September 25, 2012

Poisoned by Haddock

    Boiled haddock, purchased from a hawker, and eaten for breakfast and dinner, caused Charlotte Jane Short's death in London.  The fish was bad, she told a friend before she died, and she noticed this when eating it, but she was a poor woman, and said she could not afford to waste it. 
    At the inquest, to-day, a verdict was returned of "Death from accidental causes."  (Yorkshire Evening Post, August 2nd, 1904)

September 23, 2012

Choked by his False Teeth

At an inquest yesterday on the body of Mr. Edwin Clayton, who was suffocated at Endon, between Leek and Stoke, through swallowing his false teeth, a doctor said he found the top plate of Clayton's false teeth wedged behind the claque of his throat, which would cause him to attempt to vomit, but he would not be able to do so, the fluid would enter the lungs, and he would be suffocated.  A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned.  (Yorkshire Evening Post, June 8th, 1904)

September 12, 2012

Mysterious Death of a Husband and Wife

A shocking discovery has just been made at Bilston, Staffordshire, where a man and his wife have been found lying dead in bed, and the corpse of the woman in particular dreadfully discovered.  The neighbourhood is greatly excited, and very many rumours are afloat.  All, however, that appears to be definitely known at present is that the deaths must have occurred as far back as Thursday last.  (Yorkshire Post, December 2nd, 1873)

August 13, 2012

Killed by a Pig

At Galway on Sunday night a child named Mullins was, during the absence of its parents, attacked by a pig.  Its throat and chest were so lacerated that it died in a short time.  The pig dragged the child out of the house by the throat into the street.  This is the second fatal accident of the kind at Galway within a month.  (Yorkshire Post, December 2nd, 1873)

August 11, 2012

Signalman's Fate

    Colleague Shuts His Eyes to Grim Spectacle.
    A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned by the Leeds Coroner at an inquest today on George Arthur Appleton (46), railway signalman, of Nowell Parade, Harehills, who died at the Leeds Infirmary yesterday as the result of being knocked down by a train on the North-Eastern railway line just outside Leeds on the previous day.
    Richard Herbert, signalman, who relieved Appleton at the signal-box, said he saw him go towards Leeds station on the four-foot way.  He noticed that a train coming from Marsh Lane was almost on top of Appleton, and he shouted, "Look out, George!" but it was too late.  When he saw the engine would inevitably go over Appleton, he momentarily shut his eyes.  He looked again after the train had passed.  Appleton had been pushed about 15 feet by the engine.
    Witness said that at the time a train was passing from Leeds, and probably the noise of this train drowned that of the other.
    The driver of the engine said that he had no idea that he had run over a man until he arrived in Leeds station.  He then found a piece of brown jacket hanging to one of the exhaust pipes.  (Yorkshire Evening Post, November 22nd, 1922)

August 09, 2012

Low Life in Birmingham

At Birmingham to-day, the Coroner's jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against John Patchett, cabinet brass worker, who on Friday night, in his house in St. Luke's Road, stabbed his wife in the neck with a pocket-knife, causing death within an hour.  Both were addicted to drink and led an unhappy life, the wife having pawned almost everything in the house.  (Yorkshire Evening Post, April, 1891)

August 06, 2012

Caught by the Reaping Machine

On Saturday evening, a girl aged three or four years, daughter of John Hay, cotman, Holms Farm, Dalrymple, strayed into a field of grain where reaping operations were going on.  Being unobserved by the driver, she was caught by the reaping machine, which completely cut off one of the poor child's feet, and lacerated the other.  She was taken to Ayr Hospital, where she is doing as well as can be expected.  (Leeds Times, September 22nd, 1877)

August 05, 2012

Bitten by a Snake

    Serious Condition of English Tourists.
    NEW YORK, Monday.—Mr. Edward Bosanquet, son of the well-known English banker, was bitten on Saturday by a rattlesnake while he was out shooting near Dayton, Florida.  The snake struck him on the inside of the leg above the ankle.  Mr. Evelyn Walker, who was with Mr. Bosanquet, immediately applied his mouth to the wound, and endeavoured to suck out the poison.  Then having tightly bandaged the wounded leg, Mr. Walker raised his friend upon his shoulder and carried him to Dayton.
    It is feared, however, that all these gallant exertions to save the life of Mr. Bosanquet have proved of no avail.  He is reported to be in a hopeless condition.  Mr. Walker himself is also seriously ill.  It seems that he had a slight sore on his lip, and absorbed some of the poison into his system.  On his arrival at Dayton, broken down with fatigue, he was seized with an attack which resembled partial paralysis.  Last evening, however, he was rather better, and it was believed he was out of danger.
    Mr. Bosanquet and Mr. Walker were spending the autumn and winter at St. Augustine, Mr. Walker having his family with him.  Mrs. Walker only sailed for England on Thursday.  (Yorkshire Evening Post, February 2nd, 1891)

August 04, 2012

August 03, 2012

Girl Drunk at Fifteen

    Exemplary Fine on a Colne Landlord.
    At Colne yesterday, Richard Smith, landlord of the Jovial Hatters Inn, was charged with supplying intoxicants to a girl under 16 years of age.
    The evidence showed that the girl named Clegg, who is only 15 years of age, went to the defendant's house, where she had two small glasses of port and a small rum hot.  She went out and was found lying on the flags in a state of speechless intoxication.  An emetic had to be administered before she regained consciousness.
    The girl said her father had first taught her to drink, and she had since purchased rum in bottles at hotels.  She had sent boys for it, drunk it in the street, and thrown the bottles away.
    The defence was that the girl had been given the drink because she was ill.
    Fines amounting to £6 and costs were imposed, and the licence was endorsed.  (Yorkshire Evening Post, April 30th, 1901)