The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-09-14 00:00:00

THE SHOCKING BOAT ACCIDEN r.

The boat of Cutler, which was fitted either for sail-
ing or rqwing, was it the tine drifting into the be
the sail being furled. The following little plan will
we believe exactly o:plan how the aocideat occurred.

A
A E

"A" is the Florence and "B" the boat. The Florence
was backing in the direction phown by the arrow, and
he boat wee rounding the head of the Pier, as shown
by the other arrow, in what we cannat but think too
dangerous • proximity. Before the boat wes able to
clear the stern of the backing steamer it was upon
them, and the paddle-wheel of the latter, we are told,
struck the ill-fated bast. It is staled the Florence was
without a pilot on board ; but all these assertions must
of course be taken with considerable reserve. We
believe there will be • Board of Trade enquiry, and at
all events that before the coroner will be a most
exhaustive one.

ThE INQUEST

On Monday morning the inquest upon the body of
the lad, George William Cutler, was opened at the
Belle Vue Hotel. whither the body had been convesed,
before Mr. Druitt, sen., the coroner for the district.
It was merely a formal affair. The coroner said he
should take just sufficient evidence to justify an
adjournnoent,which he proposed should be uotil Thurs.
day at 11. The captain of the Florence and other
persons interested would thus have an opportunity
being present or represented. Joni, Clltli , the father
of the deceamed, was unable to attend, as yet having not
recovered the shock resulting from the event.
George Cutler, the grandfather, identifiel the body,
which had been sadly knocked about by the paddle of
the steamer. He stated the poor little lad was nine
years of age last Christmas.
William Turner, mariner deposed to picking up the
ho ly on the previous morning, • little to the eastward
of the pier. Turner also added that when he picked
up the body blood flowsd freely from the mouth.
Mr, G. hing, of the Belle N us. was the fore-
man, and the case on the part id the police authorities
is in charge of Superintendent Brillion, of the Haute
Constabulary.
.. . .

Th.) adjourned enquiry was held on Thursday
In the Assembly-rooma. at the Ile!te Vue Hot
Great intere-t was exhibited in the enquiry. which
was conducted before Mr. James Druitt, mu. Mr.
Trevanion represented the captain of the Florence
(Joteph Robertson) ; Mr. C. W. Lacey, the owner of
the boat • Mr. H. W. Aldridge and Mr. Preston,
Mn. MaChell and the children; and Mr. Dickinson,

jun.' the owners .if the Florence.
As on the previous evening, the body of Miss
Henrietta Sophia Taylor, the governess, was found,
the coroner intimated the best way to procee I would
be to take evidence of identification of the deceseial
young lady, and hold the enqubies into bsth deaths
simuitaneously.
Jane Hiscock, domestic servant, identified the
body of the deceased, who she said she lb iught
was about *0 years of a:te.
William Turner, of West-hill, mariner, .'epoeed to
finding the body. The left eye, he said, appeared to
have been knocked out, and the bone bruised. When
he found the body the mouth was open, the hands
clenched, and the face presented a ghastly appearance.
Jessie Preston Cutler, fishmonger and boat-owner,
of Riurnemouth, said the Kitty Wake belonged to his
father, and he frequently had charge of it. On the
occasion in question he was in sole charge of the boat
—his son who WU only 14 years of age he had taken
for a "treat." There were, in addition to himself, and
son, Mrs. Mitchell, two grown young ladies, three
girls, and a little boy.
Requested to tell without any questions from
the Cbrorer exactly what happened when they were
coming in, witness staid : I perceived the steamer
backing out, stern foremost, from the west side of the
Pier. I was going to clear the head of the Pier to land
on the east side. I was 30 or 40 yarda I should judge
from the steamer when she was backbit. I had seen
the steamer while she was stationary some little time
before that. Before I saw actual danger I held up my
hand and shouted as loud is I could. There was no
sign that they heard us or saw us on board the
ateamer.
(By the Coroner: If there bad been a lock-out on
the Weiner would they have seen you t—A. : They
must havittieel?

immadiatelqulled my boat round to get out of
the way, shout all the time. The steamer, however,
still canted round on me, and her sponson and paddle-
wheel struck my boat. I felt a blow on my back as I
warn going down, and I remembered nothing more until
I found myself lying across the keel of my boat and I
was taken on shore.

In reply to questions by the jury, witness said if be
had kept straight on he could not have got out of the
way. The tide was running in strongly to land, and
the wind was blowing 8. W., so his voice mast have
been carried on bowd to anyone on the look-out. He
heard no whistle prior to the steamer starting.
By Mr. Trevanion ; The boat was 221 t. long, and
could take five rowers, each with a pair of oars. It
was one of the largest on the beach. It was blowing
a nice little breeze at the time—certainly not a stiff
one. The tide may have been Sowing about two and
a half knots. He was using two oars at the time, but
did not think with the aid of wind and tide he could
have cleared the steamer had he kept straight on—
there was WO much danger, and he did not know in
what direction she would back Before they were
struck the bow as well as the stern of the stewier had
cleared the pier. He could not tell what distance he
was from the pier when he was run down.
By Mr. Lacey z If there had been anyoaa on the
look-out on the steamer he most have been seen the
whole distance—a mile—coming home. Had the
whistle of the steamer been blown, as it ought to have
been on starting, he wonil have heard it. If the
steamer had kept straight to her course as when he
altered his, he would have cleared her, hnt she canted
round on him just as if she had been fAlowing him.
When it was smooth and rowing one man was enough
to take charge of the boat.
Joseph Robinson, of North Shields, wlstereseaman,
was then called, and said he was captain of the
Florence.

The coroner, previous to his giving his evidence
cautioned the witness that he might be found ,
criminally responsible for the accident, and, therefore, '
be was not bound to answer every question put to him.
He was ably protected, but it WM necessary to tell
him that as a matter of form. About ten minutes past
Big he blew the whistle slightly as he always did
before leaving. He looked at the stern and saw all
clear, and ordered the engines to atart full speed.
On lookiiig on the weather side he saw the boat
c me out under the stern of the steamer. He stopped
the engines and immediately after she was upset. He
had the life bnoys cut away and thrown to the people,
and elso launched his lifeboats. Captain Memel, who
was on board his vessel, jumped over and was taken
on boerd much exhausted. He heard no shout or
screaming. He had no lookout, but could see all about,
as he was at the wheel at the time. The mate was•
not on board, but there was no ti gth whatever in the
rumour that the engineer was the worm for liquor.
The tonnage of the steamer WAS 63 tone. His opinion
was the boat rot's; have been lying very close under
his stern at the time or he would have seen it.
The Coroner: When you are in • place frequented
by craft like this do you not look closely round I—l
always do.
Did you on thit occasion I—Fes.
, The first thing he saw of the accident was the boat
coming out under his stern.
By Mr. l'revanion : He was aged 51, and had been
, master of steaming *mega 18 years. If the boat had
been 20 or 30 yards from his steamer, even half that
when he commenced to move, he must have seen it.
Believing the boat must have been going at the rate
of four miles an hour, he said that if it had kept its
course it would have cleared the steamer. In going
befors the wind one man might have maraged the
boat, but not enough to pull her out of the way or to
go against the wind. In fact, he put four men in his
lifeboat, which was only 14ft. long, and they could not
pull in the face of the wind. The Florence was pro-
perly manned, and all the men were sober.
By Mr. Lacey: If the man in charge of the boat
had boll3aed loud enough they must have hosed bill.
(Laughter.)