The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-09-02 00:00:00

TEMBLE TRAGEDY AT WALDITCII,
NEAR BRIDPORT.

The quiet and retired village of Walditoh, about
a-mile-and.a-half south of Bridport, was on Friday
morning the scene of a terrible tragedy. It appears
that an ill 'feeling has for the last 15 years existed
I between two respectable farmers, Mr. Daniel Joseph
Stone, and Mr. C. rooks, whose residences were
closely adjoining. On Friday morning, about half.
past seven o'clock, Mr. Stone was passing the resi-
dence of Mr. Fooks with a view of going to a part
of his farm situated on the hill. Mr. Fooks, who at
this time was sitting in his kitchen, apparently
reading a newspaper, saw Mr. Stone passing, and
iminiately started up, took his double-barrelled
gun, hastened to the front door, and deliberately
fired off both barrels in quick succession, the con-
tents of ona of which lodged in the back of Mr.
Stone's head with such fatal effect as to cease him to
fall dead. As soon as he had perpetrated this
fearful deed Mr. Fmk, shut the front door of his
house, rushed upstairs to his bedroom, and imme-
diately afterwards another report of firearms was
heard, Some of those who had been called to the
spot by what had previously occurred, suspecting
what bad taken place, rushed into the house and ran
up to Mr. Fooka's bedroom, but finding the door
fastened inside, a ladder was placed against the
window, and on one of the menasiending it, a shock-
ing scene presented itself. Mr. Fooks, the author of
the appalling catastrophe was lying on the floor, his
head and face shockingly injured, and the gun lying
close by. A erow-bar was immediately procured;
and Mr. Shepherd, a resident of that village, and
others hastened to break open thedoor. They found
Mr. Fooks quite sensible, and lifted him into bed.
He said it was the work, not of that day, but of
fifteen years, and inquired if "the other" was dead.
Mr. Stone, the deoeased, was 31 years of age,
and Mr. Fooks is 47, and both were unmarried.
Mr. Foolues house was kept by his niece,
who had left the house the day before the tragedy
occurred, on a visit to Burton, and the only parties
in tbe house at the time beside Mr. Fooks were a
nephew, who was in bed with a bad leg, and a
grandniece, about ten years of age, who was in a
part of the house drawing cider, and who imme-
diately the gun was discharged gave an alarm. Mr.
Stone was being accompanied by a lad named
Perrett, Mr. Fooks's attempt to destroy his own
life appears to have been a most determined one.
After shooting Mr. Stone he rushed up stairs
with his gun, but forgot to take his powder
and shot, and he subsequently had to return to the
kitchen for those articles. He loaded both barrels,
but only one was discharged, and that being held
slantingly, only the lower part of one aide of the face
was injured. The lock of the other barrel worked
difficult. Had such not been the case, there is every
probability that be would have been killed on the
spot. Mr. Fooks is a tall, powerful man, of very
excitable temperament and constantly in 'hot water'
with his brother parishioners in regard to pariah
matters. As may be supposed, the event caused the
greatest consternation in the district, where both
parties were well known.

THE INQUEST
was held before S. S. Cory, Esq., coroner, and a re-
spectable jury, at the deceased's late residence, at six
o'elock in the evening of the day of the fatal occurrence.
Groups of persons were congregated round the house
anxious to hear the result of the inquisition. The jury,
after being sworn, proceeded to view the body, astd on
their return the following evidence was given :
William Parker, a labouring youth, deposed: I
reside in Waiditoh. About half-pad seven this moreing
as I was walking by Charles Fooks's house, I saw him
standing in the doorway with a gun in his land. I saw
him raise the gun, point the muzzle towards the head el
Daniel Joseph Stone the gun went off, and deceased fell
in the road. I was about three or four yards from him,
and saw hl „ad flowing from his pole—and saw that he was
shot I did riot attempt to take him up, but went for
assistance. I returned with John Bishop and Jesse
Parker, and assisted them in carrying the body of
deceased to his late residence. Deomiftd was not then
dead.

By the Coroner: Tarn quite certain I saw Charles Fools
point the gun and fire it at the head of deceased.
Daniel Stone was only three or four yards from the
door of Fooks's house when the gun was discharged.
John Bishop: I am a labourer, residing in Walditcb.
About half-past seven this morning whilst in my garden
I heard the report of a gun. I went into the street
immediately, and saw the deceased lying in the road on
his face, about five y.rds from the door of Mr. Fooks's
house. Deceased was covered with blood, which came
from a wound in the back of the neck. I lifted him on
his feet, and spoke to him, but he could not answer.
He breathed twice after I had lifted him up. I assisted
the body to his own house, where it now lies. Ido not
know who fired the gun, nor did I see Charles Fools.
The only nelson I saw in the street was a boy about
eight years old—a stranger to ma. The door of Charles
Fooks's house was shut.
William Shepherd, brushmaker, of Wslditch, said:
About half-past seven this morning I heard the report
of firearms, but did not take much notice of it from the
fact of its frequency, but two or three minutes after I
heard the report of another discharge—rather a dead
sound, as if being fired in a house. I went into the
street, and saw Henry Adams, who beckoned me, and
said "For God's sake come, for I believe master has
killed himself," meaning Charles Fools. After some
difficulty I broke open Charles Fooks's bedroom door,
and there itaw him lying on the floor in a heap by the
bedside. I lifted him up with some difficulty, and find-
ing he was alive I sent for a medical man. Mr. Hay,
surgeon, wan soon in attendance. There was a double-
barrelled gun lying on the floor by the side of Fools— •
one of the hammers was down as if it had been recently
discharged—the other at • full cock with a cap on the
nipple. A powder flask, shot pouch, and ramrod I
observed lying on a box close by. About 10 minutes
elapsed from the time of my hearing the first report
until I saw. Fools. I saw nothing of Daniel Joseph
Stone. Mr. Fools is in the habit of discharging a gun
across the road. Whilst lying on the bed he repeated
many times "H has teased me long enough. lithe
other one dead? I hope he is." I have been with
him the most part of the day, and he has not mentioned
the name of deceased. I have never seen him dis-
charge a gun from his own door. I gave the gun to
Sergeant Lavender.
Sergeant William Lavender deposed: This morning
about eight o'clock, from information I received, I went
to Walditch, and saw the body of deceased lying in his
own house. I then went to the house of C. Fools and
saw him in his bedroom on the bed, lie had a wound
on the left side of his forehead. He appeared sensible.
I then examined the bedroom, sod saw two holes about
three inches in circumference PI the (wiling, about four
feet apart, having all the appeerance of gun-shot holes.
William Shepherd handed me a double-barrelled gun,
flask, and shot pouch. On the nipple of the left-hand
barrel was a cap, and it appeared to be loaded, but on
examining 111 found It contained oats • few grain" of
powder and a wad—but both barrels had evidently been
recently discharged. I then told. Fools that Stone WA
dead, and be said "I suppose so," and added that he
(Fook4) had been very nervous for the past month. I
cautioned him as to any statement be might make,when
he replied," He has teased me long enough." I searched
him and found a quantity of gun wads and percussion
caps in his pockets. I charged him with the wilful
murder of Daniel Joseph Stone, and he made no reply.
William Henry Hay, Beg., surgeon, Bridport : I am
a legally qualified medicel man. This morning, about
eight, I saw the body of Daniel Joseph Stone at Wel-
ditch, at his own house. He was quite dead. There
was an abrasion of the skin, forehead, nose, and lip, as
if from a fall. There were apparently shot wounds
through the left ear, and two longitudinal wounds on
the left side of the neck, andseveral wounds on the back
of the head and neck, which appeared to be the effects of
gun shot wounds. I have since made a rose morfcet
examination. The soft parts of the nee were much
contused. I found several shots flattened against the
occipital bone, and one shot at least in the spinal
marrow, and on opening the spinal canal I found extra-
vacation of blood, and one shot at least wounding the
spinal marrow, above the third cervical vertebra, and
this was the cause of death. [Some of the
shot extracted from the head of deceased by Mr.
Hay was here handed to the jury for inspecoion.l Dr.
Hay, in answer to the coroner, said that be had had a
consultation with Dr. Smith. who concurred with him
that it would. be unsafe to bring the accused, Charles
Fools, before the jury that evening but that there
was no immediate danger, unless erysipelas should set
in.

This being the whole of the evidence, the Coroner
summed up the case minutely, stating the law in
regard to homicide, and the jury, after • brief con-
sultation, returned a verdict of " WILFUL AND
DELIBERATE MURDER" against Charles nolo.
The wituesses were then bound over to appear at the
next Assizes, and the jury was dismissed.

Since the melancholy occurrence, Foelie seems to be
very calm and aollerted. On Friday evening he was
able to madrewhiummilarai gat Silo bed, and does not
seem. at all to Ied"JAW esivattiote. ..Thik medical,
ii9PPoßer be ,w4ll. otzlirved,
t to Dortiliester