The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-09-08 00:00:00

THE ACCIDENT TO THE IRISH MAIL.

MARCELL Tuesday.—The inquiry was resumed this
inoroicg. The engine-driver of the goods train, Sara,
was re-examined, but no important feats were elicited.
The stoker of the engine, Thomas Davis, was then
called, and he then confirmed the narrative of the
engineoiriver.
The two breaksmen of the goods train anti the
station.mmter at Liandulas were called, anal cautioned
that it Gay wished to give evidence it would be at their
own risk. They declined to do so until they had taken
legal advice.
• The son of the station-master, Joseph Henry
Eaton, 19 years of age, was called, and stated under
cross•exarniiiation that some months ago some trucks
bad ran down the incline at Llandulas, and had bean
pursued and captured by the engine jest in time to
prevent a collision with the mail train. The hey adhered
to his statement under a rigid cross-exstaiiustion.
Ur. Kenaely, passenger, narrated what he bad seen
I of the accident.
The railway company's solicitor stated that he will
show that the Poet-office tender had • net on one shlo
only, anal that not on the side on which Mrs. Dickens
stood when addressing the passengers. It will be re-
membered that Mrs. Dickens fixed her position by
reference to this net.
WIDINERDAT.—Tbe inquiry was resumed this morning:
Mr. Littler explaine I, in reference to the evidence of
the station-master's son given yesterday, that an Inquiry
had been made by the company, who bat found that
about four years ago some trucks escaped from the
Liandultus station, but they were pursued by the
engine and brought back before they had passed the
signals. Evidence to this effect, could be given, if
neat-wary.
I 'olonel Rich thought it would be quite unnecessary.
The etation-master at Llandulas, Samuel Eaton, was
then called, and proved that the shunting at the station
is nosier his control, and that he interferes when
necensaty. He knew that the rule of the company was
I that goods trains should not shunt at any station ten
1 minutes before a passenger train was due.but he allowed
the shunting to go forward on the day in question
because he thought there would be time to get it over
before the mail train came up, though he knew that it
would not be possible to get the shunting over in time
to have an interval of ten minutes before the arrival of
the mall.
The timekeeper at the Abergelo station knew that on
the day in question the goods train was punetual and
the mail five minutes late.
Thernrson, the driver of the mail train, narrated the
tireurustanoes of the collision. The trucks were within
a few yards of him when he first saw them. After the
collision he heard two ladies talking in the carriage first
In front of the mail van, and later he heard a lady in
the carriage that was afterwards burnt say to Mrs.
Dickens, " Mind your own business."
Hinton the guard of the train, was celled and farther
examined: He was struck insensible for a minute by the
collision. He was confident that Mrs. Dickens could not
have spoken to any passenger in the burnt carriages.
THUBSDIA.—The inquul7 was rammed this morning.
TOO two break/men decided, upon the advice of their
solicitor, not to submit themselves to examination.
Mr. C. Humphrey, chemist, proved that the oil in
the trucks did not explode under 135 degrees, and
showed by actual experiment before the jury that a
Inciter match might be applied to it without producing
ignition. The effect of a vast volume of dense must
have been instantly fatal to the persons enveloped.
Mr. T. Maguire end Mr. Lee, engineers, gave
evidence as to the gradient of the line, Arc.
Joseph White, who was breakunan in the goods
train as far as Rhyl, proved that the break on the day
of the accident was in good working order.
Mr. Emmett, wagoneuperintendent, and Mr. Mason,
assistant-manager, showed that it is tie duty of the
metaite imertt loe leo •5 the re.. hresk.east &tries the
whole of the journey, and that had the senior guard
on the occasion in question observed this rule the
accident would rot have happened.
Colonel Rich, the Government Inspector, said that
he considered the breaksmen bad ample means to
have rrevented the accident if they had applied them
properly. •
This closed the evidence.
Asaesaor (Mr. Fyton) summed up at
ooresidemble length, pointing out that if the jury eon.
sidered that the two brakesmen had not exercised duo
caution there must be • verdict of manshaughter against
them. . . .

The jury oonsulted for four hours, and then found ii
, verdict of manslaughter against the two brakesmen,
Richard Williams sad Robert Jones. The jury censured
the Llsnduhis station master for neglect of duty, and
also the non-observance of tho rules by the servants of
the company, and recommended that longer time should
be allowed for shunting before passenger trains are due,
and that during the shunting process the pointe should
be kept open into the siding, to prevent runaway trucks
escaping on to the main line. They were sstidied that
the doors of the carriages were not locked on the platform
side, and they expressed the deepest sympathy with the
re!s'ives of the deceased.

The brakesmen surrendered, and were admitted to
bail—themselves in 1:100, and four sureties in £5O each.
. .

The coroner has recei-vOil a letter from Liverpool wl.sa
is of a very extraordinary character, and which
attributes the accident nod. Abergele to Fenianisni. It
is probably ii hoax, and if so, shows how foolish people
will iuterfere in serious matters. The envelope was
covered with writing—on the top, in large writing, "On
her Majesty's servico." On the right side was the word
"immediate," and on the loft corner, "important in- 1
formation, Fenian plot! Investigate !" The envelope
was dated Liverpool, Chester, and Abergele, August 20,
1868. The letter gets forth that the Penises have been I
much annoyed at the honours justly acquired by the
Lord Lieutenant, who has been so active and influential
in putting down the conspiracy, and suggests that
"when they placed the trucks in the way, they
calculated for a certainty that the Duchess of Alseroorn
would be blown up along with the rest, awl which not
happening has much annoyed the notions here." The
letter asks whether any of the railway officials are
Irishmen and Homan Catholics, and concludes by
saying :—" We send you this, Mr. Coroner, by way of a
loyal manifestatioa against that accursed system of
underplotting Fenianism, in the hope that these
hidden traitors may be brought to justice, and the true
cause of this sad disaster which you are inquiring after
be brought to light, and the guilty parties punished. We
are, Mr. Coroner, your most obedient versants. James
—, Edward —, Wiuianu —, Alexander —,
Charles —, Henry —, and on behalf of others, We
withhold our surnames for the present."

CHARLTON MARSHALL
•D C• 131 01, DEATH BT DituWNINU.—On Monday
inquest wa, held before W. IL Atkinson, Bei ,
osier, at the Charßoo Inn, on the body of Frank
Miens. a young man of the above rill ige, who
.w.se
mid drowned in the river Stour on the previous
aturJay morning. The unfortunets young MOO, who
WAS very respect tidy connected, and general,"
Jelove I, hail previously been for a lung tune 111
JOIICLIC health, and only • fee weeks bolero the
aol occerrence hail resumed Ids joureeys, travelliog
*ith drapery and grocery guell. As will be seen
'ruin the snli.ined report, the jive' returned a verdict
dl "Found Drowned," bus there is too 'leech rowan to
'ear that the young man came to his death by his own
at, as his clothes were found neatly folded by the
side of the river, and for some time be had been in
low spirits. The joy, having viewed the body, which
presented the usual appearance el death by drowning.
the following evidence was takosi : Elisabeth Hideout,
landlady of the Crown and Auceor Inn. Blandford,
said: I knew the deceased Frank Williams. I saw him
last alive at my house on Friday night. Ile left about
20 minutes past 12, and curie in about half-past 10
Ile had two glasses of beer. When he left he was not
the wonie for liquor. Ile appeared very low spirited
and in conversation with my bratand nail be ouuld not
get any money and did not know what to do. Ile kept
on saying so for • full quarter of an hour. He then
went away, and we wont to bed--Ann Williams.
mother of the du:waste!, who was very much affooted,
deposed : I am a widow Lying at Charlton Marshall.
My son left um on Monday morning to go his usual
round, and did not return not I Friday night. I
cannot say the exact time when be returned. About
10 o'clock I dropped off to sleep. When he c-.me in be
opened the door, and put down his goods, sat down on
the sofa, and cud, "Mother, have you had your tea."
said. "Yes, my dear, and upper too." He then
said "What is it o'clock?" I replied "Urn, Co:l*C di
came over to ask ine if you were at home, and she then
said it was ten o'clock, bra I have been asleep since." I
told him Mrs. Compton Lad gone back to do a little
writing. Ile then turned round and I went to got him
some tea. When I Come back with the teapot he was
gone. I thought he was gone across to Mrs. Compton.
I then left the canals and matches on the table and
went to bed. I noticed his eyes when he came
in looked very wild. It used to be his custom
always when he came in to Lie /1:10 and
ask for his letkrs, but on thlll occasion
he did not du no. Ile has had a very sorions illness
up to May last, and has not been well sines. He used
to COMO to my bedside, and say he weld not stay in
bed alone, and got into my lied. Afterthat I had • bed
brought down for myself and set by his. My son has
been very nervous and ill for a long time. About six
o'clock on Saturday morning, I awoke and spoke to hies,
bat there was no answer.—Suaan Dennett stated: lam
the wife of Charles Hewlett, and live at Charlton
Marshall. I was going milking in Mr. Goldie's field a
little before six O'clock on Saturday morning. I OM/
some clothes lying by the haek of the river, and got over
the fence to tee what tray were. I found • hat, coat,
brae., waistcoat, collar, necktie, watch and chain, and
a pocket book. I took up the book and saw on it the
name "F. Williams, tea dealer, Charlton Marshall
Blandford." I asked Master Coddle, who was with me,
to stay while I gave an alarm. I went and told William
Couipten. who with John Joiner, Richard Ball, and
others came down. I saw the body taken out by them.
—John Joiner elated: I area horse breaker residing at
Charlton. On Saturday morning I saw the last witness
eome up the lure. She told me what she had found, and i
I went to the spot. I saw the clothes land looked for
the body. Soon after John Malawi William Compton,
came down with • boat, and I got into it with BAIL We
searched for the body, and about 12 or 14 feet from the
bank we found it lying at the bottom of the river. It
was lying on the right side, one band resting on the
bottom, and the other on the stomach. We took a pole,
and with help got the del:cued out. He was quite
dead and cold, and appeared to have been so some time.
There were no 'nuke of violence upon him, except •
small graze on his forehead which appeared to have been
made by the graveL —William Compton, carpenter and
Joiner, of Charlton Marshall, who said that the deceased
was Zi years of age, corroborated the evidence of the
previous witness. —John Ball carpenter, also aurora,
rated the above evidence. -The coroner in summing up
said there were toot:soirees open to the jolly —either to
return an open verdict of "Found drowned," in which
case no further evidence vu required, or if they were of
opinion that 'he deceased had committed suicide they
would then require evidence as to his state of mind,
lie then remarked that there was not any evidences to
show how the deceased came into the water. He might
have gone there for the purpose of having • bathe, or
for any tither purpose, and accidentally fell in, for, as
they had seen, the Waco won one where such an accident
might have ocourred. —The jury, without any heaths.),
returned an open verdict that the doomed was found
drowned in the river Stour.