The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-07-25 00:00:00

obeetii se.% ant
" Libm I,Abb.
" ''Le Reb. if. V. Ribikes:

"Treasury Chambers,
"21$ July: 1876.
" Sir,—l am directe3 by the Lords Commissioners of
Her Majesty's Treagury to transmit to you herewith,
with reference to the letter from this department of
the 30th May last, copy of a report from Mr. Clutton,
listed 30th June.

"I am to acquaint you that my lords approve of
the grant of leases for building purposes (subject to
the conditions, and at ground rents to be submitted to,
public competition, but not to be less than the suius
stated in the memorial) of the portion of the !awl
recently acquired by the Qorp.ration froni the Duchy
of Cornwall, conrsiniric 2a. Ir. ep., and coloured blue
on the plan, which accompanied the memorial from
the Town Council, fowartled by the Mayor in his
letter of the 4th of April last, with the exception of
plots 1 and 2, on which (as suggested by Mr. ('lutton)
the trees should be preserved.
"My Lords would suggest further for the considera-
tion of the Town Council with reference to the
strung feeling evidently entertained by many of the
inhabitants, that dome condition should, if possible. be
attached to the grant of these leases by which all the
trees, or at any rate those worth preserving, should be
, left standing.
" The formal sanction of this Board will be obtained
by two of my Lords being made parties to the deeds,
draughts of which must be forwarded to their solicitor
at his office for perusal.
" I am, Ice.,
°(Signed) WILLIAM LAN:.

SHOCKING ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT

ESTEItN 1W 'MAY.

On Saturday evening a shocking accident happened
on the Great Western Railway a short distance from
Dorchester. Some men had been engaged repairing a
bridge, and one, a married man named dames Bartlett,
had been left to signal the trains over. This wax at
four o'clock, awl shortly after mix he was diseo‘ereil
horribly mutilated within a few yards of where he had
been left.

On Monday morning an inquest wen held at, the
Great Western Hotel, before Mr. Giles Symonds and
the following jury: - Mr. J. IL Taylor (foreman),
and Messrs. G. K. Loader, 11. Bascombe, J. Dibbeu,
S. Whittaker, Tilley, Searle, Bailey, NV. Meader, Geo.
Franklin, Tanawell, and Lake.
The jury, having been sworn, proceeded to view the
remaina, which were ins Loftin at the Great Western
Station. They were terribly mutilated, and, but for
seeing the face, it would have been almost impossible
to discover that they were the remains ii a human
being. The face had not been di disfigured, but
the back part f the skull had been +gnashed in. The
wheels of the train amwared to have taken deceased
on the left shoulder, and have passed Iron, thence to
the right hip, the stomach being smashed, and also
the ribs. The right leg was much injured, and the
foot torn off, the left leg being broken in a ample of
places, whilst both arms were smashed int., pieces
The feet had been run over and the torn broken if, as
were also the fingers, and it was said a couple of the
poor fellow's fingers were picked up on Sunday near
the tunnel. These, if no, must have fallen off as the
remains were being conveyed to Dorchester. It was
a thoroughly sickening spectacle, and one which could
only be looked npon with sorrow by any. Deceased
was between 41 and 42 years of age and, from the
evidence, appeared to be thoroughly acquainted with
his duties.
_

Mr. Yeo, stationmaster al Dorchester, attended to
watch the case on behalf of the (.!inipany.
The following evidence was taken
William Williams said he was a ganger employed
on the railway, and deceased was one of Ins party. He
saw him at 10 minutes part four in charge at the Fniine
bridge, in the parish of Bradford. He was to "steady"
the trains —that was, to hold a green flag in order that
the speed might be reduced going over the bridge,
which had been under repair. He was to stay there
till eight o'clock. The first train due that way after
witness left him would be the down goods, due at
4.20. The next would be the up paftenger leaving
Dorchester about fise o'clock. Another goods would
leave Dorchester a few minutes after five, and then a
passenger train due at 6.10 It was deceased's duty
to steady those trains both up and down. When
witness left him he was quite well and sober and
capable of doing his duty. The bridge is an open one
right across. The rails are on the right hand side
going up. It would be deceased's lilacs to stand on the
left hand side on the vacant space. The signalling or
'steadying " of the trains had been done for the past
three months. He tlAw no more of the man until he
saw him dead. Witness was comb)", from Charminster
when he saw the 6.10 train pass the bridge faster than
it ought, and went to look for the deceased, but could
not !Ind MM. Witness remained on the bridge about
five minutes, and called deceased. His place would
have been about 100 yards beyond the bridge. Witness
was coming to Dorchester when the excursion train
from Weymouth to Bristol met him, and the driver
pulled up and asked if lie had seen the man that had
been knocked down. He went back to the viaduct,
and found the remains on the side of the metals, where
it liad I.,eed removed from between them. The remains
hail Leek rsini,ved by the guard of the Bristol excur-
sion. The remains weie afterwards removed to the
station at Dorchester. The man had been ,su the line
for seven or eight years, and had been accustomed to
the work.

heymesteoruthat
7a.t2'..3.lHp;nki.n:wn
Thomas Beaant said he wax an engine-driver on the
Great Western Railway. He was driving the exeur-
i Saturday.from London,ieie duehed sit)
cV
the mad, and looked out for the bridge, having anne
the previous Saturday, anti knew the bridge was
under repair. He slackened speed at the bridge, and
looked out for the .Adinary. signal. About 50 yards
from the viaduct under repairs he saw a man, who he
thought was the flagman, and appeared as if he had
been run over. Deceased was lying between the rails.
He was then about 20 yards from him, but could not
pull up. He ran on to Dot cheater and reported what
he btol seen. The remains were lying between the
ansi eller of witness's train.
Robert Rusau; deothied that he was a packer ,ut the
Great Western Lairwty. 9n Saturday night he saw
the Wistol excursion stop just b..yond the viaduct on
ass. Arlaford side, end he ran &crow: to axe what was
fl wan then in the Charmitatter iosd.
the - "4 bryin told him that one a Use met
The b•uarn nirs.temlins in charge of witnesS:
was killed, and ie.. ii-S::ss gado, and then they
He remained until Wins-.' He had
removed the remains to Dorchaste,
not seen deceased since Friday evening. -A
Frederick Caddey, of Weymouth, said he workc
for the Great Western Railway Company at Grim.
stone, and on Saturday evening he returned from his
work by the train lita‘inw Grinistone at two minutes
to six, but on this evening it a late. There were
other workmen in the carriage with and before
reaching the viaduct they felt a jerk, ans ...;17espt
looked out of the window and saw a hat Nowlin,
about, and remarked that someone had lost his hat.
[The hat, it BOOMS, war afterwards found some dis-
tance beyond the body.)
A witness explained that da tag was found near
the deceased with the end smashed
By the Coroner : Russell, the witness, ams blood
on the rails, but a quantity in between the nate on
the right side towards Maitkn Newton. He did not
notice the appearance of the blood, as to whether it
had been there some tidne or only a few minutes.
The Coroner said it reamed certain the man had
been killed by a train. but how he got on the metals
was certainly a mystery. He WAS foonJ mutilated in
the way they had seen. He left it to the raw to give
their verdict.
The jury immediately returned a verdict " That
deceased was found dead mutilated on the railway,"
but how he came to be on the rail, was left an open
question.
At the close of the enquiry the Rev. fl. Everal
--ante into the room and asked the Coroner with regard
taw in there cans, stating that the widow of
' -I complained that she had been denied
- of the deceased. It seemed
',•.fl. but it was before
' -• on Sunday

to the
the deceased
a view of the remau—
that the had applied at the mu.
the remains bad been brought in, and tee.
no such application was made. There was no °ur..
tion, it was explained, to her seeing them, and of
course she could have free access. The policeman
hid charge of the remains. This was considered ;‘
satisfactory explanation, and Rev. K. Everett thanked
the Coronet.