The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-10-31 00:00:00

330[5tq ¼LullutqExprevi.

DEATH OF THIt DRIV IR.

i as „ ,
ree ! ms railway •ccideut. the nature of which
%WM very Sell 41., .vieurred botwern Evershot and
. maid.. Newton on Tees lay morning. Owing to the
v„,,,t heavy re4te the pe.111111:1C..t way between the
two stations waive amino I woe more r lam nubmero I,
and the nails ty naiad., hit c wid-rod it nesami.ry
ito .aviti m tho driver of !rni inif vomit. Irani. Tie
1,0 been a., vanea.ir • that it novena places the
Shakespeare's expression " A vicf try is twice emb hi ine•eurs, a ..1 at
ankrntl ui Valenti' 'er.
po s 1 to
II lyw •.I 1 unsie a Medal f c eivi•ler dile ilimennions
itself when the achiever brings I full
bers" has seldom been as strikingly exemplified j I,kt 4y block the tratfi.., init It ,ess! ate I the use if a
as in the eels., of the recent campaign, aud ball : single line ...ly. As i• g.tv rally known, a short train
seldom dutl so significant as when quoted i lea! • Yeovil for Wvi.e.tatit At lia'. miwltiv 1a t
by the l'ritne Minister on Tlinesd:ty in his ' eiAht. On the 1311 'l,le,g i:t tivo-tion tdie
I 3 tram was
c toes! • f 616 einno.hre k•rw , e:ui; Ma , 11, itt.urit
magnificent speech in the 'louse of Com 1111 l tis. a von' .• .i, i go, tin...1.e5... ante in.enote break-% an ;
Mid the " full hors ' not been brought th•driyer'• r• .ot. w.• It. 0 .k. flor titer's W. Ki.ll.y.
all b.-10, giog
home, had the etliipaigti how' an dines' rolls as an I the it ed a loan ham -I li•x,•",,
ouu or two which aro still (rush in the toe 1111 l ry t t Ve.oil, . lie t.,nin it i ..e hd eafely to Yettninsiee,
.4 tho to. 1111 l try. and the huntiliati,ei of w.,ich is hut at
1:11IA ..:iati In It Vf ;II titt,lt_ :ocean oy tO
deep and lasting. ecen th nigh it hail resulted. dttay
ion
sil. .t
..,it a I
ic:i.ynw-i.
I. ab
,yeint
r,..t.0r.ve1,
tro..
after months of lilieeleh,,,l. in a H. initial r.,,.,..1, ,t aas rat% ly leached, but °slug to the
triumph, the result of which would be precisely hot . i • il ti'. -I' fit.. line ,he .frirer was warned to
we dotal. I,l',":„iekdd. I
a, a, ~.... ~ Lim a. i. de . f
similar to thu pronout mato of strain, the 'distal ce
a Sly and cod,' si•ly. Th.• watni...• nr att .t
think the accdtim with which the gallant fellows
have been received woul,l have been bettnidaea blit,w;e:
tltrv,,:,h,:tt,
ilzel NlF:t:eoin':'f.e.rw=ttpe r;i.
els Linure.t
them, and potliaps the "II alleluj th Ch. tilts." here mouth I. Ihe distct csi-e -if the a,,eideot was the
as Sir Widetd Lawson go keenly pun it, Coll 1.... nf the anall bride. epanidig the stream
would Int • been joined in OW vociferously by the npp• *he Catli4 ck Mill.. Thin inwha•tc •nl.l n, .t, he
hOu. Member for Carlis:e as it vianild by his dtteern.rod by th.. .layer 0•L V t.Pkt:lo ti O'll14: ..f Lae
warnter-blotalial Englishmen. Ilia principlt s, elie7r, hit..en.,:r.l",i'the'n'etttheaerr'frag: .wvae iii to
held ai they are by !Nene of muo greatest th...truc•ure gay WS.. Tip. •hoek cm.- I ths ena;•he
Liberals, are not for one n 111 l nerd. however, to ,t it hretk•tivt te have the mile, and in the rob-und
be crushed or ignored. and there are far more in ' t ' efml let It ""'n'h t, e (-Ivo e t lo( i,,..• • yowl CNM
1 en i•
the c m oity/ wit, iV oge their allegiance to-such car"
Iwh'uha4"
principles Ilisit the reception of Sir Wilirid a :i11.1,„ :,rtlnSiar:trtm.a
le.7f
.1 li
uhf the
thet
eeneS"; ni..7...11.:11Z.t , 7Te
.1.1,1
tiou in the I louse woold s...ein to imply ; but ~reh ,rd, whole iii' n.a e W.i. many feet deer. The
in his critsa,ls a.f iinat tho att its./ spirit the txi e :...ers of thin man welt carm nil a imewhat
witty menoter is apt to lie c timed beyond the reniarka in. for :o• 111 l y wa• he mania an ace of
bounds of ortUnary re own, and sow+ of his ! b, L..: hi 1.-i in the rail yaiy :mei le ,t, lut r. a• of lh big
biting sentences struck 114 as a little unkind, to I ',",":::;?, ft.tria -int miller 07, int It.' I ''‘V ili tins, who sir". "7
say the to .llt iill it, iii throe° WlLliktVe So bravely I hi. a•sinjt. a Ti- d•iver wlSas' CU ..te 0, 1.7. the
fought and 11,3 Wilily W.. 11. Ali-lt,n1•411 we ibi Wit I line. Anil in. case is the most serious, as he was had y
feel disposeti to aeon the chorea of ecstatic , ocilded by thi ru•hine so ou fr,un the en,ine. The
glorification, which in sonic oinsrters is being so toiled. wit • tototoe.e It. he I...kin: nut of hi, •All 0t
freely indulged ill, we are inclined to think no
..tixtep,,
nt.iini,;,rs.: ieedstar.,,...:ei.rie shoe:, a.... 1 vustlaine I
one can estimate too highly the eminent service, pawenger ist th v bruises.f
rso,, ri‘a.oied my, there
Iri;noiy. hut
of orr soldiers and sailors. That the enemy heron' the ahoen he was uhihjoreo. TI a uljtued hoot
took to their heels, and that their characteristic were rain iced to Maids., N.aton, where ilt..r were
cowardice was again so apparent. is rather a ',roma y setua led to by Mr: R•hdall. The .•ffieiala
aitowlVeytuoulh wrere:i7.1„.,,,7.1.71 witth, and • bfreak-
matter for c tngratulation than otherwise, and
whether " these miserable Ff,./ptians ' deserve di„,,,t,.rg.llegc,,wme,,d,ny;a4, Lae; 'join!, eia..coelet:Eith,:
a vote of thanks for running away at such a unit F.senom K.tyttton of the Loconettivebeoartm.nt.
convenient time is not worth discussing : but at Mr. Tyrol), diitrict engineer to the company. Mr.
any rate it ought not to detract one atom from Robins in, locomotive aninitintendent at Yeovil, Mr.
VOll4 chief engineer. 24fr. Walton. of Bristol. and
the gallantry and the pluck with which our men
faced the trenches, at which it was not within treer ofli:tt! ohttrwco...iiino.nyyaistgeviLited. tbohun. 1
their knowledge to know that one half of them so La repaired as to allow of the traffic 1141ne remained
would not find their bullet. The Prime on a tingle line of rails.

THE iNQUEST

Minister's speech has been spoken of as too
elaborate and picto-enpie, but the right hoe.
On the body of David Cock, the driver. took place at
gentleman, who has as good an opportunity of Maiden Newton us Friday last, before Mr. Giles
judging of the difficulties of a campaign as, si monde, Coroner. It had been proposed to hold the
perhaps, any man in England, formed a true inquiry at the Railway Inn, where the 13 sly Was
estimate of the genius and the bravery that lotu; ing,but.owing to the insufficient scream' latom,the
have been displayed by generals and soldiers. .r'neTr decided to aalj urn to the Waite Horse.
nI T. W. Walton Divisional Superinten ient, Mr.
His vivid descriptioos were listened to Hum'phrey. Supenntendent, anil Mr.
interest, and in reading the noble peroration no Inspector Hurt, watched the proceedings on behalf of
man can entertain a doubt as to Mr. Gladstone's the G.W.R. Company. The follewine evidence was
feeling on the justice of the war which has now adduced :
Intim Kirkby said: I know the deceased whose
so happily terminated :—" England has got not
body the jury hare jest viewed. lie was the engine
merely a gallant people to depend upon, for driver in the service of the Great Western Railway
that it has always had, but that it is approach- C ,meany. lam slso in the service of the company as
ing at least to the possession of a powerful and fireman. On Tuealay morning we left Yeovil at 810
effective military and naval organisation, and with the short passenger train between Yeovil end
toi,utth .theW...uwtehrt.t.iblEocykeedr.huait
tuned. We
when in a just cause there is a great object to
be gained that or4anis ition will be found• minutes. We had to work a single line.
effective for its ends, and men will nut be Left Yettniuster at 9.10, travelled carefully. an
wanting, whether as admirals or generals. to reached Evershot safely. beft for Made., New
lergo the 'Mk) difficulties and the arduous about 9.30. Tiler., was a good deal of water on the
&lend a mile fr ti Evershot. Toe train consisted
['hoer which in a moment of crisis are cast on
111 two carrist;es an I two sans. We came on very
those who carry forward tlme flag of the'. country, steadily, owing to the audition of the line. Who
go honour and to victory." Perpetual and to Cattitr,Ck Bridge we found the watr ov.ir
universal peace seems WI far "tins over, for some the line in fr ut of it.. The water WA4 over the bridge.
of the greatest strug :les the world has ever Th., front p,rt ot toe engine went over, and then the
seen have taken place in our ti 111•41 ;it Ilt.tkei bri Igo broke ,wn. nod the hind. part of the engine,
delightful dream, but will n
dam,. d. tbrowit oig me ver the rile into the water. I
ot boar the light of cannot asy how the ornis, d went off. but he WAS • n
practice at preatiiit. It is a comma/gat' the on.:ine when I went over. We were going It ths
devoutly to be wished, but it seems AS Lie off in rate, .1 alma vivht or nil. miles h 'My arm
the hay did int future as the 3lillentain itself ; was ar &int, hut I hardly kit ,w h for I didn't
GO while war and its c .nutless attendant evils I koi'w anything of it till I cam.' 09t .4 the w de-- I
id did not see ,nyth:a.g else,
remain to se.itirge an I impoverish those nations was taken int, the mill, a
r cannot say what haepeueet to the .I;ic ha I
who yield to the " military spirit," it fleets hare loser mien the line &ode I before this di,.
must be that the .gallhut- mai on whom the A Juryman : HOW tiltl the water get on the line.
severest portion of the burden falls 3hutild we. it fr on the meadow. was the-e not enough
receive the thanks of the country for whom they cart iage-a ay throu :11 the itridge?
Wit• ess Id i.e.
have imperilled their lives and limbs. . T..eCor iner said he dare I say they would hear from
other wituesees what provision there was for carrying
awcy the water.
%Vanees. iti reply to the Coroner, Paid the line was
floe let a mile or m tee above this place. fie did not go
toter it on the previous dite.
George Marston said: I am a guard in the Elides
..f the Great %Veetorn Railway Cotnpany. I was in
charge ,4 the sh trt train froiu Ysovil ao Weymouth on
Tuccloy morning. The train conside I of .mo van and
three carriage., and Was drawn by one enAine, the
dacea.e I lei.. th driver. We went seal to
Cattistock Mills, IWM in the rear van. Jag before
we got to tha bridge I was looking out of toe vitt,' or.
rhera was water over the line, about a mile and a
quarter hick, met ale. on between the bri fge at.d
Maiden Newton. All at iince I was knocked up against
the side cif the van door by toe train cud fenly c arming
to a etandatill. lat ot.ce got out of the van, went
round the tail of the train, and t ,war is the eng'ne. I
taw the deceased standing ,in Oat ground. He was
alone. I catild not find the fireman for some time,
and when I now bin he was in an apple tree
In the ereiarl, which wee fl Laded. The first
words dee.ased said to me were •• Oh ! George,
I am done for The engine was di the road
et the Cm., lost still on its wheels Deceased was
standing between tho two lines on the off si he of the
engine. There wan no neater whe-e he wan etending.
The engine Anil the van hal emseed the bridge, the
brit of ths carriages Wee standing on the bridge, an 1
the other caerisee was on the Ev, raho-. eids. I askrtl
the deceased if he was hurt. and he rep ie I he was, and
I got him over the bridge, into one of the compartments
of a etrriag water w se not over the metale
the bri lge. The ballast wag wash. 1 away, and the
water Was running under the trine env. This Was the
C 3113 with h 'the it. 111 rails—op aid down. The fore
wh tele of the cirri CZ, which was on the bridge were
res'ing on the balla.t. The rails had sunk, but the
bridgo keel we all right. I sent ler the doe ir and
the atatimuna.ter a• Maiden Newton. Deceased was
removed to Maiden Newton.
TO reply to the 0 trotter, witera, said the water
underneath the brides wee not right up level.
John Ivies said :I tin piiirmanmt wsy inepector, in
the employ ..f the Great Western Railway Company.
My duty is to 1., ,k after the line, bet wen Bruton and
• mile from Maiden Newton. This includes the bridge
where the accident occurred. I walk the whole line
for inspection once in ten days. I passed the bridge
in question on the 17th inst. It is my duty to image
the line and humect all bridgee. I examined the
bridge opposite Cattiatock Mills on the 17th. The
bridge is constructed of brick abutments on each side
of the stream, acd timber top. The top is constructed
of wooden girders and timber decking'. There is
about a foot of ballast over the girdere, between the
transoms. and the metals. The epee is scarcely
lift. Under ordinary circumstances the height
from the bed cf the river to the girders wield
be about rdt. When I last examined it, the bri-kwork,
&dere, and everything, were s "Ind. The top of the
bridge was renewal between July and May, 1577.
The timber work, with a little re oairs. w id I lag for
90 years. On Tuesday last. the 24th, I PAW the bridge
again between 11 and 12 o'cl Ick. The engine and van
were off the road, and the van and one coach were on
the bridge, which had given way and was in the water
way. The girders ha 1 given way, aid so must the
walls hive given way t have allowed the girders to
fall. There should have b .en DOW al/ sot :tft. .1 brick.
, work above the wator hut it waa all apao... The Oyer-
, lap fvf the girder, on'either all, we il,lll 11dm,. to 2ft.,
generally there were ab .ut 21t. of water there. The
waterway under the bri 1.,e is greater than it is
between it and tho mills. Th Oh:knees td the brick.
work was about !f:.t GM.
The Foreman : Have you receive.' rcty reports at
&DT time a. to the meatiness of this bridge!
Witness : No, sir.
The Coroner: Have you ever known such floods here
before?

Witness: No, sir.
James Sullivan nil 1 : I am a ganger in the
service of the zompsny, and my duty ie to
walk over the line every day between Maiden
Newton and Evershnt t eon thxt everything is right—
to see the gauge is right and to examine all brilges
awl culverts. I Was ovir the line on Sundsy and
Nlonday, and new the bridge opposite Cattistock
I ex ,mined it oo To-eday week (tie Tiseeday before
the accident). Mr. I vine wee with me thee. We dii
not go ender it in con.eguenisi of the water. We
coil I see some of the brickwork ab ye the water. On
Monday loot, between holf -past five and ids o',dock. I
west over the bridge, aul found a good deal id water
there, but there wa, no•os over or new the line.
On Tuesday morning I went up the line about seven
aid there was no Water on the line then.
Went on to Ever-hot. It vm raining then. Returned
between eight awl nine, awl the woter war then on
the lino fr ii• Vhontinarle Bridge. I came ii to
Cattiatock, and born i the accident had happened.
When the train primed me. I gave the driver "steady,"
and cautioned him.
Mr. William Iteedall, surgeon. said : I was sent
for to attend the deceased. I found him in • cow.
partment of one of the carriages. I had him removed
at once, as it looked very much as if the carriage
would fall through. He was brought to the Railway
Inn, at Maiden Newton. I examined him, and
found the hands and arm. ter,' extengivole sodded.
awl the skin was hanging in shreds. He Was
perfectly sensible, lie explained to use he fancied
the connecting rod of the engine to hare penetrated
the boiler, that a portion id the apparatus on the
engine !fluid have given Way to have allowed the eacspe
of the water and steam. Hie legs were also very middi
scilded. I attended WM up to the in ,rning .4 his
death, which oicurrelon Wialnesday eveninz. When
they fir t removed him to the inn he had somewhat
recovered from the state uf collapse he was in, and on
the Tuesday he was very much better than I
expected, although there Was certainly some doubt
about hie else. When he last saw him he Was going
on favourably, and the opuptoina were favourable.
About three o'clock in the afternoon he became
delirious. They sent for me, but I wao not at home.
In my iibeisos -us. Emma (Dorchester) waa sent for,
wad be arrived between fire and six. Death wee

ease ta by congeetion of the brain, arising fr .m the Ac. ;no doubt., therefore, it was considered as not
inflarniont. of the skis. There was no mptotu of won. el here. Corte i 'matte, too, one of the grandest
conge•ti a, wheo I lout saw him. IL ce ore we. 35 historic monument, in the kin.olom, was also unmen-
ya • old. (Mr Iti-ndell arbiteri to ru. nti n tit view tl,uei. The Pot-utile, Parc-1.1 Act Was another
able aer sires he heal received (non P.t NIA •Ictin tod in maitre tarot last slemion. There wen another Act '
An. Fox, the mune, wasll,f c died, ant etat.t.l trite at. :ailed the Peevoution of i !citron (Ireland) Act. Ti, istk
ntL
which
e h
. sawtoihi.hi
t i.n
be tYa
wt
ten‘irlait
roI h
-y
di I not want anything of that art in
it. .dsy miming, I He hod no ilonbt, all of them had from time
a Ire it deal hew r. About the., ocliuik he began to to time rat with horror aid deteatation tbe a 'counts
be d him.alf, and she could n. t melon° him. He was of the cowardly, cru.l, and dastardly asisseinations
then noeurible, hut had been quite c neeinuu. up to munrsin.., throuthoutt Ireland. Under this Act
that time. Mr. Em.on saw hint. And 'all ha knew cnmes hat been brought to light tn Dublin where
he would die when he tint saw him I),e:tont bad juries were not to ie int midsted from doing their
everything th" docr .r rode. el him. I Tit to the time lin' y, and ti,' ii, ieroptenc • was those who he lc imunitted
he became deliiious he made tio compd.:at of being these lineribleroor rg hsabe .n found ; two 114 been
worse.
Mr. Robin. in, in charm. u executed aim., the passiog of !Iva Act, and othcre for the
of th. Icotno ice depart- a whole f tinily were now coming on fur
ummt at Ye mil, said he knew the engi.e. No. ' unqat Ile wax glaa the Prevention of Crimes Act haul
wni.l the a1.c..e.e.1 to ik irut. th a lent he bean paste I,bac one it chaired dismay for useful Erigliih
ha I exainittea it and found tw.• ludes hth firebox lo4lelution. Tior li.r.airder lastly referted tm th,
wh-re the rail went through ; th-re is a h to the left Married aVotnen'ti Prot...ay Act, which was quietly
1-a LA aid.. of the Coal-honker, hot he could n..t tell how passea, hut would eff ot a really great rovoiution,
that arose—it isas not there wnen the engirts went out. , though, perhaps, it be several gewrotimo,
Tire a eke,, which hibl, the break—ihaft was also ' before it' power was folly felt. He sail he had been
lir km. The bole in the limbos would admit of an nivrri..il :Xt years yesitsr icy, and he war, nearly three
ev.pe w.eistu, whaimh wuul4l fiui its wry out of the score year. ant tell, att he wee entitled to speak oak
fi e hole door, thi. subject. ft w imp tondo there could be to
Mr. Ivin. (re-called) nail rote of the met •'rs was torn mn,it u don between to.'. awl wife, and anything
g
up front the i.e insoent way. w high tended t meat, iivisi an hoween them wod
ul
th, a
gee, e g tr .in in the night be mot deplorarile. conclusi in he at ialturi thorn
ant another in the morning p05...1 over tho aeon all Well, tat I evoryttatot they wish for them-
me ale previ emir. .elvon ( A pa'alie ) There wore no st, Gemini ids,
The COKONLit, in sutonsiug tat, the evidence, said and tuts court wa. cl In the evening the grand
ther, cool I not b, any doubt What wee the iliree. Jou Intl blunt. rare lAt the lint Lirm Hotel.
I' 1041 of the p 'or man's death,. and thit wet eral ling.
hot then come the quination—how ilki it arise? Th-y
b I he ard from the wituit• en that the train came at wn
Iran ifcivil, and in I an.in.; "%tor this !Haag" the
structure gave way. l'hey hal had certain r di—
mei, Mei 13-tween the ',Ho eas .4 motto wit it took iii.c •
in let ail at the m .went, tie to where Lie c and
van wers ; jolt th./ al knew h,iw Minn human
na woe, a,.1 th-re went liar Ily two people, is the
ol abren natorally to he ettut.'t ..1 they wcrr't
void ' gise the on . aceount, rerhalisit, of urn Immo
trans ,ction. Then c rine this ii.te.tioir, what was the
ra...e 7 An I for 'he cane, they lied no- far to seek
Ac carrying pooen.mr. was 10,0101 to ionic se
reason ahl • care an I csution, and that they would carry
the persons whom lacy held throned's", out to carry.
safely. I'l., cin.truction f this bridge and the line
Cr it wan to limb., as they had heard from Mr.
Irina, of the onlin soy char ,et-r. They all Ingest
whe, railway. rn over water the, must b a bridge
of fir 11. el .4a .1. kind, Ina th.• or lima. y nig,' wont
be, wham it wee a ft d one a. in Va. case. sup,sieted
upon ries work and girdsre. II this ease then, wise
, sewn of some hien like raft. or ;Min. and its a-ke.l the
' witness Viet peiticularly, because he we. noxious to
know, as everyb .dy site amid know, the proviaion
made tor than waterway, for ootonly ohould the 'wide,
be ample or reareinabl., iis the exarclro of ordinary
care owl r, b at as, to meet those em,r,fencies
which at times occur. hut lappily not very in ten—that
there sh .ul I be provision for everything in the share
of online!), alealinge with water, and also wits Boo&
of this alowription. Now, there appeared to have been,
or
far As he could ere, ample proviei at for such eons
tingenc'es. Nil 0101 alt it occurred to them what was
the object of his &Ain.; the quest i in—what was the
extent and the eottaition of limo waterway between the
bridge and mill? to which the witness replied that the
waterway on her the bridge Wan vortainly equal to
wh it it we. above. What it was below they .1-1 not
wont to know, baconae if the water nes.sesl under the
bridge wiMout harm, they did not care much what
became of it below. The evidenne was, therefore, ample
for the purpose of anewtaisubig whether prop 'l' Itro-
vision hal been male, and that the bridge was
properly constructed; there &mimed to him tel have
been ample provision mole for everything reaeorable
that night happen to ourselves in a country . f tide
des. rotation for the &mown-Ala ion of the water fl iwing
down through. They were not bound to do anything
more ; they were bound to exercise reasonable
care and caution, and if anything haineined in the
hands"( Providence, which nobody could control. it
, was certain they could not legally, tairly, and in *dice
be held responsible. There appeared to him (it was,
however, for the jury to say). as far an he mold judge,
no
eel :once to Allow that the arrangements and the
pros igloo made by the railwaV Cutup MT Were not
ample, end he creationsb thn accident t • be one of th-se
things that aid happen, hut nobody c odd tell bow.
They had had unfortunately, as they all knew—it was
a fact, and, therefore, would It. preseut to their minds
—a great deal .4 water of late, and there Was
generally a greet doil wider this bridge, except in
the summer time. One rd the witnesses odd
n,d,r ordinary circumstances there were something
Hite two feet of water, but on this ru..teaion it
was Close up to the lari igo. Tile brickwork must
have hem nod wuno way ..r other,--at all
eveats, it had onto down, and he believed it to be an
accideot, which no human foresight coul I truant
unjust, however, notch it wan to be lamented, lie
c not sucest there we, any'. ly to blame; there
gestured t m hive been reaenAble an I proper vigilance,
end the proper inspecion by the • , whose duty
it we. rrn every day to in la -c, the brid.re. If he went
over P. rooked over it, anti lent down to see if the
arickWork was in pl tee, lie (the Coroner) MU not
know what h coral dia more. its appeared to have
it -ma the, 011 the 17th, when he Was impervised by Mr,
hitt.. In conolu Hug bus remarks the Coroner said,
reartinably spsakii.g. brid.o, was in proper roo-
d-ti n, an lifth at ..eas their oionion, they must giro
effect to it by their ver lie,.
The jury at once retu. lied a verdict of "Accidental
death."