The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-05-13 00:00:00

ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

A lamentable 'accident !occurred in the Mersey on
Wednesday, on board the steamer City of Baltimore.
The velbel was about to leave the river for New York,
and was firing the customary parting salute, when one
of the guns burst, and two of the passengers, brothers.
named Leech, were killed on the spot by the explosion.
A STEPMOTHER COMMITTED /OR MANSLAUGHTER.—
On Friday evening an inquest was held at the Commer-
cial Inn, Barnaley, on the body of a boy named John
Wm. Lincoln, aged four years. In consequence of its
having been stated that the child had been inhumanly
treated by its steprootheigreat excitement prevailed in
the locality. It appeared that the father of the boy had
been married twice, his first wife having died rather lees
than four months ago, and six weeks afterwards he
married his present wife. Mr. Blackburn, surgeou, said
on Wednesday moining he was called in to see
deceased, who was then in a comatose state. He found
his skull was fractured, both thighs were broken, the
eft having evidently been done some tithe; there were
also bruises on the forehead, arms, back, and on one ear.
Death had arisen from the fracture of the skull and the
effusion of blood on the brain. Several neighbours said
the child and two others were badly treated, and that
on Wednesday morning the stepmother ran out of the
house, took the child in her arms, and cried out that
ita elder brother had let it fall down stAirs. It died •
few hours after. Ann Matthewinan, wl.o resided next
door the Lincolns, said that on Saturday she was in
Mrs. Lincoln's, who complained of the dirty habits of
the child. She laid it across her knee and gave it a vio-
lent stroke over the small of the back, and then threw
it on the stone floor, the back part of the head going
down with great force. The child never screamed, but
lay with its eyes open where it fell. Mr. Blackburn said
that it frequently happened that after a fracture of the
skull the person so injured lived for days and even
Weeks. The jury, after half an hour's consolation,
unanimously agreed to a verdict of manslaughter against
Mary Anne Lincoln, and the coroner made out a
warrant for her committal to York to take her trial at
next ILBEIZES. The accused is about 22 years of age
TRI MUDD= AT COVENTRT.—A. brutal murder has
been perpetrated at Coventry, by a domestic ribbon
weaver, named Frederick King. The murderer was
brought no before the city magistrates on Wednesday
morning and charged with the offence. All he had to
gay was that he hoped they would give him something
soft to lie on in the police cell, as it was hard, cold,
and damp. It appears that he was committed to gaol
for six months for illtreating his wife, and had since
then felt a growing dislike for her, beating her in a
most cruel manner, and depriving her of the very
necessariel of life, even wiling the household bread
in order to gratify his love of drink. What with want
of food and this treatment she bad become almost worn
to a skeleton, and some marks of violence on her
person, together with the prisoner's aubsequent admis-
sion that lie had killed her, leave little doubt of the
fact, though there were no witnesses of its consumma-
tion. Ile was suspected and tried for shooting a watch-
maa many years ago. . _

DESTRUCTTVE STORTI.—Leeds was visited by a terrifie
storm on Wednesday, Until evening the day was
warm and genial, with • bright sunshine. Between six
and seven o'clock • change began to set in, and at the
latter hour commenced one of the most terrific thunder
and hsil storms that has for along period been witnessed.
Is the township of Leeds hailstones fell fully one inch
in diameter- but the worst effects of the storm were
felt in Brainier, one of the out-townships of the borough.
In that localiti masses of ice measuring five inches in
circumference, and weighing four ounces each, were
risked up. The damage done to glass was immense.
In the town-street of Bromley alone it is estimated that
3,000 panes were broken, and upon the street lame,
garden frames, places of public worship, and hot-houses
the hail came with • fearfully destructive effect. The
whole village presents a strange scene of desolation,
wow* Of the ordinary dwellings having had their
windows completely riddled. At Morley, about four
miles from Leeds, thousands of panes of glass were also
broken by the hail, and a horse was killed by the
lightning. In the Bradford districts, according to the
M.anchesterjourn 1, there were heavy thunderstorms on
Wednesday, more particularly in a north-easterly
direction. The river Aire was swollen to a great height.
Early in the morning two men were attempting to cross
the stream with a waggon and three horses at the Buck
Mill Ford, near Idle, when one of the men was drowned,
and carrried down the stream. The other man, as
well as the horses, was with great difficulty rescued.
A Todinorden correspondent reports a heavy storm in
that neighbourhood on Wednesday night. The water
rose to a great height, overflowing the banks, and
causing considerable damage. The storm raged with
unprecedented violence in Nottingham and its vicinity.
The wind blew violently from the south-west, precipita-
ting torrents of rain. The streets were soon deluged,
and pedestrains who happened to be out of doors were
driven to the nearest shelter. The electric fluid flashed
incessantly, lighting up the darkness with a lurid light,
terribly beautiful to some, but appalling to persons not
possessed of very firm nerves. Immense hailstones
fell, some fully as large as marbles, others jagged in
outline, seeming as though they had been detached
from large sheets of ice. While the storm was at its
height, the workmen at the sewer in Wheeler Gate had
a narrow escape with their lives from the bursting in
of an immense volume of water; and the safety of the
houses at both sides of the streets was greatly endangered.
mANOTHER DEATH FROM CRINOLINH—On Thursday
orning Mr. Payne held an inquest at Guy's Hospital
on the body of Mary Lane, aged 17, who expired in that
institution from the combined effects of burns and shock
to the system. Mr. Cogsn, of Neptune-street,
Rotherhithe, stated that the deceased girl, with her
parents, resided at his house. A few dsys since he was
alarmed by hearing loud screams, and immediately after.
wards Miss Lane rushed out of her room with her clothes
on fire, the names reached above her head. Witness,
at considerable risk, tore away nearly the whole of her
clothes, and afterwards wrapped her in a large quilt and
blanket. Deceased was much burnt and exhausted by
the fright. It Wis ascertained that deceased placed a
looking-glass on the table, and began dressing her hair
with her back to the fire ; in stooping forward her
crinoline extended her dream to the grate, and this
ting in an instant the batik part of her clothing was In
flames, Verdict, "Accidental Death."