The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-08-25 00:00:00

FATAL TRAMWAY ACCIDENT.

On Friday afternoon an inquest was held on the body
of an old man named Joseph Foord (who is well known
In this town by his eccentric habits) before the deputy.
coroner. Henry Look, Esq., at the Whits Hari Inn.
Ur. Robert Falba was chosen foremen of the jury, and
the following evidence was adduced.
George Puckett deposed he was employed as a
easter by Mr. Jolliffe, contractor to the Weymouth and
Portland Railway Company, On Thursday afternoon
last, about ten minutes to six o'clock, he was driving a
team of three hones, who were drawing a truck laden
with °We, belonging to the Great Western Railway
Company. He met the deceased coming under the
archway of the Weymouth bridge. The truck was
towards the railway station from the harbour.
teeislold the deceased to go back, as there was not room
for him to peas, but the deceased did not bend him, and
came close to him, and then turned beck on to the steps
ci the bridge, until the horses and truck passed. Tbe
denased then went on. He immediately beard some
one gout out, but he did not take any notice of it at
first, and proceeded round Mr. Ferry's corner. He
heard some other persons call out again, and as be
turned beta he heard Sydney Goddard call out to the
deemed to go back. The deceased went back • little
way, and then stopped close to the timber work, and
directly after the truck struck the deceased, and as he
was falling the grease box knocked the deceased on one
aide on to his back. He saw the policeman come aad
assist in lifting the deceased up, and ahortly after he
was taken away. The trucks generally go taster under
*La bridge, as there are inclines on both aides of the
bridge. The deceased bad nothing to do with the roil-
way. He did not know whether there was a public road
beneath the bridge, but the public always ceased over
the tramway.
Sydney Goddard mid be was in the employ of Mr.
Jolliffe On Tharviay he was engaged in driving three
bones who were drawing three empty trucks, belong-
ing to tie Hostb•W•shrn Railway Company. As he
was going under the bridge he noticed the defamed
coming toward. him. He shouted out to him to go
back, but the deceased did not heed his caution, and
stood close to tho wall beneath the bridge. He ran
ahead of his horn sand puebed the dcwastel from where
he stood. The decwwed to walked before him until
he came to the hand rail of the wooden steps leading to
the bridge, where be again ream/tied and he would not
move away. Ho (witue.r) ww compelled to run out
before the team as the tracks were coming on to the
top of the hores. On looking round he the fore
truck strike the deceased, and the hoc
him outside of the raiL to He 'topped hi. an 4-1;
at he mold and great to the &mimeo* of the demned,
who was lifted up by a police officer. The deewesd
was then placed on • shutter end removed a.,
lodgings.— by a jurymen: It ...squint impomibie fa, a
person to stand against the wall in safety while • train
was passing. He did •Il he mold to prevent the
dowsed from being Injured or par beneath the
bridge.
F.O. Robert Meech said he belonged to the borough
pollee force, and wee on duty near the bridge at a few
minutes before six o'clock. Be beard some persons call
oat, and he went towards the bridge and saw the
deceased near the tramway beneath the bridge. He
maw the near side of the • South• Western truck strike
the deceased'e batik, and he was jammed between the
bridge and the trucks. The geese box then caught his
chest, and he was knocked down with hi, face towards
the quay. As soon as the truces pissed tbrough be
in to the deceased and lifted him tip, and ultimately
earned him on • shutter to his lodgings, Be
afterwards sent for Dr. Griffin. He was of
opinion that the deceased was not in his right
mind..

Frederick Charles Griffith Griffin said he was in
pesetioe at Weymouth ea • surgeon. At six o'clock on
Thursday afternooo be was called by the last witness to
attend to the deceased, who had sustained severe injuries
a'aout the body. Upon examination be found a scalp
, wound on the left side of the hau, with other con.
tusions. They were not of • vary ses, woe.. more
was also an extenxive oontuidon at the side of the *hest,
and the skin was bruised near the hipe, and several ribs
broken, which penetrated the loop, widish was the
pan og death. On Qs Istt toot and lot thus wars

moverd mmlimione, and two tom were broken. Tim
intojctseesidimiestdecis"dh. The rectdeOetidweshlipl.hredistallbalfrillatalpast teat
o'elook the same night.
The brother of the dmeued identified Om body, and
mid be am about MI years of Ma
The Coroner then summed up, and the jury returned
a verdict of " Aosidental Death." The foreman mid
the Jim were unanimous in their opinion that the
tramway wee very dangerous, and they recommended
that the Weymouth and Portland Railway Company
should erect gates near the bridge for the protection of
the general public. In the present cam they did not
ettr%uW any blame to the company. Mr. Morrison,
inspector of the Great Western Railway Company, and
Mr. G. Arnold, the station.master of the South-Western
Railway Company, who were preeent ti watch the ease
on behalf of their respective companies, promised to
inform the Boards of the recommendation of the jury.
-

BnCroftso plan DT FALLING PAWS A YARD•AiII.
On Thursday tact an inquiry wee bold brfore the coroner,
R. N. Howard, Esq., at the Portland Road Inn, on the
body of George Cullen, who met with his &alb by
(Aline off a yard-arm, on bout the liystery.—R'nbud
Bronger said he was the master of the Mystery, of
Whitatable,bound from Serensee,to Dieppe- On Wed°".
day morning, shortly liter eight o'clock, he win about
eight miles loath of Bt. Alban Heel. H• was standing
by the mete at the wheel. The weather ens squally but
the am WaS not running very high. He ordered the top-
sail yard to be lowered and the sell reefed. Cullen and
three other salon went aloft to reef the mil. Cullen
got out on the port quarter of the yard, and hid trod
one reef point, and esia engaged tying another. He
Inn" nona• one aloft ory out, and be looked tip and
law Cinlittl falling. He ran forward, and by the time
he got there Callen Mil lying on the deck. The
self of his leg
caught the belaying pins, which
broke his fall, and caused him to fall with his
bead on the sable stain that was lying on the
deck. Witness' raised him op. and planed him on
his beck. Cullen moved his eye bat did not breathe.
His death wee isatantaneons. He called the mate to
mist him, bit,, he found he was dead the mate re-
turned to the wheel. The other men earns down from
aloft and removed Cullen to the quarter-deck. He
remained on the quarter-deek till Thursday, when the
body wee • removed to the stables wary. h, th-o to,
Oan... wee 19 Molh.steDuLl wu • native of Favera-N
betels* Ver. By the Foreman:
The feet ropes, levenes, the lifts, and the reef point were
perfeet. He mould not account for Cullan's falling. He
imagined he let the reef point slip through hie hands,
and by that means be mast have fell backwards, He
wee positive Cullen wee a wormieet seamen. —Alfred
Willis said he was an able learann on board the
Myetuy. Cullen ws.s an ordinary seamen. lie (witness)
joined the ship at London. Cullen had been with them
about eight month; mid had sailed several voyages with
them. He had seen Callen go aloft in all kinds of
weather, and he was well able to go aloft. Oa Wednes-
day, whilst thrayiwere off St. Alban 's Head,he wee ordered
to reef the topsail, and four of them went aloft for that
parsons. Callen was among them and went on the
port quarter; be we, on the lee-yard-arm when Cullen
fell off. The foot ropes, line, braces, and reef•points
were all right. His falling off was entirely his own
fault About five minutes after Cullen fell off the
yard-at en he came down and assisted the others to carry
hint to the quarter-dook.—Willians Chesseman said he
was an ordinary seaman on board the Mystery. About
eight o'clock on Wednesday be went aloft with Callon
to reef the topuiL The deemed was on the weather
yard-arm and we, next to George Callen, who asked
him if he could tie the points as he could not tie them
entil the earrings were out. He replied his earring was
out but be had bettor wait until the others were reedy.
He said "Alf is ready." The deceased tied one and was
on to another. but he never finished. He saw Cullen's
hands slip and he fell backwards, and pitched on the
deck. He saw them pick him up. He (witness) came
down and assisted the others to remove him to the
quarter-deck. He wee quit* dead. He examined the
foot ropes and the mid points and they were quite
perfect. The dummied wee quite sober, and he bad always
been friendly with Ili lb-1U jury returned a verdict of
"Aocidentai death, through the decreased falling from
the yard-arm of the Mystery onto the deck, whereby he
dislocated his peek.

THE LATE GALE: LOSS OF A BRIG AND
ALL HANDS.
POILTLLID, Saturday Night.—fa terrific gale has been 111
raging since this morning from the W.S. W., unfortu-
nately attended with loge of life at sea near this bland. I
The weather has been squally for several days part, •
but on Friday it moderated. Towards the evening the I
barometer indicated • sudden storm, as the mercury In I
the bulb became &premed and agitated, and suddenly I
felt, but long before the gale rem, on, the fishermen I
noticed the sea in the West Bay became disturbed by i
the approaching gale. At four o'clock the wind blew •
strong breeze, and at five o'clock it increased to half • ,
gale, the wird lifting the water up in great storm •
waves, which presented at high tide at ten o'clock a
magnificent eight to • Inge number of excursionists ,
from Weymouth, who asaembled on the Chesil Beach. I •
At times the waves and spray made • clean breach
over the Chesil Beach, imperially towards Chiokerell, 1 •
and agentleman,moro hazardous then the other vieutors, • •
had • narrow escape of his life by being blown down by
the wind and was nearly sucked into the sea by • large I
wave. He, however, had a thorough drenching. The
Weymouth and Portland Meamers did not run up till
ball-pant eleven, when the Premier (Captain Reynolds)
took a good company on baud for Portland, but the
Y*Ptain !mind no re:shine the shipping in the Roads
that he could not lend his permenreee. so hr wi clv
steamed towards the N.W. and kept elm. to the land
until lie reached Weymouth harbour, and was sheltered
from the gale, which had increased. Prior to the Premier
entering the herb .ur the pesnegeri bad • splendid view
of • brig coming round the point inn heavy squall.
She evidently had experienced very heavy weather, and
we understand she narrowly sniped the Race. Sh•
entered the opening of the Breakwater, with her beam
ends under water, and soon after she was anchored in
the safest roads in England. Another sail was shortly
afterwards sighted, farther out at see, under steam and
alight moven. She appeared a very large ship, but she
could not be made not until within a abort distance from
the opening of the Breakwater, when ahe proved to be
H.M.S. St. George, and had hoes out eruisine with the
matt volunteer, for their month's anneal training. The
St. George was caught in the heavy squall at 12 o'clock,
and tier sea going qoalities were severely tested, but she
proved equal combat to the surging sea and heavy gale.
It appeared to those who were webbing her that she
was endeavouring to make forth. openirg of the Break-
water, but she did not succeed, and at one o'clock she
arrived a Weymouth, and alter cruising about the bay
she anchored near the end of the Breakwater. It was
stated that she could not reach her old berth near the
Boseawen, through the forced the wind, but we °anent
vouch for the accuracy of the report, but merely state
she is anchored in safety, and has managed to ride
out the storm. Several of the s.naller Yemen in the
Roads had to throw out their sheet anchors, single
anchors not being 'efficient for their safety. The after-
noon trains from yWeymouth brought an unusual
number of persons to Portland. At four o'clock the gale
approached an hurricane, and later in the evening it was
currently reported in Weymouth that • brig had
foundered, with all hands on board, in the Portland
Ban during the height of the gals, From
inquiries instituted we fen the report In correct. An
I onion of the wait guard, statiosed near the look-out at
the Bill of Portland, observed • brig coming horn the
westward, apparently • stranger by the nurse she was
steering The wind had suddenly changed from
W.S.W. to W.N.W., and the crew, whether puzzled
by the changing wind, named to have no control over
her, and she WU dragged through the very road of
danger. It was evident the ill-fated brig could not
escape the Portland Ram (oven In moderate weather •
dangerous spot), and shortly alter she wag engulphed
beneath the waves with all beside on board. Shortly
after this sad calamity • little speak was observed in
the distance, and as she neared Portland she proved to
be • gentleman's yacht of about 60 tons. At one time
it appeared as if sbe (mold not weather the storm, but
with bar skilful WSW OS board, whoitnew the dangerous
Ran, she gallantly went through the heavy sea like •
lifeboat, and in less than three-quarters of an hour was
lying at anchor in Portlend Roads. A large screw
tallier and several other vessels have sought shelter
here. Tbit channel based steamer Brighton (Captain
Falls), which should have arrived this afternoon with
the Royal Mail from Jeffry, has no doubt remained at
Jersey through stress of weather. On Sunday the
weather was still boisterous, bet the gals is nearly
expended.
Sunday, 6 p.m.—The Brighton, with the Royal Mail
on board, left Jersey at seven o'clock this morning, and
arrived at Weyameth at 5 p.m. The sea &WM the
(thermal wee repels( very high. The Southampton
boat, which was dui at J &NT at eicht o'clock on Satur-
day, did not arrive until eight unlock this morning,
having arrived at Guernsey at 11.90 on Saturday more.
ing.whiera she remained till 5 a.m., having encountered
• very heavy passage.