Sarah
Hawkins Genealogy Site
Newspaper
Articles
British Press. Friday 22 Sep 1826
Page 1 Column 4
CORONERS INQUESTS.
An inquest was held at Stogumber, on Hugh DUDDERIDGE, a labouring man, aged 69(?), who, on Friday morning last, was found hanging to the side-timber of the roof of a hay-loft. It was proved that the deceased and his wife had lived most unhappily for a considerable time; that the latter had locked him out of doors, denounced vengeance against him is he dared approach the house, and that he had otherwise treated him in the most brutal manner. Verdict - “That the deceased, being lunatic and distracted, in a fit of despair hung himself.” - Taunton Courier.
Another inquest was held at Williton, near Watchet, on Henry LANGDON, an infant about a month old. It appeared in evidence that the deceased having suffered from wind in the stomach, a servant was sent to a grocer's shop for a bottle of Godfrey's Cordial, and that instead of the genuine article she was supplied with four pennyworth of a spurious kind; part of this was given the child, which threw him into a state of stupor, in which stare he continued for sixteen hours; when he awoke he was seized with a fit, and almost instantly expired. The Coroner observed to the shopkeeper that having a licence he was duly authorized to sell patent medicines, but he was not justified in compounding and selling in the manner before stated, and he entreated him to refrain from again endangering the lives of his Majesty's subjects. Verdict - “Died from the effects of a too powerful dose of an opiate, falsely designated and sold as Godfrey's Cordial.” - Ibid.