The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-04-12 00:00:00

12:4/11E81.

The binned was hell at the Dell Inn, before Giles
Symonds Hip'. (Coroner.) Mr. Rich& d DIMS WAS f Oft •
msn of the jury.
The following evidence was adduced:—
Emily Payne said she was a housumaid in Mr.
Dunning's service, and the dace toed had been her
fellow-servant for about six months plat. She last
saw her alive at seven o'clock on the previous evening.
This was ab iut the time she left to go to Stratton to
see her sister. She had drone ito go. She identified
the puree (produced) as her property, and the bag
(also produced), which belonged to Mrs. Dunning, the
deceased had with her when she left. She bad some
eggs and a white paper parcel, containing a jacket, in
the basket. She dii not see her alive again. She had
had a headache for the last few days, but on Friday
she seemed better. She hal lately heard her say that
it seemed as though something was going to happen to
some of them. She had said this two or three times,
and the lest time within the last three weeks. Witneis
took no notice of this, nor did she tell her mistress of
it.
Witness was corroborated by a fellow-servant.
William Northover said the deceased was his wife's
sister, and she was at his house on Friday evening. She
arrived there about eight o'clock, and, after remaining
half-an-hour, left to r home. Shy had a little bag with
her. She was with him, and his wife the wh Is time she
was in the house. He identified the bag (produced).
She seemed in pretty good spirits, and about the same
as usual. Witneis knew ot nothing to disturb her,
nor did he hear her complain of anything. He did nz.t
see her again.
In reply to the Foreman, witness said he did not
observe anything straw° in her manner.
. .

Joseph Brett said he lived at Bradford. He knew
the deceased by eight. He saw her on Friday night,
between half.past eight and a quarter to nine, between
50 and GO yards from &sea ,n. She was walking
towards Charminster. She was carrying something
In her hand, which he supposed wee • basket. He
saw no more of her until about 10 o'clock, when, as he
was going home with five others, he saw her in the
river. Two other men, WV) worked at Mr. Middle-
ton's, had gone on the read before t ,ey did. As
witness and the others approached Bradford Bridge the
two men called out to them that there was sumebody
in the water. He found the two men looking over the
ibudge at the body. 'Phey did not touch the b ely, but
one of them ran for the p dicetuan. The body was in
the middle of the stream, with the face upwards. A
policeman came, sad they then g 4 the body out.
Witnesie and another then fetulaed a door and =tied
the body to Stratton.
The Coroner told witness if ever he saw a bwdy in
the water again to take it out before he ran for a
policeman, and not leave the body in the water.
In reply to a juryman, witness said twenty minutes
elapsed from the time they first saw the body to the
time the policeman came.
F.C. \Venni ea'd he was stationed at Frampton. On
Fri lav night, at a quarter to elevwn he was on bie
beat, between Stratton and GI least sn. when Jamem
Hunt, of Bra 'ford, came to him and said there was
something in the water at Bra Iford bri lge. He went
there, and found raven or eight men on the bridge,
and the body of deceased lying in the miter.
One of the men named Randell went into the water,
and with the aswistance of witness took the body out
of the water. The water was not more than 18 inches
deep. She lie I n,) la at on, ..n 1 hid a glove on each
hand. There were a woman's footprints in
th; not, near the e lge of the river,
a short dist...4ce above the bridge.
William Tafortiwer, modson's labourer, saki he worked
at Mr. Middleton's, and lodged at Bradford. He
went to the Bull Fun on Friday night, about il o'clock.
On his way there he met the policeman, and
further on tvo men near the blacksmith's shon.
On their way home he 1 eiked over the bridge. He
there saw som, thing in the water, but c4uld not tell
what it was. He eelle I John Snow, and he, too,
looked in. They then called out to some others who
were coming on the road, and one of them went for
the poticercran. They did not know what it was till
the policeman arrived. Mr Randall took the body
out, but before he ar.ived the polict,tnen and the rest
of them stood looking at it 1
The Ooroner characteri,e4 tho conduct of the men
as the most foolish and absurd.
Georg) Thome., a labourer in the empl wy of Mr.
Saunders, proved finding the bag and the purse.
Mr. Good, surgeon. of Dorchester, said he had
exambsed the body of the deceased very carefully, and
could fini no tree° of violence of any description.
There was a slight scratch on her forehead. Appear-
ances led him to suppose death was caused by
drowning.
The Coroner having clearly explained the law in
such cum the Jury returned a verdict of "Found
Drowned."