The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-05-31 00:00:00

ANOTHER FATAL BATHINO ACCIDENT.

A GENTLEMAN DROWNED.

A gloom was cast over the neighbourhood on Tuesday
evening, when it became known a visitor to the town,
a Mr. Frederick Hamilton Prior, was drowned on the
East Beach, at the Harbour, whilst bathing. The
unfortunate deceased, who was lodging at the Castle,
South-street, proceeded to the Harb .ur about 10 a.m.
for the purpose of bathing. He was accompanied by
a lithographer named Bennett, who lodged at the
same house, and when they got to the Harbour went
to the west side, where they remained come time.
About dinner time deceased said he would wash his
feet, and is, removed his boots and socks and turned
up his trousers, but instead of this he went to the
other side of the Harbour. He disrobed opposite the
rise of the East Cliff, placing hi* clothes in a boat
which was lying on the sands. When in the water,
close to the shore, he was noticed to be mroing his
arms about by several coastguards at the station, who
thought he was only splashing in sport in the water,
but soon their suspicions were aroused by seeing the
body float for a time motionless on the surface, and,
going towards the spot, found him dead. Al this
moment Mr. Bennett. whom he had left on the
"puns to side, thinking Mr. Prior had been absent a
long time, came up, and rec gniiied the deceased.
Every efforts to reanimate the poor fellow proved
unavaili g, s life was extinct before assistance could
be rendered. Dr. Hay arrived from Bridport, but
his se vioes were, of course, useless. The corpse
was then removed for the inluiry to the Bridport
Arms Inn. Deceased is report.. .I to be most respect-
ably connected, being th • son of a colonel residing at
Lymington, Hamishire, and that deceased, who was
of gentlemanly demeanour. had led a careless and
indifferent life, was allowed £3 nionthly. Fran
corremondence found in his pocket it Was clear that
an instalment was daily expected from a certain
hanker, in where hands the remittances were placed.
There were also letters found ,d a more delicate
nature. . .

Csaiutleraltle consternation and sympathy was shown
when, after the int 'nest, which took plaice oatWedneaday
iii ht, it was known that he remain* of the unfortu-
nate young gent etnan, lying at the Britiport Anne,
we:e none other than theme of Frederick Hamilton
Prior. E 0., grandeon of Gone al Hamilton, and Minn
of General Charlet Prior The home of the family. as
we stated above. is at Lymington, Southampton. The
father of the deceased gentleman was through the
whole of the ht Afghan Campaign as Aitis.de Camp
with ths title .4 Colonel—but • fterwards General—
tinder Geueral Hamilton, whore tang ter he (the
father of deceaeedl afterward. married. The issue
war three a na and two daughters. The case of
Pratte Ick Hamilton Prior le a repetition of too many
similar ones—the eon wiel anti reckle s, and estranged
from home, preferring to wander from town to town,
instead of enjoyin a comfortable home. But the case
of this poo unf ytunate fellow s in as marked degree
painful and peculiar. Gene al Hamilton, grandfather
of deciected, at his death left upwards .d 4,00), and
the father of deceased e eral charies Prior, who
atx.inge to may died 11,1 a retired t;eneral of the Indian
Antiv in Indian only at month ago, anti the
er.fortnnate de eased met with his u timely death in
utter ignorance of his father's deceased. for as stated by
it relative at the inquest, he cold.' not have been aware
of it. A full report of the intptest appears below.
The inquest was he'd at the Inn at 8.30 p.m. on
Wedneeday. bef re C. 11. Na:ttot, Ewi., deputy
censer, The foreman of the jury was Sir. John
Monteith.
The first witness aslisil was Harry Charles Guy,
solieitor. Southampton, who identified the body as that
of Frederick Mundt an Prior. General Hamilton was
ht. granelf.ither, after whom he. watt called. Ibiceatteti'm
Lather was General Charles l'rtor, late a retired cotonel
the Indian army. I)eceased was first cousin of
witor... He Mat regularly remitted money by Nlessre.
Mt. Barite, hankers. I.y
for money. baying mini/ton. He need never want
an allowanee from home. Witness
thought he was in Exeter, but did net know what
pupae he had here In Bridport. He went to Ileeter
to Nee NBA. Prior, his anat. Deceased's ago WS/ about
33. A I.rtnkht ago the family were acquainted wi h
Ids father's death. which took place in India, and he
(witnew.l.lid not think deceased could have heard of it.
.faines Bennett, lithographer, no real ience. identified
the Issly. • He first saw deceased at Bath, about a
month ago. when they were there two nights. Deceased
ottpied at the Pante house with witness, and was then
Ise up, and witness had to give him his breakfeet.
W. lines, left him there, anti went from Bath to Bristol,
anti, c Ming Y. the Ship Inn, Sidinouth, tan Thursday
night last, he PAW e.to.awsl there, who recognised hint
Ile the .ane he I el teen at Vieth, They both walked
from Si•lttootth to Lyme and from Lyme they came
n to Bridisot last Saturday, Staving at the Castle
q ,f;111 Monday wittier. said he wanted t • leave the
town as t.. ,;ottid g.d no wore here, but deceased
str -ngly advised iljT tat atay as (decanted) expected
some money. £3, front Letringt n. l'eceased wrote a
letter on aturday, and wan...suave him a penny for
the receipt stamp. On Tuesday hp told witness" that
the *owe! to the atter came, but witness did not ay.
it. Decestswi /old wi ness he hail an order for 12, and
witness understooti It to le n poet:office order. De-
ceased went out from tit.. .Castle about ten ..';lock on
Tiles 'ay to see if there was • letter, and witness
waited for him, but deceased came 4. ,tic and said the
advice wan not come but he expected it later on.
They wsdlual down to the Hair tour, but nothing
was said before saiweing about hashing. They Cams
to the Bridport 4rm BO had a pint of beer
Ito and • gams of ikitgol, ad be VOSS out on

Mr. Guy : He could not think his father was in
Lyminoin. but lam than .ful he (lid not know of his
father's death.
Witness continuing : I /eceased told me h;P father was
a colonel in the Bengal lt,giment. From what witness
gathered deceased was ,stranger( from his father, but
on friendly terms with his mother. Witness felt sure
deceased did not know of his f ther's death.
Alfred Hill, a porter, who was sitting on the sands
with deceased on Tuesday, the fatal day, corroborated
the evidence of Bennett as to deceased leaving them
to bathe his feet and that soon after they found him
being taken out drowned and with his clothes off.
Thomas Cox able seaman, now a fisherman at the
Harbour, said he picked up the deceased close to the
bathing machines. About a quarter to two witness saw
deceased walking along the water-edge, taking off his
jacket, waistcoat, and collar, and as he (witness) was
afterwards passing he saw persons on the cliff holding
up their hand. at something. He ran in that
direction, and saw a body in the water, with the Erick
upwards and the head and arms under water. The
body was floating out of depth of witness, who tried to
clasp hold of him, but the un er serf carried the body
away. At length a man named Gear and himself got
deceased out—Gear by the hair and witness by catch-
ing at his arm. The coastguard . tficar then took
charge of the body, which was then lifeless.
Mr. Gear corroborated this.
It was stated by a juror that some masons at work at
the Hospital just ber..re his death saw deceased swim
out a long way ; but he was drowned close to the shore.
Mr. Guy here explained that Mr. Prior was a good
swimmer.

This cemplet.d tho o‘idenco, when the jury, with-
out consult.ttion, returned an unanimous verdict—
Accidentally drowned."

The I elongings and the corpse of the deceased
gentleman were t Lken poesession of by the cousin. Mr.
Guy, of Southampton, who appeared much psi' ad
during the enquiry. This gentleman remains at Brid-
port to see the fu eral arrangements completed.
quite a gloom is cast over the ,eighbourinexl by reason
of this sad vent, especiAly now that the deceased's
late position of high respectability is become generally
known.

the beach. At that time a man named Alfred
Hill was with them. They sat down close to the
flag daft when deceased said he would bathe his feet,
and for that purpose removed his booteand socks. On DORCHISTIIit CHICEIT C1411.--Tho first weigh of
the previous day witness advised him not to bathe, and the sys.ou was played on Tuesday last, betweu eleven
he did not do eo on Mo .day. But on this occasion and ntneteen members of the elnb. The match was
Tuesday he did not say anything about bathing to pi ,yed on the delightfully situated new groan I near
witness, but went straight down to the water from the syward Lodge. Againet the nineteen the bowling of
flag staff, and witneSS :twi the ~t'.or remained on the Davy, Clark, and Nutting was very effective. J.
wall at the flag staff. At this time they could not see Foos., and J. C. i 'are batted web far the nineteen.
deceased by reason of a hank of sa d intervening. Ag.i..st Stout° s bowling no one but Mr. C. rareons
From the time doceared left till witness found him (captain) and U. Walden made any stead. The
was not more Otto twenty minutes. Thinking guhuwing Is the wore ef the first innings:—
deceased was gone a long time he went to look for HinaYstn. him, and on going down the beach saw a man fetching
K:o'. C W. C. Davy. 1, 11: ark ...
a body out of the water. Witness recognised tho LH. Rued,. c Bernie, bDoty
body.
T. IL: Br. el., I, Clerk ... ~ By the Coroner: He told me he was of good family. All-o, bW. C. 1.1.ag ...
and that ho was going to Southampton and from StlOrl...l)Unok ... ...
there t , Lymington, where his home was; but did not J. t• WISC. in Nutting ...
mention more than ordinary particulars of his family Fowler. b Clerk ... ..
Deceased had told him he had leen to Exeter and Taylor. run out ~
Cane.,_ bW. C. Dav 7 ...
Torquay, and witnest understood that deceased's
J. c Davy, e Parsons. la Gotha,
father and mother were still alive, and in Lyming-
Welkin!, b Clark ... ton.
List, ti Nottoig ...
Heed. b N.itting—
lionivp, In Nutting ...
Otos.ool, h W. C. Do•Y
Y,,ont, c Nicol, b Davy
.1. Hollins o. not out
K,rig, b W. C. Dar,
Burden. In Nutting
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