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

THE DEAD BPIRIT DRINKER&
. . . _

Tbe inquest en the body of George Neale woe held as
is. Foremen' Anne. George-street, so Thanday norm.
lag be IL Look, Fog., deputy wooer.
ra
jury wers—llessra. Hole, John ,fily
Thomas Mosley, Biome Croaker, William Cook. Robert
Lag, Willie's' Martin, Robert Flames'', Thom„
well, Marin Tay'''. Ragland, George jurrin,".4
Charlie Grader. Mr. Legg was ohosea foiremao. T,
jory first proceeded to view the body, which ow
oaftleed at his lets resldecee. The poor fellow did mit
appear to hare suffered at all, but law se if la salts
repose, the feel beteg fall, smooth, and fair.
Mr. Richard Rolla, jos of K 3, St• ffarY-street, boot.
maker, was on the Bomb on Tuesday altarooon, Lad
met the deceased about • qaarter past four. Witmer
weal about a quarter pest one to see the wreck, sad
did not c!... away nil • (puler after Ire. lie mat
Lb. boy, whom ot first he did not rewords* although
deceased spoke to hi..; but be afterwarde remembered
he warn a scholar at thew Baader who& The boy this
bad no drink; bat warren walked about • gamier
of • mile with him sad two more boys till {bey game to
• seek of rum stuidlog op, er.th this himd off. It woo
full of ram, the men bed knocked off the head before
. . _

witness tyro% to it, for shout a hundredyards
off he saw eight of them orowillieg round
the barrel. The aoselguardeinea came up, and
they told him the barrel had beret, sad asksd what
they should do with it. lie said " I don't know" and
winked away, and told wheels he had been there 611
night, and wee going home to ottanie his wel Cottle&
Thought the soestguertisetan told the men t„, do whet
they with it, but was not certain. The boy Neale
west to the barred, sod put his fingers Leto It, and all
the men began to drink, from great tins that would
bold a eon* or three quarts. There evenhanded' of
biscuit and arrowroot teas. from the wreck, and there
wire in some, holes through which the ram streamed
all over their elothes, and they emelt so that you could
not get near them The boy first put his Iwo finger,
In the barrel, mid pet them in his mouth ; but withees
bad him away, end hid him not to have anything to de
with It; but when witness turned round, the buy inell
a tie which would bold shouts quart of rum, and hen
It to his mouth drinking. gave him • "pat In.
the bead," knocked him down and took away the tlit.
Heard the boy say afterwards to the mos "Give Cie.
souls more, I omit taste IV or "j didn't taste it,"
and before witness .Gold get up to the boy. he bad
about three (marts more in • bisenit tin. Tile was
given him by the men at the b•rrol. Most of them
bad tins which would hold • gallon drlakisg.
Within. got uneasy about the boy and thought be would
kill himself if he drank more, sad streak and
knocked him down. But the boy got up
again. aad sail bed be if he would not have
some more, and ran over the ridge of the beaob
towards the water. Wit..., ran after him, caught
him, and led him towards the Bridge away from the
barrel. Tea were then about • mile from the wreck,
and witness told him to walk on home, sad be would
esteh him &gale. The boy began to stagger, and
b.esme onconstons. Witness met a man earned
Ways Keats, In charge of more lairds told him
about the boy, and he went op and picked up Neal*,
, who was stretebed out on th. beach. The last words
its heard him *ay were "Oh I my mother I" Wither
alerted him &,‘ far as he Gould till they got off the
beach, &beest of the targets, sad then put kilin ea
Kests's back, sa he was tired, called other mem, and
they carried him by turns to the '' back of Brixton'.."
Felt convinced the boy was going ti die, and be called
Abbott • men with • oil, and told hien to drive the
boy to Mr. Manley.. Lots of others were speechleee
around the barrel, and people were pouring rum into
their mouths. They waited • lot, perhaps • ems
would take a gelloo, drink what he could, and throw
the rest over the people. A man named Kingman
was holding on with his hands, and they were
pouring pinta into hie mouth. Wanes remosuitrated •
but the men called him a fool, acid threatened
to strike him, when be went away. There were also
some barrels of pals ale there. and emus of the men
asked him to help roll it up, &I they wars working for
salveie. As soon as they rolled it up, be WM surprised
to see that they knocked in the boad of the barrel, and
began to drink. H. passed about 40 spseehlese on the
heath, before the barrels had been open an hour, and
among them was a man newel Mots, who drank at
on. barrel, then went on to 'mother, and drank again.
There were no policemen or coastinni about that part
of the beach. Saw lots of barrel, partly busked in
and lots Di ..s. were drinking from the tubes of feeding
bottle", hundreds of whioh lay about on the beach
Wanes!' wee pressed to taste, and took shoat a tea:.
speonfal ; but it was so hot that he could not drink it,
and spat it out directly. Went next morning to ask
for the boy and found he wait deed; bat did sot see
! him again till he was in his eons. This was the only
bared he saw man drinking out of,bat there were worm
partly broken. When the rein barrel was open, the
news flew all over the berth, and men harried up from
all quarters. In a few minutes it was lessened about •
foot, but much was wasted. When he left the Week
there were still men there drinking, filling bottle', and
putting the. in their poekets.—By Mr. Balsa : How
hard did you strike him 'rhea you street him the
monad time?
_

Mr. Bath: I did not steno him heavily, I only pva
him a pat with Um dal of my hand, and ha foil down ;
IS did not tate mach to throw hint down.
Mr. faciand : I did not me any marks of viola:too
about him.

—iiii-taTeWooatisiaed that they asked the policumaa al
the Ferry what they should do with the boy, aad the
pollinates begged him to take the boy home, as they
bed.. sassy to *barge they did sot kao• west to du
with him. Keats said it mould be • great diagram to
them to leave the boy oa the beach.
Mr. Lock: I thiak there le great oredit dee to yoa
sad Knabo.

Kr. Rolls gave the meat to Keats who Wail is old
man mid carried the boy a loft distaste on his bark.
Mary Jam Andrews wee Galled to attend the boy.
She resides in the Victoria itaildinga, and Is • Ism-
dress The mother-in-law of demised soot for his
about eight or • gumtree past, and asked what she
thought of the boy. Witness said she thought be wee
dying, sad sdvieed her ti lime a doctor. Hui era
=WO deed, and ehi thought he had the rettlas ; but
he breathed very freely, sod they thought he was com-
ing round. They &polard hot voter bottled, sod he
got 'MIT warm. His father mate with some melioine
from the doctor, to be given every ten IlliOuta, to
maks hire Melt They gam it him three times aid
were in the sot of giving It his when he died. After
the drat does, he breathed won freely, and the now
In the throat lart him. Within • few moments of he
death he had • most bmatthil cower, and It was et•
traordimey how very wenn be was. He was not sick,
sod the medioise did not meat to have mush effect,
except that hi seemed better lifter the brat does. They
did not shish be was am: diet.; hat be died about
eleven. He smelt streagly of spirits, winah she thought
was broody, end all the house smelt of it Mrs. Neale
thought be was brought hot.. Moat seven.
By Kr. Legg; Dr. !gismo° mat roolieins. but did
Ilot WINN ea they told him the boy wet getting so oom•
fortuity warns, after being very cold when he wee
brought in.
Mr. Rolls said it poured with rein when they brought
him &long the heath.
Dr. Regimid Patera,* iiimpsoo, medical practitioner
at Weymouth, said thet co Tuesday rieseiag about 9
o'clock, the father of deceased came into his surgery
aid told him that his sou had boon drinking oa the
Mash sad seemed very 111. He said, howeier, that he
had become (mob warmer sisal he returned, sod was
breathing regularly. Witness explained to hire that ho
had Jost received • message from the Lieutenant of
Manias of H.M.S. Achilles to Wood Immediately at
he hut Ileac Lb" butte or the Beech, oa • MOO
tie a state of insensibility. The men said he did not
require wittier to cows mil see the boy.., be believed
he was getting better, and asked if he would send him
something to ao him good- Witness them preeuribed •
stintulatiag eatratio, and left immediately ter Perdeod.
On his return home shout cabirilght he resod. message
on h.a slate to ray that the boy had died. !Mame
hod no doubt that the muss of death was due to eon-
gestion of the twain, from slooholie petered-pi. Sew no
mutts of violence when be itemised the body, The
mete sent was composed of sulphate of siee, which
would have produced voniiiinit, if be Bed bikes
, the whole of it. This would have been • desirable
object to stttio. , A voile dose would not ham had
that effect, but two or toree might have ; bat the
baryons seeress ware in • eery low Hata If • Rae
had taken the bottleful, mid retained It on his stoats*
II would aot have produced any poisonous elect is
answer to Mr. Lock: Dr. Sampeou said be maid not
have goes to wee his. ai ho wee fulled to Pertlasd by •
message.
Mr. Andrews said that -he father me very ladiffereat
about liondlug for • doctor.
. .

Dr. MW Odd ftat;; howl obtit whams boil told,
s
"""•11.k. bollovo• weak. bate bass of
say wrist to Qs boy. From *Mt XL Roil bed
of tbe rapidity wit& ttbiob ho mak Ye • dab of

ineemi= hit most item takes • does that would
bays him. It we 33 degrees oboes proof, sod
balfspint .111 woold be Gutsiest to kill him.
Mr. agers said the spirit was strong enough for ball.
s.plat to kill any on., it was more the poison than
drink, yet the boy drank it like weter.
Dr. atm mos said the spirit would have h.d the effeet
of • dose almost of laudanum.
Mr. Legg thought it would be advisable that the
father should be tolled, bat Mr. England thought it
was almost wasting hots.
Dr. Simpson saki that the man he wont to attend
on the bomb died,, aud the other wail in • state of
insensibility for • long time, so that he was busily
Kr. Rolls salt that when Ringo:an another man who
wee ill, was drinking, h.
WY only able to say "
10"11." and still they pound it in, till he VI/ more
like • beset than a man. In
Dr. Simpson referred to the caso that happened
Weymouth, when a num drank two half pinta of gut,
and he died.
Mr. Rolls said there were no potion:no t c,r the
barrel. down near the Ark there wore policemen who
seized a boat full of geode which people erre about to
take away. In snorer to the Coroner, Mr. Rolls said
the polieemen and soldiers only efilwodvd 4I yards,
but the wreck wee washing all over the nub. The rum
barrel was • mile from where tie vessel went ashore.
There was a great dna of plundering, there, they
would hide plunder under the shingle, and then others
wood oonie and take it sway from them, and then they
would go lighting altogether.
Dr. hicipson ,ad he bad been attending • poor
women who was much injored on Doming ashore, and
whom Mr. l'igou Ind taken to the rectory berme at
it, t%il, time, Henry Neale, !ether of &erased, had
arrive I. Ile ...id to lived at Victoria building., West
jr,,„je. and wee a Idbourer. Cuttie home listareen
Lalf.past fivo and six. While he wee at home. his eon
was brought In shout six by two men, who hat taken
him from a cab at the bottom of the town. There was
not tin least parse or movement in hien, bat they un-
dreeted pht warm water to his font, wrapped Lim
in blankets, and rubhet him. Did trot see any eitera•
tint in him, aril witnoss went for Dr. Simpson, and
told him bow the boy was. Ile welt not coon then,
and ant some mmitoine, mid toil him to give it every
ten minutes. Dii not consider the boy any better after
he go, to the house; he got warmer, but did not move
in the inst. 111 oottiousit in the saute state, neither
betternor worse, but died about eleven o'cdoek.—By
Mr. Lea r They did not think the boy In • serious
Aso, not lath. least. Mad no suspleion he would die ;
bat thought he would he for a time, and some round
again Did not flow he had bees drinking, nor even
that he waggon*.
Dr. Simpson said nothing was said to induce him to
believe the boy was Ins serious elate.
By • Juror: Did not yuu think that a doetor ought
to have bso sent for, as ho Inl lain for hours in an
insensible stele.
The father said he did not suppose the boy was in
danger, as he kept getting quite warm.
The Coroner mid : Gentlemen of the jury, I think
we have come to the termination of this distressing
Case. We must think it doubly diets-rung bemuse It
Is annind by a violation of all the rights of property and
pnnoiplee of conduct. tiers we have • wreck on the
shore, and people seem to think they have the right It
•ppropriate all this property cost upon the shore. I
should hope thee., views will be diselpsted at least
In this country, and people will fenl that every little
particle of property ogght to be rewired and restored,
or at any rate cold, and the proceeds applied for the
benefit of the oufferen. Here ill amongst the property,
• lot of apt:Moons Ilquors of the mint deadly and
poisonous character, for spirits sent to ses are usually
of an extra steength ; but before it is used the strength
islassensi, and tno anirit is nide rialttable. 111 e death
of this boy wee occasioned by his taking a qatntity of
this liquor which Call.° i his death, and from the quan-
tity which he had taker, tin medical chill could have
eared him of the eff:ets of that drink. I enigma that
the verdict you will retnrn 00 Pia °cession will he that
this boy died from piastre drinking, that is the only
verdict you can retort.
Mr. England suggested to enable the vordiet—
" from drinking spirits, not being swam of the strength
of the spirits."
This was agreed to.
Mr. Ragland Seta he was going to propose a vote of
Menke to Mr. Itglis and Mr. Keats for bringing home
the boy ; be thought great credit was due to them.
The Coroner: Yes ; I think that is quite rizht. I
think there is great credit due to you, and we are very
mush obliged indeed to you for your oonduct in such a
ease. At the urns time cannot hilp thinkiag that the
ficnioitruardsmin is deserving of some little censure, inns.
mutt he was present when this can wee first broken
In. I think he ought not to have left till he bad put
some one in charge.
Mr. Bolls said he should have turned it over himself ;
but If he had, be knew where be should have gone. ("A
Jaror : Into the water.") 'nis man urns on duty at
two o'clock in the afternoon, and followed the weasel
with the rocket epperatus, end told him be bad not
been home, but when he was aeon, he mast have bleu
on the beech shout 30 how. He thought then was
every ezeune for the man, and he did not think he was
deserving of any censure at all. When he passed the
cask there WWII only about four or five men round t'xi
*ask, and they were not making such beast. of them-
selves till he had gone.
Mr. Look That makes a differenoe.
The verdict of " Died from extensive drinking of
spirits, sot knowing the strength thereof " was then
returned.
The Coroner offered to allow Mr. Rolls and Keats lit
for taking the boy away ; but Mr. Rolls rammed to
Accept any money ; if there was anything due to him
from the Crown he would wish the parents to have it.
Heats was stated to be a p or man, out of work, and
the Coroner allowed him hell.s.orown.

INQUEST AT FERRY BRIDGE.
'The biquet on Bile. wan bold at 3 p.m. on Thursday,
by H. Look, Lq , deputy coroner.
The body was in the seller of the inn, partly severed
with • peir of trousers, and eurrounded by ropes, sails
wad net gear.
Frances Bike, wife of dimmed, said he was wed
41 She lost him all night and feared something had
happened to him. He wan not in the haLit of drink-
ing anything stronger than ale, seri was generally a
sober WM.
P.S. Gsle on Tuesday aftereonn found demmed and
Iwo others lying senseless on the beach but alive. They
ohunk of liquor. Ordered their removal to the Ferry
113efidge inn.
P.C. Roper about 8.30 p.m saw Rile' in • shed •l•
joining the inn, apparently dying. Dr. Photos Game
up, and attended to him. Thome/ P 04.11 was lying
is these... state, but his friends bed him away, and
be reeovered. About the same time another man w.e
brought in ineeneible. Dr. Rhoder recovered him.
JAM" flied, of Mickerel, was oleo broeght In. Wit-
mer saw several meson the beech drinking from square
bottles with the Decks off txik some from them
wed threw away. Many people wee, on the beach in•
Moiested. Much wreck wee taken from people there.
Be took 13 shirts from one maa.
Mr. Cotters : I took nine from one man.
Witmer' mid on Wednesday people found • auk of
rum on the Mesh, and were at it, when a Custom Homo
aflame tipped Rover.
Dr. Rhodes eal4 on coming to the inn be found
deceased and *mother man lying on their faces on some
straw. Deceased woo evidently in. moribund condition,
and died in tee minute.. It took him three hours to
room the other, who wee sold st the extremities end
pulielses at the wedge All through the night men
WWII brought in suffering from intoeisatrioe, and two
diesd. Two very bad indeed were brought in neat
meming.
13ergeant Gale said the two dead gpoken of were
comoved to Portland. bemuse found in that dietrict.
Thu Comer mid It ought not to have beim done.
Dr. Rhodes said be was very ably backed up by the
peSee and all mound in hia eff..rta to restore life.
Kr. Welter Cotterell, senior clerk of Custom at
Wormonth, and holding the appointment of Deputy
Berke of Wreck for tide dhrtrlct, described the
wreeking of the vowel on tinealay afternoon and said
gnawing the captain would have been the laat to
leave the vessel and that there was uo one to protect
the property, he took charge of everything, and IVA
...maim In guarding the wreak. C ses and seeks that
were broken he destroyed, but within half-anMur of
wank people were gettiox it.tes'eated. About I
eniethillirit there were many on the beech intoelifated—
they were lying drunk In all direction.. Al 12 the
aspuga ippseeed, and claimed pomeelon of everythieg.
He told witness there were 2,000 owe of snide, in the
vessel, beside' alias at rum, whisky. and other spirits.
Witness shortly after left. leaving 'be wreak a-id
everything saved, In the dame of the oomtguare, with
butroctions that they MOM net to allow any drinkieg,
4114111 to destroy, as be had, anything that was broken.
The amen and peolreges were writhing up all night, the
=
gee them and buried them in the Leah, and
lt like water when they had the oppoetneliv.
The mob Naga greet it was Impossible to restrain their
IPilier4ss sad Arlakins ; there were some thoosande on the
feemb. He arrived again at fl e'elook on Tuesday, whets
the me* SW the wrack were lying in dozens and half
eoggeS, perfeetly helpless; he found that they had not
bees imateat with taking bottles out of broken oases;
but they broke open oemplebe aurae He got 'Didier.,
sailers, and marinee to prevent the drinking, but the
spittle IMMO on shore so thick wei feet that the duty
amid net be done as quickly no they wished, although
be made every effort, and twenty waggons were em.
in carting from the beach to Weymoeth,
jpeliTili getrite. What the people got they stole.
The foremen (Ile W. Bryatt) pretested against the
Avidiniere of Mr. Cotterell that so few were sober on the

treaoh.-
Wr. CottereS was speaking of the labouring men only,
mot al thaw gentlemeo who sere there looking on.
The jury protested that there were hundreds and
40.omeatuis oci the bench who wore sober, nod the (eremite
li.et by Kr. Cotterelnistaterneut • disgrace woeld be
oemom Wyke perish. Ons juror said thous wt.re pretty
Bead a hundred teetotaller' on the Bead., to which
Mr. replied tbst one "teetotaller' wee deans
and deed. As talk being a dimwit to Wyke parish.
atlas were a great many Weymouth men there druk.
The Coroner oommented on the evidenos. He
elleposoted the wreck and druekenown which had
ossaaled as a diger°s to humanity.
The wordlot w•s ' Dkd from 'toenail,' drinking. and
(rout eapasure to oold and wet." The jury believed
lb. Customs °Mare, the cosstguard, and the pollee did
a they 'midi to protect the property.
Tbs jary gum their fees to the weeping widow.
Elbe said bey husband woe always good to her, and was
a sober man.