The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1872-12-03 00:00:00

INQU ESTS ON THE PASSING CRS.

R. N. Howard, E q.,bell lb. Inquest, on lb* bodlea
.1 the mita en,t little gill f ,und In Chesil th.
Cove too. Their pawls won, %%aloes Idwarda, nod
Ithoda Bunyan.
. .

Alfred Ai'vitio, plummier on board the Royal Adelaide,
said Rhoda Bolivia was the daughter of George Ban-
yan, • passenger on board the vessel. If. could not
exactly say when the captain left the vessel; but he
should saw four lean Use had gone, and then he was the
next with the child. The other body was that of
William Edwards he was also • mooed elms pessimism/
on beard the same yawl
George Bunyan said be was booed for Sydney
with his wife and two children, one of whom was the
&peeved, who was six years old last birthday. Witness
was on the poop with the Went in hi* anima aid when
he came up Jos-ph Smith brought Rhoda. They stood
some time on the poop, mid Ms wife es he believed
went second to the shore, in the basket. Wituess
turned round and saw the eiptain standing with his
beck against the isompanion, and took hold of his arm
and said "Captain, if you are it man, be • man," The
captain replied "So 1 gill," and then said "Clear
away for all the female.," and when the road was clear,
he rushed forward and got into the basket himself,
leaving about adi evn females still on board Issaidee
Bunyso then said "Captain, you don't go
unless you taxis my Infant," and to hold of his twat or
jacket with his left hand. Joseph Smith then took
boll rf the Rifest, and put it in the captain's
arms, and Bunyan said " You min go. mosaic ;
but you are no man for gigot," and thou stood on the
poop feeling for a knife to ens • rope to tie his little
girl to his beck, but found he had lout it. Stood there
for twelve to sixteen minutes with Rhoda in his erase
begging any ens to tale her; but no one would, and
he got over to go himself; he mold not get his little
girl in, mot the Dulcet went back. The next time the
basket name he was holdir.g with one hand by the tail,
and it caught his feat, and be went down in the biaket.
He was then begging every one to pass the girl to hiss;
but they would not. When Ins said to the captain "Be
• man,' bethought the oaptalii ought to regulate people
going on shore better than the pamengers did—for he
gave no order., but each did as be thought proper.
The, seams were all making away, soiling the
pamengers to keep down in the hold—they were
ell safe. Wltnces said to the oistain, let every maa
be drowse), but let the females be saved. Witness
had been on deck all slay, and shout ten o'elook the
captain said to the passengers, " All hands, do your
work tomes Ufa" and they all worked that amid, and
so did the crew and captain. Ab nit one o'clock be
ordered all the seamen to have their meals, and be had
his on the top of the poop, and then he ordered them
out again About four o'clock, a passeager went to
hint, and a-bed him if he knew where he was., when he
ramie • simple laugh, and said "I know my duty
better than you do. The passenger said " Do you
son what is in ftvnt of you" When the captain replied
"lam yoke a straeger to the comae," mid the pamengere
were all ordered down the hold, and went down. TO
isonduot of the captain during the passage had been
very good.
P.C. Henry Powell found the bodies on the beach
about five o'clock.

_
Mr. S. W. It, n Tail rather thought the deceased
Edwards wail a relation; but he could not recognise
Um, Was on the beach when the vessel struck. and
saw the eaptaln °nue ashore fourth or fifth. Asked bin
to st.nd out of the w.y and hare some refreshment,
witness taviuga can of coffee there; but the captain
complained and ..i4 "I'll let them know I am master
of th• chip." Withers asked him to go aboard again
for brandy. an there ma. • great call for brandy, and he
had cold there me plenty in 'the .hip; but he said he
would only they tied compelled him to oome off.
Dr. Allen MeL lited the bodies had been deed
Dome hours from drowning. The child bed narks on
the hest!, and the left leg broken ais if by a fall. The
man less strong and muscular, and about fifteen stone.
. . . .

Alfred Modirool, a paa.mager, deposed to the wiptdu
&eking him if h. knew what nowt this was, and, the
• saked him if km did not think it dangerous
running for the ..ore on dirty morning, and he maid
?' What nen I do? About two hours al ier witness told
him if thoy g. 4 !ninons of thee. bays, they would never
get out .ran; but be gars a comical look se if he did
not billets it. . .

--11;:ite— ;Wall rowelled mid that when the captain wee
so.led be onkel " Where are aver' and warmer replied
"You are on Portland bush." when he replied "1
tbooght it was St. Albut's Head."
Verdict: " Drowned by falling into the ma from the
Royal Adelaide." . . . . . .

The Inquest on the body of Catherine Irons was held
at the Rowel hotel. . .

James Irons paesenger etewerd, wag the husband of
&tented, pass;.l her on the poop to he rant &Aloe,. He
passed all the females and child's, to the poop to be
sent ashore, all were to be sent, and then the men to
look out. *soh for himself. When he left there were
only four or fire men end one woman, and the latter
they could not get ashore. They lifted her, and she
tore and rayed, and sail she would meet her lee in
the ship. A. to his wife she was lost by holding the
pennant of the main brae*, and not letting go when
she was toll. On Frilay at four o'clock they were
eight or else miles from the lil:ort and stood over for
the French *oast. On Monday morning at four they
saw the light.. on Portland and Cape La Hogue quite
clear, At three o'olook in the afternoon the 'Petals
gave out that the vessel was lost, and put every one in
fear, though Ale did not strike till six.
The a cond mate, James Woolley, gave evidence
eimilar to hls statement as above, defending to.
captain.
The body was found by Henry Whit', who was in •
host in the West Bay, and saw it floating under water.
They puts rope round it, and brought it ashore.
Verdict," Drowned by falling Into t'm
The jery repeatedly a:premed their strong diesporo•
intim' of the captain's tendril:lt and naked for • Board of
Trade I c quiry.
The Coroner called the attention of the jury to what
tionstituted manaaughtur. It was the nolawfal killing
of another without malice, either voluntarily or involutp
tautly, and amongst other ways, from the improper
performince of som• lawful act, ani therefore U any-
body Improperly performed • lawful act, and thereby
any one was killed. he could be liable for nmaleughter.
On the evidence that bed been firma, his would ask
them at once to abandon the ides of returning •
verdlot of manslaughter againet the captain and it was
stid open for the relatives to take any prociedlage they
tlionitht proper, and probably some further enquiry
would be made as to the lose of the vessel, when the
point relight be better rank. As to ths oonduot of the
*setae, it was contrary to all notions of what • British
seaman who e mimanded a vessel should have done.
The bare fact of leaving 111. -vessel when there were
lot of women and other puseagers on board was
suMeleet to oondenin him and it was immaterial whether
be was the fifth or the tenth, although the evidenee
clearly proved be was the fifth. The Coroner also drew
attention to the evidence of the seoond mate,
which wee preyed to be entirely false, in saying that the
esptain left after tweaty or thirty bad goes. The
statement would he periery if it were wilfully made;
but he (the Coroner) would rather take the more lenient
ylew, that ander the oircumetasess of exelteerent the
mate made • very greet mistake. The evidences of the
peseenger Hearin was thoroughly corroborated in
ether pallets by other 'airtime's SOll among them by Mr.
Iteodall, and he could not but bateve On SO tOIposSIMS
a point that UN eaptela acted the people to make way
for the females, and then rushed into the beast him-
self, and only when bold bask by force dii be even
take the babe. If the bury sited for a Board of Trade
enquiry, he would support the miming to the utmost of
his power, for he isonsidered if the 'Was had stayed
and kept proper order and regulated the departure of
the roplo, the delays would not here occurred, and
the people would have been over mach earlier, and the
last three not have been lost. _ .

—.-• .--
Tbe Jury added to their verdict • request for • Board
of Trade enquiry.
The strongest indignation was expressed at th• aoudad
of the oapta,n, and some of tie. Jury ouutradieted th•
evidence of the ssegod male, and said the captain @woe
ashore fourth ot fifth.

Tilt PalitTLißD JURY.

The trammed tire sophist:pen who a:tt op the legneete
at Portland ware : —Mr. J ware Kabob foreman , Mr.
Abraham Smiven, Mr. Willmar Comt.m. Yr. Mules
limooek, Mr. William Young, Mr. Wlllno.Lemmas,
!tr. Robert W. Winter, Mr. Unroll 14mIth, Mr. Thee.
,H. Croekor, Mr. Robert Smith, gr. Hoary Pitt, Kr.
I Thomas Cowbell.