Inquests Taken Into Suspicious Or Unexplained Deaths 1861-1865
Wednesday 3 April 1861, Issue 4954 - Gale Document No. Y3200700828
NEWTON ABBOT. - An Inquest was opened at Teignmouth, on Saturday, by Mr Cockey, on the body of MR SAMUEL POLACK, formerly a tailor and draper, a Jew, living at 45, Crompton-crescent, London, who met with his death on the previous Thursday evening, at the Newton Abbot station, by falling beneath the wheels of the carriages of a train in motion. After the identification of the body by Mr Frederick Symons, a wine and spirit merchant, in London, the enquiry was adjourned till Monday.
Wednesday 10 July 1861, Issue 4968 - Gale Document No. Y3200701270
TEIGNMOUTH - Fatal Boat Accident. - An Inquest was held on Thursday, at the Foresters' Arms Inn, by F. B. Cuming, Esq., Deputy Coroner, on the body of ELIZA ISAACS, thirty three years of age, who was accidentally drowned, through the upsetting of a boat in the channel, near a place called Labrador, on the previous Tuesday afternoon. From the evidence it seems that the deceased was a married woman, her husband being at present on his way home from Australia, and kept the Compass Inn, at West Teignmouth. On Tuesday afternoon MRS ISAACS, her son SAMUEL WILLIAM CURTIS, about thirteen or fourteen years of age, born to a former husband, Mrs Taylor her sister, and Mrs Harley, engaged a boat of Mr Perriman and rowed round the Ness to Labrador. The deceased and Mrs Harley then got on the beach, and having undressed themselves began to bathe. Some boys near seeing them, threw stones at them, and they consequently took up their clothes and returned to the boat, and the son of the deceased rowed them about twenty land yards into the channel. During this time several stones were thrown into the boat, but none struck any of the parties. Being out of the reach of the boys they began to dress, when Mrs Harley discovered her foot covered with blood, and got on the side of the boat for the purpose of washing it, whereupon the boat upset, throwing all the occupants into the water. They, however, succeeded in catching hold of the boat, and after some severe struggling got upon it - the three females being on the stern and the boy on the bow. So great was the weight, however, at the rear part of the boat that it sank, and they were again immersed. At this moment the deceased was heard to call, "Sam, " her son, but he was unable to go to her assistance. A waterman, named William Onion, of Shaldon, seeing the accident, immediately went to their relief, and pulled them into the boat in a very exhausted state. The deceased, who was the last he came to, was floating with her back upwards and her head under the water. She was not observed to breathe after she was taken into the boat, but a quantity of froth oozed from her mouth and nostrils. The deceased was afterwards taken to Major Browne's, at Shaldon, and Mr Brooks, surgeon, called in, and he endeavoured to restore animation, but in vain. Mr Brooks said that from the appearance of the deceased he was of opinion she was seized with apoplexy whilst in the water. The Jury returned a verdict of "Accidentally Drowned."
Wednesday 2 October 1861, Issue 4980 - Gale Document No. Y3200701672
TEIGNMOUTH - A fatal accident occurred on board the Superb, on Friday. A shipwright's assistant named JAMES BOND, twenty years of age, son of a fisherman, and in the employ of Mr Mansfield, shipbuilder, of this town, whilst employed on board the vessel with George Lee and Thomas Tucker, happened accidentally to step backwards to avoid a blow from a piece of ropeyarn which he seems to have thought was about to be aimed at him by one of his fellow workmen, and fell down the hatchway, a distance of fifteen feet, receiving injuries, from the effects of which he died a few hours afterwards in the infirmary. An Inquest was held on Saturday by Mr F. B. Cumming, the Deputy Coroner, and a verdict of "Accidental Death" returned. The deceased being a member of the Teignmouth Artillery was interred with military honours.
Wednesday 14 May 1862, Issue 5012 - Gale Document No. Y3200702770
NEWTON ABBOTT - On Saturday a man, named RICHARD WOTTON, between fifty and sixty years of age, residing in East-street, committed suicide by hanging himself, on Hennaborough Farm, near the Nunnery at Abbotsleigh, and about two miles from Newton, belonging to Mrs Beazeley, of the Globe Hotel, in whose employ he had been for a number of years as hind. An Inquest was held on Monday by Mr F. B. Cumming, the Deputy Coroner, and a verdict returned to the effect that the deceased committed suicide whilst in a state of Temporary Insanity.
Wednesday 13 August 1862, Issue 5025 - Gale Document No. Y3200703241
TEIGNMOUTH - A MR RICHARD HUDSON, eighty-one years of age, who, with his family, had just come to this watering-place for a month, committed suicide on Sunday morning by hanging himself. An Inquest was held yesterday, and a verdict returned that deceased was at the time in an unsound state of mind.
Wednesday 10 June 1863, Issue 5068 - Gale Document No. Y3200704577
DAWLISH - Fatal Fall Over A Cliff. - A boy named SHELSTONE was killed last week in consequence of his having fallen over a cliff at Dawlish. At the Inquest held on the body, at the White Hart, the Jury returned a verdict to the effect that the lad's death had resulted from a casualty, but the Coroner animadverted severely upon the fact that a cliff no less than sixty feet high had been negligently left without any railing or other protection to the public.
Wednesday 1 July 1863, Issue 5071 - Gale Document No. Y3200704647
NEWTON ABBOT - Shocking Death By Violence. - On Saturday night last about eight o'clock a woman named Ellen Hailer went, in a state of intoxication, into the house of a neighbour named JOHN CHAPPLE, an old man and a pipe maker by trade. The woman abused the old man, and subsequently, he being old and rather infirm, threw him against the stairs, where he evidently received a severe blow. She laid hold of him again and illused him whilst lying on the floor. A woman named Sprague used every effort to part them, but not being able to do so she called in several of the neighbours, and the prisoner was with difficulty removed. The deceased, who was entirely unconscious, was put to bed, and Mr Gillard and Mr James, surgeons, sent for, but he died about three hours afterwards. The prisoner was then taken into custody by the police. When she was informed of the dangerous state the deceased was in she calmly replied that "it served the old rogue right, for he ought to have been dead years ago." The prisoner has been remanded until this day (Wednesday.) An Inquest was held on Monday at the Jolly Sailor Inn, before Mr F. B. Cuming, Coroner, and the Jury having recommended that a post mortem examination should be made the Inquest was adjourned until the following day.
Wednesday 2 September 1863, Issue 5080 - Gale Document No. Y3200704892
THE MURDER AT NEWTON - The result of the adjourned Inquest held at Newton Abbot on Tuesday, upon the remains of JOHN MEARS, who was found dead under circumstances detailed in another column, was that the Jury returned a verdict that the deceased her been murdered by some person or persons unknown.
Wednesday 16 September 1863, Issue 5082 - Gale Document No. Y3200704953
NEWTON ABBOT - Inhumanity To A Dying Man. - Mr Cuming, Coroner, held an Inquest at South Knighton near Newton on Monday, on the body of JOHN MORTIMORE, labourer, employed by Mr Tripe, of Herebere Barton - the Inquest being held in consequence of rumours being afloat as to quarrels in deceased's house. The evidence went to show that there had been violent squabbles in the family between the deceased's sons and that the deceased had been neglected by his daughter who gave him no sustenance and declined to go for a doctor when asked to do so. Deceased's daughter-in-law and a Mrs Perkins alone saw to the deceased, whose son even took the bed from under his father. Dr Sparham, of Ashburton, medical officer for the district, who was asked in to attend deceased just before death, made a post mortem examination of the body (assisted by Mr Lyle), and he gave it as his opinion that deceased died from heart disease but might have been relieved if a doctor had attended him earlier. The Coroner severely censured the heartless conduct of the relatives of the deceased, and particularly the widow for not sooner calling in Dr Sparham. The Jury then returned the following verdict:- "That the deceased died suddenly of disease of the heart, accelerated by the emotion caused by violent quarrels in the family, and the Jury express their strong opinion that there was culpable neglect in the relatives of the deceased not sending earlier for medical attendance, and for violent conduct in taking the bed from under him whilst in a dying state."
Wednesday 20 January 1864, Issue 5100 - Gale Document No. Y3200705424
NEWTON - "Accidental Death" has been recorded in the case of THOMAS RICHARD BRYANT, aged fifteen months, of the parish of St. Nicholas. The sister (a mere child herself) of the deceased was playing in the street; a timber waggon passed, and the little girl was in the act of placing her brother on one of the pieces of timber, when the hind wheel of the wagons truck the girl's arm, and knocked the child from her. The wheel passed over the child's head, and of course caused its instant death.
Wednesday 6 April 1864, Issue 5110 - Gale Document No. Y3200705693
TEIGNMOUTH - A young man named WILLIAM PHILLIPS, a sailor, on Wednesday night whilst as is supposed he was in the act of reaching after a boat at the old Quay, missed his footing and fell into the water and was drowned. He was picked up on the following morning. An Inquest has been held on the body.
Wednesday 18 January 1865, Issue 5148 - Gale Document No. Y3200706743
DAWLISH - Infanticide. - HARRIET VOTE lived in the service of Mr M. Strickland, at the Warren. She was taken ill, and the doctor discovered that she had been confined. In her box was found the body of a child, and a piece of tape was tied tightly round the neck. Medical evidence affirmed that the child was born alive, and at the Inquest at the Mount Pleasant Inn the Jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against the young woman. The girl was not suspected, and her master gave her an excellent character.
Wednesday 26 April 1865, Issue 5162 - Gale Document No. Y3200707098
DAWLISH - This town has experienced an unpleasant sensation. The York Hotel was visited one evening last week by a person whose appearance indicated respectability. She pretended to be an American, said she had just come from Paddington; that her luggage was at the station; she came to Dawlish for sea-bathing; intended taking lodgings the next day; and being exceedingly tired requested a bed to be got ready at once. Soon afterwards she retired, directing a glass of brandy and water and a biscuit to be brought to her room. Between the hours of two and three in the morning she rang the bell three times, and on Mrs Stocks, wife of the landlord, entering the room she said she could not sleep and requested another glass of brandy and water. This was supplied and nothing further was heard of her up to eleven o'clock, when Mrs Stocks knocked at the bedroom door but could get no answer. The landlady then directed a mason to procure a ladder and get into the room by the window, and his doing so led to the discovery that the lodger had committed suicide. She was dead in bed. There were in the room several empty envelopes, labelled "Simpson's Rat Powder," "Battle's Vermin Powder," and "Barber's Vermin Killer," and there is no doubt that the taking of these powders deprived her of life. the deceased had cut out her name from her handkerchief and her clothes; and there were no traces to lead to her discovery. The incidents of the suicide were published by one of the Plymouth newspapers, and the account was read by the poor woman's husband, who turns out to be MR MARTIN WILLIAMS, an engineer, of Devonport, who keeps a stationer's shop. She left her home on the forenoon of the day she reached Dawlish without her husband's knowledge. It is said that four years since she attempted to drown herself in a tank. She had a spinal complaint, and suffered severely at times from pains in the head. She had five children, whose ages ranged from three to twelve. The Coroner's Jury returned a verdict that the poor woman had died from arsenic, a quantity of which had been found in her stomach by Dr Herepath. The evidence showed that the deceased and her husband lived on good terms: she was subject to depression of spirits. On Sunday one of MR WILLIAMS'S children was burnt to death and his own hand was severely burnt.
Wednesday 20 September 1865, Issue 582 - Gale Document No. Y3200707585
NEWTON ABBOT - SARAH COPE, who has been for some months in the service of Mr Lawe, manure manufacturer, committed suicide on Thursday morning. She procured some oxalic acid from the shop of Mr Poulton, chemist, for the purpose of cleaning brass, but on her return to the house she seems to have drank a large portion of the poison. On the return of the family to dinner the servant was found dead upon the bed. It was stated that she had been under a marriage engagement, but the young man ran from his word, and since then the unfortunate woman has at times been eccentric, and had once before attempted suicide. she was thirty years of age and a native of Tiverton. "Temporary Insanity" was the verdict at the Inquest.
