The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-07-25 00:00:00

ARTILLERYMAN DROWNED.

An inquest WM held on Friday last, at the Royal
Breakwater Hotel, on the body of Robert Reales, an
artilleryman, who was found dead under the following
circumstance. :

bombardier in the 2nd battery, first
brigade Lancashire division of the Royal Artillery,
stationed at Portland, recognised the deceased as
belonging to the same battery, his mune being Robert
Beaks, and his age about 25 year'. Deceased
was absent without leave, from the 11th to the 14'h
July. He was a soldier's( quiet, good, steady, and
obedient habits, and witness had known him seven
yerre. On the previou Wednesday night witness
endeavoured to tied him, knowing he was absent
without leave, but there was no trace of him, until the
report came that he was found des I. He wars very
much liked, and had no quarrel with any one. —Thomas
Walton, chief boatman. of 11. M. Coastguard at
Balaclava, Portland, was on duty on Tuesday night, at
Gastletown, between half.past 10 and 11 o'clock, and
called the attention of the waichman to an artillery.
man lying across the pavement opposite the Break-
water Hotel. Assad the man t.) get up, and he did
not answer, when witness sent a man named Johnson
for the sergeant of police. Shortly after, the man git
up, and walk., I away into Mr. William Hodder's
house, The Poi tland Roads. Witness stood outside,
and heard him ale for something to drink, Mr.
Hodder paid he had had enough drink, and refused to
supply him, then came out with him, and showed him
the road, as fa,. es the watch house. The artilleryman
came back to Mr. Hod ler's house, and asked for more
drink, but it we. rebted, Mr. Hodder again showed
him the road, and witness watched him go on about
forty yards. It was a very dark night, with &drizzling
rain. The man 'AVM to have been drinking, but
was Dot thoroughly drunk. Witness hail seen the
body of decea ed, but could not recognise hint as the
artilleryman he iw on the Tuesday night, although
he 'thought it was he. The man asked hint
to have something to Wink, but witness refused, and
told him he ought to know better than ask a man on
duty to drink. The man appeared quite atilt ti take
care of himself oft., he g it up. Afterwards the police
an Ihe looked iut for him, but could not find him.
William Hodder, licensed victualler, of Castletown,
Portland, said b tweeu 8 ant 9 on Tuesday trght the
deceased came to his house and had a pint bottle of
pale ale and four pennyworth of whisky in a small
bostle. He drank the ale, and left the house with the
whisky bottle in his pocket. Between 10 and 11 he
came sgain, had • pipe of tobacco, and was shown
towards the village, but came back shortly for a pint
of beer, which wittier refused, and advised him to go
to the Barracks, walking as far as the watchhouse with
him, and wishing him goodnight. He had been drink.
ing, but was not drunk, and appeared quite capable of
taking care of himself. It was very dark and a drizzly
rain that night; there were no lights at the time
Deceased had not been having a noise with any one
that witness knew of, exceptm; at the first part of the
evening with some die kvaril inen. It was about
Gibraltar and Malta: hut this did not take place when
tie came the last time; w toss was the only person
who spoke to him.
George Mare, waternrin, of Castletown, said on
Thursday, the 13.11, abotr. twoo'clock in the afternoon,
he was informed there was toe body of a man in the
water under the west pier. Witness and John Bennett
rtrdin • 1 oat to the pier, and found the deceased
Wlter, tosed the body to the shore and helped
in carrying it to the coachhonee of the Breakwater
Hotel. Tb, re wae a large bruise on the face, and also
on the left lode of the tip of the bead. It was low
water at the time of finding the b sly, there not being
more th no two feet sad half of water there. It would
be low water about 11 o'clock on the evening of the
11th, and there are spawls at the bottom, so that if
dee sod fell over there i n Tuesday, from the state of
the tides, being neap, and very little water there, the
body would not, in his opinion, have moved.
The Jury returned a verdict of "Found Drowned."
The Jury unlisted of Mtwara Thomas, Gibbs,
Thomas Sausom, Richard Combat, John James
Patten, Thomas Rouen, Robert Ransom, John LW
Way, Charles Hancock, Edwin Pewee, Richard Flew,
Abel Attwooll, and Christopher Gibbs.