Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1885-08-14 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

EITRAORDINAIZY ASSAULT INA RAILWAY  CARRIAGE.  At the Greenwich Police-court on Friday morning, John Watkins, 29, commercial agent, of 89, Pentonplace, Newington-butts, was charged with assaulting F Miss anny Elizabeth Bull, a governess, in a railway carriage on the South Eastern Railway. Mr. Willis appeared for the prosecution on the part of the railway company ; Mr. Forman, barrister, watched the case in the interests of Miss Bull.—Mr. Willis said it was a gross case, and he should ask for the prisoner's committal for trial.--The prosecutrix, who appeared very nervous, deposed that she was agoverness and resided with her mother. On Thursday afternoon she returned from Eltham, where she had been travelling to St. John's, by the South Eastern Railway. She got into an empty second class carriage at Eltham, but just as the train was starting the pr.soner got in and took his seat at the opposite end. A few minutes after the train started he came and sat opposite to her, and on arriving at Lee she moved to the other end of the carriage. Nothing occurred until the train left Lek-, when the prisoner again came to where she was sitting, and stood up, looking out of the window. Suddenly he seized hold of her, held her down with his left hand, and with his right indecently assaulted her. She struggled to get away, and bit his cheek, and then his hand. She got one hand free, and the communicator being above her she pulled it out about two inches, when the prisoner pulled her back. He put both his arms around her and tried to hold her down. Getting her left hand free she succeeded in opening the door, and getting out on to the footrd. The witness added that the train was pulled up in a few minutes, when she was put into another carriage and went on to New Cross, where the prisoner was taken into custody.—Mr. Marsham : Did the prisoner s.ty anything to you ?—Witness: Nothing; I did not hear bun speak. —Prisoner: 1 should like to ask the lady if she could say if I was sober at the time.— Witness: I do not know. Prisoner: I plead guilty; is there an use in going on with the case ? Mr. blarsham • as far as he could judge, the young lady behav with the utmost propriety, stud  there was no reason why she should object to appear. —William Thomas Dover' guard on duty with the train m question, said he left Dartford at 4.20 p.m., -and on leaving Lee, just past the Hither-green signals, the communicator rang, but at the same time the driver was stopping. On looking out he saw the prosecutrix standing on the continuous footboard of a second-class carriage. He went to her assistance immediately the train stopped, and she made a complaint to him, but not in the presence of the prisoner. He put her in another carriage, and locked the p_rusoner in the tram, then proceeding to St. John's. Here witness put a porter in with him and went on to New Cross. It took six minutes to travel from Lee to St. John's.—William Thomas Newport, stationmaster at New Cross, deposed to having the matter reported to him by the last witness. He told the prisoner to come out of the. carriage, and after demurring he did so, and was taken into the custody of a constable. He appeared perfectly sober.—Policeconstable Wintall, 103 R, deposed to receiving the prisoner in Custody. At the station he was asked his name, and replied- "Jack," for a long time refusing to give any other description of himself. In his pocket witness found asthirti-olass ticket from Eltham to London Bridge.—lnspector Knapp said he was on duty at the station when the prisoner was brought in. He told witness he was a mairied man. He was perfectly sober.—Other evidence was given of the prisoner being sober.—Mr. Marsham committed the prisoner for trial at the Central Criminal °Art, but consented to take two sureties in £5O, and his own in £lOO, for his appearance.  At St. Columb, Mr. Bassett, who John Cole recently inherited a large fortune, but has since dissipated it, has committed, suicide. His body was found in his room in an upright position, with a gun between his legs, and the muzzle resting under his chin. The top of his head had been literally blown off. A lamentable accident has occurred near Chester. An excursion train from Salford to Llandudno was running at considerable speed between Chester and the latter place, when Amy Sullivan, living at Salford, fell through the window and alighted on the permanent way. She sustained terrible injuries to the head and brain. Slight hopes are entertained of her. recovery. . .  . . A sailmg boat, occupied by four young men, was capsized on Saturday evening in the river Barrow, about four miles from Waterford, by a sudden squall. Three, being swimmers, reached the Wexford shore, but Thomas Ilunraham was drowned. _ _ _  During service in the Cemetery Church, at Dorking, on Sunday morning, an old woman named Greenfield suddenly fell forward and expired before medical aid arrived.  Sergeant Holmes, of Leamington, a theatrical manager, committed suicide on Saturday morning by blowing out his brains with a Martini-Henry rifle. He rose at four o'clock and went into the dining-room, where the report startled the family. He was found by his wife lying in a pool of blood. At Leeds Assize on Friday, a mill hand named Daniel Leese was sentenced to eight years' penal servitude for the manslaughter of William Gibbs, at Dewsbury. Prisoner insulted the wife of the deceased. The latter resented the insult, whereupon Leese drew a knife and stabbed him. In answer to an advertisement for a first-class clerk in the Chambers of Mr. Justice Pearson. rendered vacant by the death of Mr. Lovell, over 500 applications have been sent in, among the candidates being both barristers and solicitors. The salary for this appointment commences at £5OO a year, and rises to 2600. Ernest Arthur Burnham, aged 11, was committed for trial on Saturday at Nottingham for having caused the death of another lad, named Herbert Rankin, by throwing a stone which, missing the man at whom it was aimed, struck deceased on the head, causing death within a few hours. The roof of the North Western Station, Huddersfield, ;completely collapsed on Monday. Two men were killed, and another dangerously injured. The full extent of the disaster is not yet known. The lines were blocked, and traffic suspended for some hours.