The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-08-30 00:00:00

BLA NDFORD.

SERIOUS AND FATAL ACCIDENT AT
BRYANSTON.

Joseph Northover, engine keeper, employed by Lord
Portman at the water works at Bryanston, was found
killed in the engine room on Friday afternoon last. The
deceased has left a widow and five children.
An inquest was held on the body on Saturday last at
the Union-house, before F. T. Johns, Esq., coroner,
when the following particulars were elicited.
The jury having been sworn, the coroner requested
them to accompany him to view the body, which pre-
sented a most sickening appearance. The widow was
the first that 1411,1 the body, but the jury excused her
trine attending, and requested under the painful cir-
cumstances that she might not be sworn.
Mr. John Balls, sworn :—Saw the deceased alive at 10
o'clock on Thursday morning last at the engine-house at
the farm. Deceased's business was the general charge
of the water supply. Usually went about five o'clock
in the evening. Would go to the tanks first, passing One
of them on his way, and if not full would go to the
engine-house. Had sole charge of the engines for years;
was well accustomed to hip duties. I beard of the acci-
dent about &quarter past four o'clock on Friday. De-
ceased's wife was then in search of him, and was met by
use at Cliff Cottage. I stopped at the upper tanks while
the woman went on with the shepliertl's wife. Witness
heard deceased's wife screech while he was at the tank,
and met her coining back crying out, "Go, for God's
sake, Joe is in the wheel, dead." Saw deceased between
the hatches. Immediately turned the water off and
went for help. The wheel was then worked round.
The deceased was jimmied tight in. He was quite dead
and cold. The door was unlocked and wide open. The
key was in the sole charge of deceased. It was usually
put behind a board, and never left in the door.
The Coroner here asked the jury if they would wish
to view the engine-house where the accident happened,
but they thought it quite unnecessary, as several of
their number, including their foreman and the coroner,
were quite familiar with it.
Mr. 'Balls continued :—Ths wheel made three and a
half revolutions in a minute, and was 12 feet in diameter.
There was a breastwork of two atones protecting the
wheel, which worked between them. To a 11)&11 using
the most ordinary caution it Was safe.
A juryman asked, was decesse.l a drinking man?
Witness said he drank sometime* ; only knew him
the worse for drink once before. That was while
repairing the wheel, and on that occasion he fell on it
at the same point, the stone was not slippery, the
I enrne-house was quite light. Witness thought
deceased was not drawn in, but fell in while leaning
over.

Rebecca Rlansford sworn:—Wu gate keeper at
Rryanston Lodge. The deceased passed through to
Illandford between 12 o'clock and 2 o'clock on Thursday
mor tt itt g. Could'nt say if he was alone or not. He
returned about tea time, thinks it was about 5 o'clock.
was alone then and spoke to her, said something but
was not sure what.—" It was fine day" or aomething of
the sort. He walked quite straight and spoke as if he
was sober. If be had not been so she must have known

it.
The Coroner said be had been told that deceased had
been seen drinking during the Thursday afternoon at
the Three (*houghs Inn, and had sent the superintendent
(J. Watts) to the landlord, who said that deceased
had had one pint of beer only at his house, and left
wine of that in the jug, when he ran out to see the
procession belonging to the circua—thst was at a quarter
to one o'clock. . .

W. Bacot, Lm., surgeon, sworn :—Was called on to
go t.i Ilryanston at 7 o'clock last evening, and found
deceafed in the engine house lying on his back, had been
taken out from below the wheel and laid on the floor of
the engine house—looked at 1 , and found both his
arms were broken. His face was tongue pro-
truded. Examin.l his face, did not find any of the bones
broken. Concluded that he had been caught by the
wheel and suffocated by being jammed between the two
wheels and the floor. The head was large enough to
stay the evolution of the wheel, if it had been Randier it
would have been crushed to pieces. Could not have been
lying there long.
Mr. Henry William Harris was called by Mr. Balls,
and corroborated the testimony of the former witness.
Mr. Forester said deemed was very quiet MAW ; it

Iwu bia duty to ring the bell at 6 o'clock, morning and
evening. Did not do so on Thursday evening or Friday
, morning.
The jury found that deceased as accidentally killed
by the waterwheel of the engine house, yanston,
between the hours of 5 o'clock lathe efternoon of August
25th, and 5 o'clock in the evening of Asiatt 26th.

BLANDFORD DIARILLT, August 27th. Being
Shaftesbury fair to-day the attendance of farmers
wra not great. Wheat was nearly at a stand, no
higher prices being obtained than on the Satuiday
previous that we could bear of. The following is
the inspector's return to last week. Average per
quarter .—Whest, 699 quarters, 40e. 4.1. ; barley,
10 quarters, 40..; oats, 34 quarters, 265. ; rye,
12 quarters, 40s. Harvest is quite finished in the
neighbourhood. despite the rains, which have done
great good to the root crops.
BLANDFORD BOARD OF GUARDIANS. voting
papers for the election of one guardian for each of the
parishes of Tarrant Monkton and Steepleton Preston
were issued on the 29th of August. They are
returnable on the 31st, and the election will be
declared on the 2nd of September next.
EXHIBITION& —There was a larger number of per-
sons in Bhuulford on Thursday bat than on any pre-
vious occasion for sonic years past. The double at-
traction of Wombwell's and the American Cirque
acted as a very powerful magnet and brought a large
multitude of people from the surrounding villages,
who left behind thon not a little of the money they
earned at harvest. A great ninny visited the wild
beast show, and many inure enjoyed outside the
of the Ixtud belonging to the colleetien.
.11A,IONATIOX or THE CoRONERIOIIP.—W. IL
Atkinson, Esq., attorney of this town, has issued
circulars soliciting the votes of the freeholders of the
district for the office of coroner, resigned by F. T.
Johns, Esq. Mr. Johns, however, stated at the
inquest on Saturday that he had been informed
the earonership was a life office and could not be
resigned, hitt that he should persist in his resigna-
tion if the law would allow him.

DORSET RAILWAY —The directors's re-
port for the half-yearly meetifiz of the proprietors, to
be held at Wincanton. on the lOtli instant. has been
circulated amongst the shareholders. The report .
states that during the past half-year considerable
progres.4 has been made in the works of the first sec-
tion of the line between Wunborue and Blandfonl,
and that, should no unforeseen circumstance prevent
it, the line may be opened for public traffic in the
course of the present year. Negotiations are pending
with the directors of the South-Western Company
for working arrangements, which it is hoped will
shortly be brought to a satisfactory conclusion. The
directors have reason to believe that the Somerset
Central Company will be ptepared to exchange
traffic with this company at Bruton without break
of page as soon as the line to that place is com-
pleted. The report of the engineer (Mr. C. Gregory)
states that the whole of the land, with trifling excep-
tions, is now in the hands of the contractors, and
that the permanent surveys and sections of the whole
line from Mandford to Bruton are complete.
The statement of receipts and expenditure to the
30th of June last shows the amount received on the
Wimborne and Blandford line has been £81,955, and
the expenditure £91,655. On the Bruton extension
£892 has been received for deposits, and the Parlia-
mentary and other expenses in obtaining the Act
amount to £6,316. To meet these balances loans for
£16,000 have been effected, of which £645 remain
unexpended. . .

A match of cricket was played on the Blandford
ground between the Marnhull and Blandford club,
on Friday last, August 26th. The Marnhull club
were victorious, but there was some good fielding on
the Blandford side as will be seen by the score.
Hooker's and Johns's bowling was also highly credit-
able. The Mamhull gentlemen having their hand
well in showed sonic good play, particularly in the
first innings. Mr. Eyers, of the Crown Hotel, catered
nail:n=oply well, the dinner provided by him being
excellent. The following is the score :

MAlt-NHCLI-

14 Inninsm d Inning'..
libmock, c Linduty, b Hooker 8 c Fisher, b Hooker 11
Seymour. b Hooker l9 b Johns 1
B. Long. b Hooker
Stubbs, b Hooker
Roberta. b Hooker 7 c Davis, b. Hooker 0
}Masker, b Hooker
C. Long. b Johns l7 not out 2ll
Sufism, c Hooker, b Mat-
thew. 8 b Johns •
7'. Darin, run out
Andrews. notout
Hunt, c Darla, b Johns .... 1 c Hooker, b Dark 8
Byes, leg, sod okle balls.. 8 Byes
_

BLANDFORD.
Ist Innings. 2nd Inninga
F. T. John., b Seymeur .... 0 b Seymour
Baiter, b Seymour. c Long.. 3 b Seymour
Matthew., b Hiscock, c Long 0 b Seymour, c Long:
Hooker, run out 0 b Seymour
Lindsay. b Seymour
Riandlord. b illiatock
parls, b Seymour l7 b Seymer, c Mood' 4
Hackle, run out 0 run out .... ...... .... 0
Ft,ber, b Seymour 4 not out
Policy. c Long, b Be3kneur ..Il b Seyrneor
Young, not out
8y.... II Byes

Potter. Several cases of assault were tried
during last week, before S. Groves, Esq., Mayor,
and J. S. Daniell, Es' al.
On Monday, /UM. Payne, a tramping tailor,
for assaulting the police on the Saturday night
previously.—t'ommitted for 14 days.
On Wednesday, S. Talehdl of Ellandford Forum,
was stunmoned by Mrs. Dennett, a next door neigh•
boor, for an unprovoked assault in the yard at the
back of their houses. The offence was fully proved,
and the defendant was tined 55., and Ile. costs, or
one month's imprisonment.
On Friday, Geary.- Wgihrrly and Anne, his wife,
two tramping musicians, were summoned for an
assault on the landlord of the Fleur•dc-Lis Inn,
East-street, on Thursday evening last. —Fined 104.,
and costa. In default they were committed for one
calendar month each.