The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-01-24 00:00:00

Somusttsbirt.

(AMMO:MUM,. —Dead' frau' a Scald.—On Satur-
day week, a little girl, about two years old, named
Mary Ann, daughter and only child of Mr. William
Squire, glove manufacturer, of Chilkwell-street, in
this town, was sitting before the fire with it. father
and mother, about five o'clock in the evening, when
the kettle with boiling water upset, and some of
the contents fell over the pour little creature's feet
and legs. On Sunday evening it was seized with a
fit (supposed from the fright, which lasted until ti
o'clock Monday morning, when she died.
The Her. A. Lovekin, late curate of St. John's, in
this town, and now chaplain of Her Majesty's troops
in Ceylon, has sent a remittance to a friend to buy
tea and sugar to be distributed to the poor women in
the almshouse. The eighteen inmates have received
a pound of tea and a pound of sugar each, and were,
no doubt, very thankful to the rev, gentleman for his
kindness, especially as he had continued to remember
them though removed to so great a distance. Mrs.
Goddard, of the Abbey House, has also lately sup-
plied 40 poor families with blankets, sheets, shirta,
gowns, shawls, and strong knitted worsted
stockings. At the mansion of this benevolent lady
the poor are supplied once or twice a week with
pea-soup, and she sends half a pound of good tea
every week to each almshouse, and contributed a
sovereign towards the treat that was lately given to
the Sunday schools in each pariah. Her good house-
keeper devotes three or four hours daily in visiting
poor families, and in endeavouring to ascertain their
real wants and deserts. Several other ladies have
likewise been generous to the poor this Christmas ;
nor would we omit to mention that the Mayor
(James Jacob, Fag.) has kindly sent presents of tea,
to the inmates of each almshouse.

FRO/la.—Our ride corps is progressing favourably;
14 have already enrolled theuuselves. .C4OO bare
been subscribed.

On Monday morning week, a most desperate
character, named Joseph Cray, was brought before
W. Knatchbull, Req., M.P., Dr. Harrison, G. W.
Sheppard, and John Sinking, &qrs., charged with
having committed a most brutal assault upon John
White, a gamekeeper in the employ of the Rev.
John Horner. It appeared from the evidence of the
prosecutor that about throe o'clock in the night of
the Bth inst. he was aroused by hearing a noise in
the fowl-house adjoining his dwelling-house He
immediately got up, and on going round to the back
of his premises he saw three men walking away
from the fowl-house; he followed them and overtook
the prisoner, the others making their escape. He
collared the prisoner, aud a must desperate struggle
ensued. In the scuffle a fowl flew out of his pocket,
the prisoner then drew the barrel of a gun from an
inside pocket, and beat the prosecutor about the
head, cutting his head open in several places, and so
violent were the blaws that the barrel of the gun
was split in the centre. White's wife came to her
husband's rescue, and succeeded in detaining the pri-
soner until other assistance was procured. Two
other fowls belonging to the prosecutor was found in
the prisoner's pockets dead. The two others have
not yet been identified. The prisoner made no de-
fence, and was fully committed to the assizes on both
charges.
B•irn.—Fatal Accident as ate Box Tunnet—An
accident with loss of life happened to a man named
Thomas Rice, on Tuesday last, in the Box Tunnel.
The deceased, it appears, bad, some three years since,
deserted from the Royal Military Train, and was
being conveyed under escort from Bristol to Alder-
shot, by rail, when, on entering the tunnel, he must
have opened the door of the railway carriage and got
out without the knowledge of the corporal who was
with him, to attempt to make his escape. He must,
however, have lost his footing, and was killed in-
stantly. When the train reached Chippenham the
company despatched an engine to the tunnel, and
there the remains of the poor fellow were found in a
most horrid condition. His body was brought to
the Chippenham station and deposited at the Old
Road Inn. An inquest was held on Wednesday
last. Robert Ferguson, a corporal of the sixth
battalion of the Military Train, deposed that he was
ordered from Woolwich to proceed to Bristol, and
received the deceased from the custody of the civil
power, being in gaol for desertion from the same
corps. Witness took deceased under his charge a
quarter before one o'clock last Tuesday afternoon,
when they left Bristol station live minutes before
three o'clock by an express train for London. In
the same compartment wet corporal Pooley, of the
Royal Artillery, who also had the charge of • pi-
ounce. On the train entering Box tunnel deceased,
although handcuffed, contrived to open the door and
fell out. Just before, wither took hold of the skirt
of his jacket to keep him back, and called for mast-
enc., when corporal Pooley put out his hand to
help, and excliumed " The man is gone!" A por-
tion of the jacket was left in his hand. On arriving
at Chippenham station he reported what had taken
piens. There was no lamp burning in the carriage.
—Mr. Horablower, the superintendent, stated that
having been informed by Corporal Fergusion that
his primmer had jumped out of the express train in
Box tunnel, he went down immediately on an
engine with porters and lights to the spot. On
arriving within half • mile of the west sod of the
tunnel, they hand deceased lying dead on the up-
line, between the wall of the tunnel and the rail
His skull was fractured, with a portion of the brain
protuding, and the body was frightfully mutilated.
A handcuff eras on the left hand only—the right arm
being nearly severed. The body was brought to the
Old iffaed inn, at Chippenbam. Verdict—" That
Thomas Rios was accidentally killed by a fall from
an sxpa train in Box tunnel as the lOti
whilsi atemptimg to seeps from his smierk"

LANOPORT.—Riffe Corps.—Now that a thorough
working committee have been appointed and the
good round sum of £194 ss. stands to the credit of
the corps, we may early anticltiste the ritle move-
ment here to assume a visible shape. With the view
of securing the required strength of 60, the committee
lately arranged fur the division of volunteers into
classes ; the Ist, of members equipping themselves at
their own expense; 2nd, of those willing to pay 50,.
towards the .uttit ; 3rd, payers of 20s. ; and 4th, of
volunteers willing to join if provided with arms and
accoutrements free of expense. Each individual to
pay the annual subscription of £l, and to be on the
same f.s4itig with regard to drill, /cc. Some litttle
dissatisfaction with these arrangements and the con•
duct of the business of the corps generally was evinced
at the meeting at the Townhall in Saturday. The
remarks, however, of the spokesman of the objectors
were anything but favourably received by the majo-
rity of those present At the close of the meeting
it was stated that the volunteers then numbered 67.

BURNIIAM.—R* COrp4.—At a recent meeting of
this corps the following gentlemen were nominated,
subject to the approval of the Lord Lieutenant of the
county, to act as officers :—Captain, Mr. B. T. Allen;
lieutenant, Mr. Joseph Allen ; ensign, Nlr. C. J. B.
Maine. The number of members belonging to the
corps is 65.
BURNHAII STEAMT.R.— Unavoidable delays have
occurred in the arrangementsof the company recently
started in this place, with George Read, Esq., at its
head, for the purchase and employment of a first-
class steamer, to ply between the West of England
and South Wales. No more time is to he lost about
the business. The promoters of the undertaking are
in treaty for a boat, and are exceedingly anxious to
procure one that will conduct the traffic expedi-
tiously and satisfactorily.
BIIIDOWATEIL—FataI Accident. An accident,
which terminated fatally, occurred on Friday after-
noon week, to a lad named William Royalls, a sailor
on board a vessel named Commerce, trading between
this port and Gloucester. At about the hour of II
on Friday morning Royalls was in a boat attached to
his vessel, which was in the inner basin, endeavour-
ing to lift a bucket of water into the ship. To enable
him so to do he gut upon the edge of the boat nearest
the vessel's side. This shoved the boat off, and he
was precipitated into the water between the boat and
the ship. Some men working near observed the ac-
cident, and went to the youth's rescue; but an in•
terval of five or six minutes elapsed before he was
taken out of the water. It was found that he was in
an exhausted condition, and that he had sustained
concussion of the brain. He was removed to the
Hope and Anchor Inn, wbere he remained till the
following day, Saturday, when he was taken to the
Infirmary, and on the evening of his admission he
expired. An inquest was held on the body before J.
E. Poole, Esq., the borough coroner, on Monday, at
the Infirmary, and a verdict of "Accidental Death"
recorded.

FIRR ON BOARD A Snip—About nine o'clock on
the evening of Monday, some passers-by along the
Quay, near Mr. Sully's residence, were alarmed by
seeing flames issuing from the fore part of a vessel
lying on the other side of the water. On hastening
thither the cries of a female were heard proceeding
from the cabin of the trow Caroline. of Gloucester.
from whence fire was gushing forth. The trow wasim-
mediately boarded, and the woman, who turned out
to be the wife of the captain, taken out, when it was
discovered that she was rather severely burnt, and
she was taken to the infirmary. It seems that the
captain of the vessel, Samuel Howie., had a short
time before left the ship, with the intention of return-
ing again to his wife on board, and that during his
absence a fire broke out in the compartment in which
his wife was. No serious damage was done, which is
to be attributed to tho early discovery of the fire.
The woman was so far recovered from her injury and
fright as to be able to leave the Infirmary the follow-
ing day.

11.11INSTER. —On Tuesday evening a tea meeting
was held here by the members and congregation of
the Intlependent Church. The Rev. F. J. Perry,
the pastor, occupied the chair. Earnest and appro-
priate addresses were given by the Revs. J. I %apple,
Isle Abbots ; W. Densham, of Chard ; and J. C.
Westbrook, of Winsham. S. I). Hine, Eaq., and
Mr. 11. Standerwick also addressed the ineiiting,
which was a most harmonious one, and remarkably
well attended.

ACCIDENT—On Saturday, the 14th inst., about 4
o'clock in the afternoon, Mrs. Lee and her daughter
were proceeding down the carriage drive leading
from Dillingtou-House to llunnster, riding in a car-
riage drawn by two spirited horses, and when about
200 yards from the lodge gate leading to the turn-
pike road, the horses commenced kicking, and ran
away at a furious rate towards timinster. The
coachman attempted to pull them up, but he had no
control over them. He, however, managed to steer
them through the lodge gate, and then tried to turn
them in the direction of Crew kerne ; but this he
could not do, and the animals ran straight across the
turnpike road, and jumped completely over Mr. Pal-
mer's garden hedge into the garden, and took Cie
carriage over with thew and there fell ; luckily the
carriage did not upset. The coachman was thrown
off his seat into the garden, but received a very slight
injury. Mrs. and Miss Lee jumped out of the car-
riage into the garden, but we are happy to say did
not receive any injury beyond a slight shaking.
There is some wire fencing along the hedge attached
to a pillar of Ham-hill stone at the end of Mr. Palmer's
wall; this the wheels of the carriage came in contact
with, and pulled a great portion of the pillar and
wall down. The carriage was not injured beyond
the iron work being bent, nor did the horses scarcely
receive a scratch. Had the horses turned to the
right instead of the left the consequences must have
been very serious. Mrs. and Miss Lee were taken
into Mr. Palmer's house, where they received the
kind attention of Mrs. Palmer, and in the course of
half an hour after the accident were able to proceed
home. The footman, who a-as sitting behind the
carriage at the time the horses ran away, jumped out
in cowing down the carriage drive, and sustained
some severe bruises, but no bones were broken.

Mtwaugir.—On Wdneaday last, Mr. John New-
ton, carpenter, of this place, was at work at Yarty-
ford, and left to return home in the evening, which
was very dark. At a place called Uolsfonl there is
a small accumulation of water, and a little w,amlen
bridge is thrown over it The water is partly grown
over with brambles, and it is supposed that Mr.
Newton fell into the water, and that one of his legs
became entangled in a bramble, whereby his head
was kept under the water. He was thus found quite
dead on Thursday morning, with his tool bag upon
him. The water was only about knee deep.

Tancrox.--Subscriptions of £2.5 by Lord Taun-
ton, and of £5O by Mr. A. Mills, M.P., have been
given towards the expense of certain alterations and
repairs of the Taunton National School-rooms.
United prayer meetings have been continued to
be held during the past week. The services have
been conducted at the Assembly-rooms, the old
Assize-hall, and several of the chapel&

Rums CORP& —There has been a sort of Christ-
mas recess for the members of this corps, there hav•
log been • cessation f dnll and other practice for
about a fortnight. On Thursday week there was a
general muster of the members ou the Parade at two
o'clock, the company marching to one of the Oal-
mington fields, where a rather protracted general
field practice was gone through.
The old annual custom of wassailing or singing to
the apple trees is still adhered to in this neighbour.
hood. On Tuesday evening wassailing parties, with
lanterns and pitchers of cider, were seem and beard
in orchards in several adjoining parishes. It is gene-
rally supposed by many of the rustics that there is
little chance of a good crop of fruit in the ensuing
season without this practice is indulged in. It is
scarcely necessary to say that the inibiliing of a large
supply of the juice of the last year's crop is considered
a must essential part of the proceedings by those who
join in them.
At the last meeting of our Board of Health com-
plainta were made of several smoky chimneys,
belonging to different breweries and foundries in the
town. A onumittee was appointed to investigate
the complaints. A communication was read from
the Ely Board of Health, asking the Taunton Board
to join them in petitioning the Home Secretary to
cause public fairs to be discontinued in towns. The
Hoard did not appear inclined to move in the matter,
so far as Taunton was concerned, the fairs here only
lasting two days.

Doxgraft.—Fatal Ginn Accident —A distressing
accident occurred on Monday. at Trehorough, near
Bungler, Somerset. Mr. Henry Paul, wine and
spirit merchant, of Clifton, who had been on a visit
to his brother-in-law, Mr. Fuidge, of Treborough,
went out shooting, and in the course of the day hav-
ing discharged one of the barrels of his gun, pro-
ceeded to reload it, unmindful that the other barrel
was charged and the trigger at half-cock. The ac-
cident which has frequently before occurred hap-
pened in this instance. On the insertion of the ram-
rod the loaded barrel exploded, and its contents,
entering the eye of the unfortunate gentleman, com-
pletely blew off the upper part of the head, and
death was of course instantaneous. Mr. Paul, who
held a high position among the trading community
of Bristol, and was universally respected, has left a
widow and a large family to deplore his untimely
end.
Sxmoug A CCIDEST TO Tait M =BCH FOR
Tau:civic—Mr. G. Cavendish Bentinck, P., met
with a severe accident whilst hunting with the Bel-
voir hounds on Friday week. The bun. member
sustained a severe fracture of the collar-bone, and
was conveyed to Syston Park, the scat of Sir John
Thorold, Batt, where we are glad to learn he is
going on satisfactorily. It appears the meet took
place at Stubton, the residence of Mr. G. Neville,
and they were repairing to the spot. A large num-
ber of gentlemen were in the act of passing through
s hand-gate, when Mr. Bentinck, feeling anxious to
get on, spurred his mare to leap over the hedge,
which had on either side an awkward wood fence.
She caught her hind legs and fell, preciptating her
rider with greet foroe au to the ground.