and the chain. Witness stood
outside. A man named O'Sullivan was standing near,
t soother with several more of the watch. There
were about twenty men hauling on to the rope. He
heard the order "off slip," and with that witness
dropped the rope and stood on one side so that he
might not get hurt from the cable. He did not see the
deceased do anything. The cable than commenced
running out, and he heard the men sing out Oh,
dear" He went to look, and sew the deceased
jammed between the cable and the riding-bits, and
part a the hook-rope round his loins. The deceased
said "Never mind toe, assist Tomlinson. he is hart
worm than ma" There were so many moo around
that he could be of no use, so be went away to his
mew. The corporal "warned" off twelve men to
bring the injured men to sick quarters. Winess was
one of them, and assisted bringing the deceased to the
sick quarten. The deoeastsi was alive and appeared
mumble. He asked for • drink of water, but they
could not give it hiss. He oomplitined of the pain and
&may he wee I. When witness heard the words "Off
slip' he thought the cable was going to run out. The
d•oserted was three paces nearer the commanding
officer than he was, and could bear as plainly as he
oould. There Wa/ ranch noise at the time, there being
number of Cosatgamdarnen about, be.idee Marino.
sal Blue Jackets. By the words "Off slip "he under-
stood it lobs slip the cable.
By • juryman: Then was no notice given to the
man to clear out of the way before the order wadi given
"Off slip ;" it should have been. Coulde't my if there
was any blame to anyone. Ever since he had been
in the navy, which was eight years, he had always
heard the order given "stand clear of the cable,"
before the order was given "off dip." He did not
know whether the order Was given or not, but he
never heard it.
By another Juryman: When the order to slip the
ground chain is given it is not ustual to give the order
beforehand to stand clear of the cable. He could not
say If the dammed was "yarning' with his 1:01111114/4
found, and not paying attention to the orders. They
were mooring. havinr just returned from their cruise.
Eugene O'Sullivan stated that he was • private in
the Royal Marines on board H.M.S. Hercules, On
Saturday evening about nine o'clock the ship was
being moored, and an order was given to haul on to
the hook-rope to get some loom chain out of the chain
locker. Witness stood one side of the rope and
deceased at his right the other side of the rope, and
other M.llll round them. No one told than what places
to take; each one at od where he thought proper to
match hold of the rope. Did not hear &awed talking
to anyone. When they had about hat a 'bookie of
chalk on do dick. the ardor was shis—" L9l go th•