The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-10-22 00:00:00

Dreadful and Fatal
.Accident.

A NA N AND WOMAN FALLING OTIS A RAILWAY IBRIDON
-DEATH OF THE MAN AND CRITICAL CONDITION OF

THI WOMAN.

On Saturday night a terrible event occurred in this
perish, which ham created a great deal of awl excite-
ment not only from its distressing nature, but, inas-
much as the unfortunate people who were the sufferers
by it were well-known to the inhabitants.

It would seem that the family of the Rev. Mr. Shirley,
of Lorton House, and vicar of Stinsford, are at present
staying at Weymouth,a.nd in their absence the establish-
went has been left in charge of the domestics. Amongst
these were Henry Aplin, the coachman, and Rhoda
Cross, • kitchen maid. On Saturday a Mrs. Davis,
the wife of a packer on the line, had been to the hones
charing. She left we understand somewhere between
9 and 10 o'clock, and the night being dark Aplin and
cross volunteered to see her a part of the way home.
The three accordingly left together. They went about
half their &Aimee along the high road and then
proceeded to join the railway track. This would save
them perhaps some five or six hundred yards.
Mrs. Davis waa well acquainted with the road
and they got an far as Littlemore, in gaiety.
There they separated, Mn. Davies going down
the embankment to • her own home and Aplin
and Cross turning back for Lorton Honore.
Probably the time was about ten, and the night,
which had just before been a star-lit one, became very
overcast, and consequently .lark. Abut • hundred
yards from where they left Davis there is a viaduct on
the line, underneath which runs a bridle-path The
parapet le only some two feet high. and the fall into
the road is getting on for 204 t. Aplin and Ceram were
walking arm-in arm, and were strangers to the road,
chatting, and, perhaps. forgetful of their dangerous
journey, or, possibly, onahls to see distinctly—one
cannot say; but at all events the unfortunate couple
walked clean over the viaduct, and fell together with
terrible violence upon the hard road below. Of what
followed accounts are not at present very clear, the
survivor—the girl—being unable to give any very
distinct information at the time. But, according to
what could be gsthered from her when she recovered
conaciousness from the terrible shock, she found her
companion lying by her side. and to all appearance
deal. She male her way with difficulty into Broad.
wey, and there her screams attracted the attention of
the neighbours, and to th .m she narrated her story as
well &A she could, and said she believed Aplin was
dead.

And here noineS the singular part of the narrative.
One would have imagined that the girl being alive and
able to walk the first thots.rbt would hive been to
have procured medical assistanc,, and have looked
after the unfortunate man lying in the cold night air in
the roadway. But nothing of the kind was done. The
persons to whose assistance she had appealed -their
names will come out at the inquest—first of all raw
Cross home, a distance of quite half a mile It
stands to reason Cross could not get along very fast
and we may be sure there was a pretty considerable
talk over the affair when they got there. Then there
was the walk hack So that poor Aplin must have
been left in ids agony for about hour an half. When
they got home these people first began to think about
him. He was found lying by the side of the bank
conscious It is true but bleeding with a broken leg and
terrible injuries to his back. The poor fellow could just
murmer "I've waited a long time for help." Even
then the doct w was not summoned nor was even
a litter provoided but he was hoisted on one
of the men's back, and, with his broken leg dea-
ling behind, wan carried to Lorton. When he
had been placed upon his own bed, then it was
considered necessary to summon medical aid, and at
half-past 12 Dr. Pridham was sent for. He found the
leg dreadfully smashed, and the body all over bruises.
He could see the case was hopeless, but administered
restoratives to him. Aplin complained gruel) of pains
In his back, and about three o'clock became unconscious,
In which state he continued till about 11 on Sunday
morning, when he died.
Aplin, we believe, was a native of Puddletorrn, and
had been in the service of Mr. Shirley about three
rears. He wasa widower, about 50 years of age, and
grownup family. e Cross, was about
do lZva
e service in a day or two. She is progress-
ing favourably under the attentive care of Dr.
Pridham ; but she is very much shaken, and has
sustained some ugly injuries. Her face is dreadfully
smashed ; two of her teeth were found in the road 'and
across her throat is a gash, the infliction of which,
until she tells her tale, Le puzzling. The event
has naturally canoed great excitement in the parish.