The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-10-17 00:00:00

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THE INQUEST ON BODY OF A
STOKER KILLED AT YEOVIL.
--
A young man, named Joseph Brend, of &seer,
employed as fireman on the London and South-
Western Railway, met eith a shocking accident on
Monday night, which resulted in his death.
AN inquest was held on the body at the Red Lin
Inn, Kingston, on Friday afternoon, before J.
Wybranta, Eiq., and a jury, of whom Mr. Robert,
Allen, of the Greyhound, was elected foreman.
The first witness called was

John Hawkins, who deposed : I am an engine.
driver in the employ of the London and South.
Western Railway Company. I know the deceased.
He was a fireman on the same lino. He was about
twenty•six yeara of age. On Monday evening last,
about half-past six o'clock, I was driving an engine
from Hendford station to Yeovil station. It was
dark, and I saw no one on the line, but when we
came to the pointsman'e box I stopped. Some young
man name on and said I had run over the fireman.
I told him I did not know it, for I saw no one. I
was in charge of the engine, and could not go back,
but went on to London. I was driving a goods'-
train.

Charles Marsh deposed : I am a glover living at
Victoria Buildings, Yeovil. Last Monday evening,
about half-past six o'clock, I was coming out of our
front door. I saw the luggage train pass, and, im-
mediately after, I beard some one call out " help"
three or four times. I went down and saw a man,
and he said, "For God's sake, do pull me off the
rail, for tam cut to pieces." I asked him where I
should catch hold of him, and he said, "Try t., catch
hold of me by ttte shoulders." I did so, and pulled
him off the rails. He then said, "Get me • handker-
chief and tie my leg up." There was a woman
standing by, and I asked her for her apron, which
she gave me, and I put it round his leg. I said.
"Aire. White, you come and tie up tighter. for I
cannot tie up very tight." He then said, "Run to
the station and tell them the stoker is run over." I
did so. I suppose it was about 200 yards off. I saw
the driver of the engine; the last witness is the
man. I told him the stoker was run over, and be
said, '• It can't be, for I have just pat.sed along there."
[told him I had just pulled him off the rail, for his
leg was off, and I. should like some one to come up.
I then went up to the station and made it known to
the porters and others, and then returned. When I
got back Dr. Colorer and some others were there.
He drank about two quarts of water, and some
brandy which we got him. We then oot a board
from the station at,d put him on it. St: men took
him up, and I collected what things of his 1 could
find on the ground and carried them to the Dispen-
sary, where he was also carried. I did not hear
deceased say through whose neglect the accident
happened.—By the Foreman: I did not see him
before the train passed.
Elizabeth White deposed: I am • widow, and
live at Victoria-buildings. Last Monday evening,
just after the train passed, I heard • ory,for help,
and I went at once to the spot. Found a wan lying
on the rails, and the last witness was also present.
I asked deceased what had happened, and he said he
thought he beard a Bristol and Exeter Railway train
coming and he stepped on the Loudon and South.
Western Railway line to avoid it. I bound up his
leg and sent for the doctor. He also said his own
train had gone over him. He said, " l'm done for,
I'm done for." Fie did Sot blame any one.
Dr. Edward Charles Garland deposed i (In Monday
evening last, about half-past seven o'clock, I saw the
deceased at the Infirmary. He was suffering from a
compound comminated fracture of the leg and thigh.
He had alight wounds on his head. Mr. Tomkyns,Mr.
Coles, Mr. Aldridge, Mr. Parsons, and myself held a
consultation, when we decided to cut off the thigh.
I was asked to do it by Dr. Aldridge. After the
patient had got under the influence of chloroform
and when I was about to commence, my attention
was drawn to the state of the pulse. It had most
ceased to beat, and his hands were cold. He was
almost in a state of collapse. It was decided by all
present that if the operation were performed he
would die under it. We then tried to get a reaction.
The next evening, exactly 24 hours after, we decided
to operate, and I cut off the leg in the presence of the
other medical officers. It was done with deceased's
sanction: He bore the operation well, and did not
Ices an minds of blood. fie died in three hours
after. There was enough and a little more to
account for death.

The Coroner briefly recapitulated the facts u giten
in evidence, and told the jury that, in his opinion,
they could not only return a verdict of Aocidental

Death.
Dr. Garland then informed the coroner that Oa
opinion was very prevalent ammig the inhabitants
of the town and neighbourhood, that the coroner
was not legally botind to bold an inquest in a case,
in which the evidence so frilly proved the death was
catleSd by a ptire accident.
The Coroner said that according to Act of Parlia-
ment be naa Wand W hold an inquest on the body
of every persen who met his death by an aceident
Even if he (the Coroner) saw a man shot, And was
confident that his death was purely accidental he
was as much bound to hold an inquisition as though
the facts were enveloped in mystery. In his turn
the dorotler asked Dr. Garland, as to whether the
institution of which he (hr. Garland). bad spoken of
as "The Dispensary," was in reality "An In-
firmary ;" as, if it were, he (the Coroner) had no
power to allow Dr. Garland his fee, as infirmary
surgeons were supposed to be so well paid by the
9moluments arising from their office, as to require no
further remuneration.
Dr. Garland said that through the insufficiency of
the sum subscribed by the inhabitant of the town
and neighbourhood, they bad been tumble to rawlye
all cases that offered themselves, though such
urgent cases as that of the deceased's were, if possible,
always Admitted.
The Coronet', mid fhat di that was the cam, the
fee would be allowed, and he then tendered the
usual honorarium to Mr. Garland.
The Coroner then dismissed the jury, after thank.
jug for their attendance.
The mother, father, and brother of the peer
fel owi cattle tip to Yeovil, and removed the corpse
to Exeter, on Friday aeterhoutii