The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-09-15 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT ON THE
GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY.

TWENTY PERSONS KILLED AND
FIFTY INJURED.

A frightful account occurred on Thursday night, on the
Great Eastern Railway, near Norwich. The line from
Yarmouth to Norwich id a single one, and It appears that
by some mistake maim e in the iruitructions of the night
inspector, two passenger trains, with their living losla,
were despatched about the came time from opposite
stations. They tante into collision near Thorpe, • small
village near Norwich, when travelling at a frightful apeed.
The two engines mired up on end, and the camitges
mounting on top of therm settled down with • crash into
a mass of ruins. The villager., hearing the noise of the
collision, rushed into the open air, and there • frightful
spectacle presented itself. The mina of the two trains
were piled up in an inextricable heap, and the cries of
Shows who were still alive were pitiful in the extreme.
I.Dr. Fade, who was in the train, rendered every assist-
ance in his power to the injured, though he was himself
very much cut about the face and shaken. Dr. Francis, at
Norwich, was also In the train; but his injuries were of so
severe • character that he was unable to render any assist-
ance. Those who were able to be removed were taken to
the Infirmary at Norwich ; while beds were hastily made
up at the Thorpe Gardens Inn, and those more seriously
injured were removed there. The driven and stokers of
boob trains and sixteen passengers were killed, while about
fltyminpasooosen were more or less injured.
later particulars which have been published it '
appears that it was the K4O p.m. train that ran into the
down express from Norwich to Great Yarmouth. The
cause of the accident was the departure of the express
train from Norwich without proper authority. Among
the persons killed are Mr. and Mrs. Stacy, Norwich:
=t Ward and fiet.-Major Cassell, West Norfolk
atir; • maid-serva srgnt, named Lincoln; Mr. G. IL
Womack, clothier, of Norwich; Mrs. Gilding and child,
40, Grafton-street Mlle-end-read ; Bette, an wens-
cleaner employed by the company, with his wife and child;
Mr. Page, Wensurn-street, Norwich ; and a young mai
nogriyart identified. The destruction of rolling stock is

FATAL TERMINATION OF THE LATE GUN
ACCIDENT AT BRADPOLIL
Notwithstanding that hepmi were at one time enter-
tained of the recovery of Mr. Frederick William Miller,
who it will be remembered sustained a severe gun shot
wound in the right hip on the morning of Saturday, the
bth inst., the unfortunate gentleman expired on Friday
morning Let, from blood poisoning ; during the time that
intervened from the accident to his death, he was con-
stantly attended by Dr. Hay, but medical skill was of no
avail. Deceased was Sri years of age last November. The
unfortunate occurrence has caused quite a painful sensa-
tion in the neighbourhood,and much sympathy is expressed
with the bereaved family.
The (Jerome baying been communicated with, it MIS
resolved to hold an Inquest, which took place on Saturday
evening at White House (deceased's reeidence) before Mr. ,
N. M. lion (coroner) and the following jury : Mr. '
William Gibbs (foreman), Mr. John Way, Mr. Mark
Johnson, Mr. Thomas (tibia, Mr. Holton Gibbs, Mr. John
Hart, Mr. Samuel Charles Chard, Mr. Edwin times, Mr. ,
Henry Bond, Mr. Thomas Marsh, Mr. Thomas Stone, and
Mr. George Hooke*. Two jurymen who hail been sum- I
menet Mr. James Crook, and Mr. Samuel Form" WWII
not present in time, and Mr. Stone and Mr. Rookie were
substituted for them, the Coroner, after P.C. Ellis (Brad-
nh) had proved serving the summons upon them, direct-
s them to call each of them by name three times. The
constable went out of doors, and loudly called their
names, but there WWI no response, and the business was
proceeded with. The jury having been duly sworn, went
apathies to view the body, which was much discoloured ;
.sad on their return the abseut jurors had arrived, but
mese told by the Coroner to stand on one aide till the
inhetfy was over.
fled witness was Mr. Neer'. Alfred Earnest Way,
who deposed: On Saturday morning last I took my bores
for the purpose of riding to Melplash. I rode as biz as
the plantation on the Beaminster road, and there saw Mr.
G. 8, Miller, Mr. John Miller, and my brother John, who
lime shooting In • field called "Rebuts." I wanted to
speak to say brother, so came back part of the way Mt*
and I then UM Mr. Frederick Miller (the derealexi) ead •
men named Legg. Mr. Fred Milkr was Aurelius on the
irate, one foot meting us the gate poet, and the other on
the gate itself. Ile hail a gun in his bend on the right
aide, the butt of which was resting us the top of the gate.
1 spike to him, and he asked me to have a shot. The
deceased and Lem were marking partridges, and all at
once • hare was started, and r.lllllO towards the gate.
Deceased took up his gun; I believe it was at half cock at
the time ; he let the hammer down on the cap; and then
deceased either fell or jumped off the ate, I cannot say
which, but should think he missed his footing. As
deceased came from the pte he was holding the gun with
Ids right hand about an inch from the muzzle, his hand
being close to his side. My impremion is that in cocaine
from the gate to the ground the hammer of the gun must
bare been struck by the piece of wood which runs in a
slanting direction acme the gate, and that caused the gun
to ...lode. I do not think .b.1X11....1.1 fell I. the ground
after le was sleet. Legg was standing on the other end of
the gate at the time of the accident, and he said "Yours
shot" and the deceased answered " Yes." Long asked if
they Mould send fur the &vend., and the dcceaeed answered
send at once. itr Molyneux Hyde Nepean's
earnags was paseim; at the time, and the deceased walked
frau the gate and gut into the carriage.
By the Coroner: The gun exploded as the deceased fell
or jumped from the gate. It was about bail-past ten in
the morning that the accident occurred. Deemed seemed
quite steady ; as steady as any one could be who was
imaticing Innis, he might have become a little excited
when the hare was started, as say oa• naturally would.
Seery Legg, employed at Mr. Miller's, dimmed: On
Saturday morning I and the deceased were out marling
birds. Mr. Frederick Miller left home before me, sad I
overtook him on the road just above the King's Arnie We
went au tepether till we came to the field ; we heard the
eking of pas. and WU got on the pate, Mr. Fred at one
and, and I at the other. When the hare was started, I
easwiee way whether deceased fell or jumped off the gate;
I believe that the hammer of the gun was struck by the
gate, which caused it to explode. Mr. Miller was inside
the gate wheel the acrelent happened. saw the blood
come from the wound, and the &cepa piped his hand
over the wound right he got into the earner. Ath being
shot the decamped said, "I am a dead man, as "high
replied " I hope it is not am had am that
By the Coroner: Deceased was standing on the top of
OW ram, one foot on the post, sail the other on the gate.
When I overtook Ur. Miller just hoped the King's Arms
Lin, he had the gun with him—it was • etagie-barrel gun.
We went out for the impose of marking birds
By • juror: Than is nothing the matter with the lock
el the gun that I am aware of.
The gun was here produced, and the Coroner examined
it at the wish of the jury. On being put at half-cock, Mr.
Way, the find witness, said that was how it was wheu
deceased held it on the pate, previous to his lowering the
hammer on the esp. The Coroner, haring minutely
Inspected the gun, said it had • very Wader leek, and it
eras one which it was not very safe to carry sheet it was
seasidered that the hammer must have been down at the
tine of the accident, as Ur. Way deposed, and that it
must have been struck with each force by the gate as to
ewe lb. gun to explode.
Dr. William Henry Hay said he was • duly registmed
medical 'practitioner. On Saturday last, between ten and
eleven oclock in the morning, he was summoned to attend
Frederick Miller, who it was said had shot himself.
He went as quickly as tioesible and found the deceased
had been put to bed. Its examined deceased, who was
snfferinx from a pest shock to the system, and discovered
that he had received a frightful wound over the hip joint,
„carrying away a Large quantity of the soft parts; it was
an immense punctured wound, extending onwards as far
es the ergot of the hip bone. Ile attended àeeesaed, and
be seemed to ratty • little in the evening of Saturday, and
Pecererest from the chock to the system; deceased was not
nnethecieue when he saw him. He had been is attend-
ee,. on the deceased till his death, which occurred on
Friday morning, about six o'clock. Describing the wound
more minute'' said it wise a lacerated wound of
, De
about inches ml= and three in breadth, the wound
extending some distance farther under the skin. He had
raison to suppose that • considerable portion of the charge
lirin the muscles, as there was no appearance of any
No doubt some of the charge bad earned away the
lash, and was not therefore in the wound. The eymptonis
went to show that the charge did not enter the cavity.
The CUM of death was ;worths (blood poisoning) hunt the
wand.
By the Coroner: If the charge had entered a vital pet.
deceased could not have lived so long as he pee posui
WY MU...A by the athorption of poisonous matter into the
blood. When suppuration began to take place the matter
from the edges of the wound entered into the circulation,
and as proved fatal. It was not an unusual termination
to wounds of any description, and it generally proved fatal
about the sixth day. Death was not caused by mortifies-
Hess which was quite distinct from blood poisoning; there
was no mortification of any of the vital parts, death
was caused by matter from the wound being en up and
carried into the system. The result of the accident had
been feared by him; In large towns cases of this kind were
v. 7 frequent, but in the country many did not MUM
under their notice.
coroner atid what the imy had to determine was,
whether it was a came of iinnalauglater, whether deceased
kilted himself intentionally, or whether it was purely an
accident. From the evidence that had been given there
was not the least doubt that it was an accident, and that
so one was to blame. It was a great pity some people
were so careless in the use of firearms and he must my
the gun in question was not one he should like to go out
shooting with. If the jury believed it WAS an accident,
they then had to determine whether deceased died from
that accident, or from what cause he did die.
The jury immediately returned • verdict that death was
oceasloexed by a gunshot wound, accidentally indicted on
the deceased by himself.
Dr. Hay said he hoped it would go forth to the public 1
how much danger there was in carrying • gun with the
hammer down on the tap. He could scarcely tell the
number of accidento he had to attend, occasioned by it
The foreman of the jury (Mr. William Gibbs) said the
Jury had agreed to present their fees to Ceeporal Legg,
who was an old servant at the house, and had been In
constant attendance on the deceased (rum the time of the
accident till his death.
The Coroner, addressing the two jurymen who were
behind time, asked how it was they were so late. They
they supposed their clocks meet be wrung, as they
aginOt idea that they were late. The Coroner said they
"suet bear in mind that when summoned to an inquest
Say must be punctual; on the present occasion they had
business for ten minutes, and thus the dozen
who had been waiting had Each lost that
amount of time; and others had to be found to fill their
places as jurors. They would now be let off ; but they
must remember that • cross was !gains& their names, aim
they were late on another occasion they would be deed.
Thee were punished to-day, in that they had been there
all this lime, but had not got their eightpences.

Th. warlord' of Brio is on • visit to this country.
ma Liberation filockt Imam: ham • oonfersztos.
Pteuroi=ont is in tr th
co
the
Queen
at
Tbs
Balmoral.
Last month 119 tons of bid adl were dastroyed
us
allimmiste as unfit for food.