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Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. Wednesday 13 Jan 1875
Page 5 Column 2 and 3
INQUESTS BEFORE W. W. MUNCKTON, ESQ.
ACCIDENT AT A BRICKYARD.
An inquest was held at the Taunton and Somerset Hospital, on Saturday, on the body of James PERRY, whose death occurred under circumstances detailed in the following evidence:- John PALMER, an engine driver at Poole brickworks, near Wellington, said the deceased was an “off-bearer” from the brick machine; his duty being to cut the new-made bricks from the brick machine and placing them on the barrow. On the 22nd D c <sic> he was so engaged. At about five o'clock in the evening he was standing on the right side of the pulley of the br--k? machine, which was then in motion; he suddenly slipped from the place where he was standing into the wheel pit. Witness could not tell the cause of deceased slipping, but no one was near him. As he slipped he put his arm out to “catch” himself, and the pulley-band caught his arm and pulled the deceased over the pulley as far as he could go, being stopped by the wall. Witness took him out, and found he was injured in the right shoulder; the same night he was taken to the Hospital. In the exercise of his work deceased had no business on the spot where he slipped and was caught by the pulley-band. He was not a stranger to the works, having been engaged there some time. - Mr. G. W. RIGDEN, house-surgeon, said he received the deceased at the hospital on December 22nd in the evening; he was suffering from severe bruises about the head and a shock to the system, from the effects of which injuries he died on January 4th; he was generally insensible; he was about 13 years of age. - The Jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased died from injuries accidentally received in the manner above described.
A DISGRACEFUL PROCEEDING.
On Monday an inquest was held at the Old Inn, Tancred-street, Taunton, on the body of Philip DOVEY. The facts will be learnt from the evidence. - Charlotte PARKER, a charwoman, living in Savery's-court, Canon-street, said the deceased lodged at her house; he was a married man, but lived apart from his wife. He was 48 years of age and a shoemaker by trade. On Wednesday evening, at about nine o'clock, deceased was brought home and appeared in a dreadful state; the froth was at his mouth, and he vomitted; he was turned over on his side by witness's husband, and about a quarter of an hour afterwards he died. He had left witness's house at a few minutes after eight, and was then “muddling” drunk. - John WHEELER, a cordwainer living at 23, King-street, said that on Wednesday evening he was at the Old Inn at about quarter after eight. Deceased came in. To witness's belief he was not tipsy. He called for a pint of cider, which was served for him. The landlord brought in a can of cider and filled a pint from the can. The deceased said “That will just suit me for the night.” The landlord said, “You could not drink it, Phil.” Deceased said, “Give it me, and I will drink it in half an hour.” Some party in the room said, “I will pay for one half if anyone else will pay for the other.” It was greed to be paid for by two parties named John LOCK and William HAWKINS, and deceased said, “I'll drink it in five minutes less.” A quart was filled out from the can, and he drank it off at a draught. A second quart was filled out from the can, and he drank that at two draughts. This quart was not quite full, and some of it was wasted, as deceased drank it so eagerly. After that he took a third quart, of which he drank but a small portion, and made the remark, “That's a draught, and I shall have a bit of tobacco comfortable.” He went and sat down on a seat beside the fire, from which he removed, saying, “Let's get over here,” and walked across the kitchen to the table beside witness. Then he appeared to get like a man “muddled” with drink. After a time, thinking he was about to vomit, witness moved away. After a little while deceased lay down on the seat and then “slid” off the seat on to the flooring. He was taken up and put on a seat, and witness advised that he should be taken home. Then W. HAWKINS, J. LOCK, G. CHIDGEY, and J. EDNEY took him home. Witness and the others were in company and looked on. - Mr S. FARRANT, surgeon, stated that on Saturday he made a post mortem examination on the body of the deceased, which showed a congested state of the brain, lungs and kidneys. The stomach had no fluid contents, but was distended with gas. The heart was structurally diseased, viz., by fatty degeneration; and the ventricles were filled with coagulated blood. From the examination witness was of opinion that deceased died from heart disease, which was accelerated probably by excitement and drink. - The other men who were referred to by the first witness were then called in and examined:- John LOCK admitted that he said, “I will give one half if any one will pay for the other half.” - W. HAWKINS admitted that he offered to pay for the other half of the tin of cider which deceased offered to drink. - The jury having intimated that they required no further evidence, the coroner, addressing the men who were present on the Wednesday evening, said he was perfectly ashamed of them, that they allowed the deceased to act in the way he had done. It was the most disgraceful proceeding he ever heard of. He wished he had the power to inflict some punishment upon them; their conduct was disgraceful and cowardly, but as it was the act and deed of deceased to drink the cider his companions could not be punished. Still he (the coroner) only wished he could give one and all of them a month on the treadmill.- In answer to a juror, the landlord explained that why he brought up the tin can of cider was to save the necessity of going down into the cellar every time a pint was called for: he was not asked to bring up the cider in this can. - The jury then returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.
<NOTES: Philip DOVEY son of Francis DOVEY and Susanna TROTT, married Elizabeth PRING>