Fatal accident at Birkenhead
An inquest was held yesterday at the Stanley Arms, public house, Seacombe before Mr CHURTON, Coroner on the body of Sarah BILLINGTON, aged 69. The deceased lived at Seacombe Buildings, on the 26th ult she fell down stairs sustaining concussion of the brain, death ensued from the injuries on Thursday. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
Liverpool Mercury Jan 6th 1874
Yesterday an inquest was held on the body of Andrew HINDS, aged 23, a tinplate worker of 16 Richmond Row. On Christmas night he was in a coffee house in Dale St, intoxicated. About 9.30, Daniel HANLON, a hawker and three other young men companions of the deceased entered the house for refreshment. Two stood against the table and the deceased called to them to sit down. HANLON who was drunk told the deceased it was not fair to talk in that way, the deceased replied he could do what he liked, upon which HANLAN replied he could not and challenged the deceased to a fight. They immediately went out HINDS leading the way, and although their companions tried to make peace between them they went to Cow Lane, stripped and had a tussle, ending in them both falling down. They rose for a second round, HINDS seemed the keenest, but HANLON struck the first blow, the deceased was knocked backwards his head violently striking a wall. He received severe bruises to the back of the head and did not consult a medical man for five days, when erysipelas had set in, he died on Friday. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against HANLON and he was taken into custody.
Liverpool Mercury Jan 10th 1874
Fatal accident at the Canada Dock
Mr C. ASPINALL, yesterday resumed the inquest on the body of John GOODFELLOW, engineer, aged 23, of 163 Conway St, Birkenhead and Joseph WHITESIDE, shipwright of 10 Evans St, whose deaths were caused by the sinking of a flat in the Canada Half-tide Dock on the 23rd December.
Joseph TURNBULL, foreman of the mechanics employed by the Dock Board gave evidence that he was engaged with the deceased in testing a new steam winch from the works of Messers TAYLOR and Co, Birkenhead, before accepting delivery. It was accordingly attached to a stone 5tons weight, the winch being made to life 10tons. The winch was fixed on board a flat called the Bull Dog, on which there was a stone the same weight, it being intended to test the winch with both stones at one time. He considered the flat properly ballasted for the purpose. On the first stone being hoisted about 6ft, it took a list towards the quay as the guide rope was a little slack. For the purpose of getting it back to its original position, the stone was lifted a foot higher, when it began to list outwards towards the dock, as the engine being new worked stiffly. The stone caused the flat to list over, and before the stone got a foot from the centre of the mast the guide rope gave way, the stone consequently went further out making the flat list more, it then heeled over and soon filled with water and sank, all the men escaped except the two deceased who drowned. William TAYLOR who had charge of the engine at the time said the accident happened from the guide rope breaking. Richard THOMPSON captain of the flat and other witnesses gave evidence. A verdict of accidentally drowned was returned by the jury. The widow of the deceased man WHITESIDE, was in needy circumstances and had a large family, the employees of the Dock Board were setting up a subscription on her behalf.
The coroner handed over a sovereign from the poor box.
Liverpool Mercury Jan 20th 1874
On Saturday an inquest was held at Price Lane, Walton on the body of William MILBURN aged 68, who committed suicide on the previous Thursday by hanging himself, from the landing of the stairs in his house in Princes Lane, Walton verdict suicide during temporary derangement. He had for some time been under medical treatment for debility.
Fatal accident to a Liverpool Pilot
About noon on Saturday, when between Point Lynas and Puffin Island, a punt containing a pilot and three persons named William EVANS, George JONES and Joseph CHRISTY, put off from No 10 pilot boat belonging to this port for the purpose of shipping the pilot on board the inward-bound ship ANNIE CAMPBELL. Having accomplished this task the punt was being rowed back to the pilot boat, when it was struck by a heavy sea and upset, the three men it being thrown into the sea. They all managed to cling to the bottom of the boat, and the accident having been witnessed by the crew of No 1 pilot boat as well as by those remaining on No 10 boat, punts were launched and rowed will all speed to rescue the men. The punt of No 1 boat was nearest to the scene of the disaster, when CHRISTY who was a splendid swimmer, let go his hold of the overturned boat, for the purpose, it is supposed, of swimming towards the punt approaching him, but, he sank and was seen no more. The two other men were rescued by the punt of No 1 pilot boat having been in the water about 15 mins, and were subsequently landed at Beaumaris, where they received every attention their circumstances demanded.
CHRISTY who was a fine young man aged 23, had been for 6 years in the pilot service and was highly respected by the members of the service. Yesterday in respect for his memory the flag was hoisted half-mast at the pilot office, Princes Pierhead
Liverpool Mercury Jan 23rd 1874
Singular death of a prisoner
On Wednesday an inquest was held at Rainhill before Mr C. DRIFFIELD, county coroner on the body of John SIMMS, painter, aged 30, who resided at Rainhill. On the 7th inst deceased went to St Helens to work, but instead of working he became intoxicated and was apprehended by the police, in default of paying the fine he was sent to Kirkdale gaol. It was alleged that the handcuffs with which he was confined on his removal to gaol were too small and that his wrists were thereby compressed. When taken to Kirkdale the prisoner was reported by the doctor of the gaol to be feeble and half paralysed and to be exempt from labour and have a guard bed.
On leaving gaol the prisoner complained of inflammation of the arms and abrasions on the wrists, but made no complaint of having been refused the attention of a doctor. On his return home he became worse and Dr HALL of Prescot was called in on the 15th, he found the man suffering from mortification of the right arm from wrist to elbow, and he died the following Saturday.
The jury at first returned a verdict that death was due to the handcuffs being placed too tight and also of neglect in the gaol. This verdict the coroner refused to accept, because there was no evidence the deceased was neglected in gaol, and eventually the jury found that death was due to mortification but how it originated there was no sufficient evidence to show.
Liverpool Mercury Jan 27th 1874
Alleged death by violence at Everton
David JAMES was charged on remand with causing the death of Ann MAKINSON, in John St, Everton on the 17th inst. The evidence given was similar to that adduced at the inquest on the deceased. Mr RAFFLES said to the prisoner that nobody knows but yourself how it happened, you may go, the prisoner was then released.
Liverpool Mercury Jan 28th 1874
Yesterday morning the dead body of Mary NICKSON, wife of Alfred NICKSON of Alfred St, Birkenhead was found floating in the Huskisson Dock. It was taken to the dead house at Princes Dock where it awaits an inquest.
Liverpool Mercury Jan 29th 1874
Fatal boat accident at Carnarvon
A public meeting was convened by the Mayor [Mr James REES] at Carnarvon yesterday to raise funds for the support of the widows and orphans of the three pilots drowned near that town on Saturday night through the capsizing of the Llanddwyn pilot boat, A liberal sum was subscribed in the room
Fatal accident at Birkenhead
An inquest was held at Birkenhead before Mr CHURTON coroner, on the body of John WILLIAMS aged 59, employed as a porter at the goods station of the Great Western Railway Co. On Saturday the deceased was riding on some wagons through two doorways, beneath one of which he was badly crushed. He was taken to the Borough Hospital, where he died on Sunday. Verdict accidental death.
Liverpool Mercury Feb 11th 1874
Sad death of a Liverpool commercial traveller
On Monday Mr PRICE held an inquest at Salford on the body of Thomas ANDERSON, a commercial traveller, lately residing at 27 Smithdown Lane, Liverpool. Robert DAVIES, wholesale grocer, Cheapside, Liverpool, said the deceased was employed by him as a commercial traveller. He last saw him alive on Saturday the 17th ult. On the Monday following the deceased was collecting accounts and obtaining orders in Liverpool, but he did not return to the warehouse. The next day he was missing from his lodgings and was not heard of. He had received a number of accounts on behalf of the witness which he had not accounted for.
Police-sergeant BARROW said about 6.20pm on Saturday his attention was called to a crowd of people standing around the shop of Mr PILLING, druggist, New Bailey St. He went into the shop and found the deceased insensible on the floor, he had been brought there by two unknown men, who said he had fallen in the street, and had received a wound to the back of the head from which blood was flowing. Witness took him to the Royal Dispensary, where the wound was dressed and the surgeon said it was not of a dangerous character, and as the deceased smelled of drink he was taken to the Salford Town Hall, he remained unconscious and died there within about eight minutes. On searching the deceased a small bottle containing a solution of chloral hydrate, a pocket book and a number of Miscellaneous articles were found, but n money. In the pocket book was letter, addressed to his aunt in Rugby, which indicated an intention to commit suicide.
As soon as the deceased reached the Town Hall, Mr HAMILTON, surgeon, was sent for, but the man was dead when he arrived. Mr G. HAMILTON, said he had made a post mortem examination on the body. There was a scalp wound on the back of the head. On removing the scalp and next the skull, there was a great extravasation of blood from a rupture of am artery of the membranes of the brain, this extravasation by producing pressure on the brain had produced a condition similar to apoplexy. There was a slight fracture of the skull corresponding with the external wound, but the case of death was extravasation of blood on the brain. There was no trace of poison in the stomach, the chloral hydrate was not poisonous. A fall was sufficient to cause the fracture and the rupture of the blood vessel.
The jury returned a verdict of, Died from extravasation of blood, from a rupture caused by violence, but by what means the deceased received his injuries there is no evidence to show.
Coroners Inquest before Mr Clarke ASPINALL
On the body of Catherine LYONS, aged 3, the daughter of a labourer of 23 Idris St. On Saturday evening the father accidentally upset a pan of hot water over her, scalding her so severely she died on Monday. Verdict Accidentally scalded
On the body of Henry HIGHAM rigger, aged 23 of Beaufort St. Last week the deceased was engaged with several other men rigging the mainmast of the ship CANUTE, lying in the No 1, Sandon Graving Dock. The deceased was in the gantling, when the guide ropes were carelessly let go before the lashing was finished, the gantling falling, the deceased was thrown down and fell upon the deckhouse, he received severe injuries and died shortly afterwards. A verdict of Accidental death was returned, the coroner warned the workmen to be more careful in the future.
On the body of Ann GRIFFITHS, AGED 56, OF Brunswick Place, the widow of a master stevedore. On Saturday the deceased and her daughter were drinking together, and the former got drunk. She was left sitting in a chair before the fire about 8.30pm, when her daughter returned at 10pm she found the deceased lying insensible at the foot of the garret stairs, with a quantity of blood about her which appeared to be coming from her mouth and ears. Her skull was fractured and she died before a doctor was in attendance. An open verdict was returned.
On the body of Stephen MOONEY, aged 35, of No 8 Court, Saltney St, who alleged died from injuries received at the hands of Thomas LYNCH his brother-in-law, from an affray between in Saltney St. The jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against Thomas LYNCH
Liverpool Mercury Feb 12th 1874
Coroners Inquest before Mr Clarke ASPINALL
On the body of Patrick M’GRANE, aged 43, who was sentenced on the 27th ult to two months imprisonment for stealing some beef and at the time of his death was undergoing the sentence at Walton gaol. When he arrived at Walton gaol he was passed by Dr PARKER as fit for hard work on the treadmill. On the 5th inst he complained of feeling unwell, and having received medical treatment returned to work the next day, but he was unable to remain on the mill. Subsequently he became worse and died on Monday. It was stated the cause of death was acute inflammation of the lungs, brought on by him becoming chilled whilst passing from the mill to the gaol. The jury returned a verdict of Death from natural causes.
Liverpool Mercury Feb 14th 1874
Coroners Inquest before Mr Clarke ASPINALL
On the body of William MAWDSLEY, a farmer aged 45, who lived at Halsall, near Ormskirk. On the 28th ult the deceased was running across the railway at Ditton, to get to the Liverpool train, when he fell across the metals of a siding. Some wagons being shunted on the siding at the time, the wheels of one went over his leg and foot. He died from his injuries at the Royal Infirmary on Tuesday. Verdict Accidental death.
Liverpool Mercury, Nov 9th 1874
Fatal accident shipboard
On the 31st ult, a seaman named Robert ANDERSON, aged 34, whilst employed on board the steamship Kenilworth lying in the Huskisson Dock, fell into the hold of that vessel and was so seriously injured that he died in Bootle Hospital on the 4th inst. Mr C. E. DRIFFIELD, county coroner, held and inquest on the body at the Dolphin Hotel on Saturday, when a verdict of "Accidental death" was returned.
Crushed to death
The body of William QUICK, a labourer, formerly living in Netherfield Rd, is now lying in the Bootle Hospital awaiting an inquest. The deceased was employed in the timber yard of Messers Farnworth and Jardine at the north end of the docks, and whilst assisting to remove some baulks of timber on Friday last one of them fell on him, causing such injuries that he died on the way to hospital.
Supposed suicide
On Saturday Mr C. E. DRIFFIELD held an inquest at Bootle on the body of Sarah HUGHES, a married woman of Christopher St, Kirkdale. It appeared some days ago the husband of the deceased had occasion to remonstrate with her in consequence of her somewhat intemperate habits, when she left the house and nothing was heard of her till the 5th inst, when her body was found in a clay pit near Kirkdale. As there was no evidence to show how she came into the pit an open verdict of, "Found drowned" was returned.