The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-04-07 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENT AT A FOOTBALL

MATCH.

Mr. J. Wilson, aged 18, son of a Liverpool met,
chant, died at a late hour on Sunday night from the
result of Injuries sustained whilst engaged in a football
match at Birkenhead on Saturday,

At the inquest on Monday, Mr. B. B. Middleton, of
Rock(erry, a member of the Football Club, said that
when the accident happened the deceased was running
with the ball in his hands, and had got about 15 or 20
yards, when Mr. William Smyth overtook him. The
deceased turned and threw the ball to witness while
Mr. Smyth had hold of him, and he (witness) ran on with
the ball and saw no more of the accident. About two
minutes afterwards the deceased was lying on his
back on the grass, and when they tried to raise him
they found that he had lost the-use of his legs. There
was no unfairness in the game, which was quite a
friendly one.
Mr. William Smyth said hi supposed that he and
the deceased must have come into collision, and the
great pace at which they were going made them both
fall. They were running as hard as they could. The
collision as not very violent. The witness did not
notice the deceased on the ground because he did not
stop to look. He did not then know that the deceased
was on the ground; he was certain that he did nat
fall upon the deoeased. In about a minute, however,
he with others, saw the deceased lying on the grass,
and the witness expressed his sorrow for the accident,
to which the deemed replied that it was just like his
luck, or some words to that effect. Nothing was done
in contravention of the ordinary rules of the game.
There was no struggle between the witness and the
deceased.

Reginald Wood, umpire during the match, said
there was nothing in the fall to break any of the rules
of the game.
-

Dr. Bernstein, house surgeon at the hospital, said
the deceased was admitted about 4.50 on Saturday
afternoon. He was complaining of considerable pain
at the back of the head, and was completely paralyzed
in the lower limbs and trunk. He bad no power of
movement or feeling. He was completely paralyzed,
except the arms, head, and neck. His Intellect was
quite clear. He died about 8.30 on Sunday evening.
Death was due to a broken neck.

The coroner read the following note from Mr.
Wilson, the father of the deceased :—" In case by any
chance there might be any reflection cast by the jury
on the poor fellow who was the innocent cause of this
mishap, I wish to say that when I saw my poor boy
the first thing he told me was that the game was quite
fair, and that he was more sorry for poor Smyth than
for himself."

The Coroner remarked that it was most satisfactory
to have that direct statement by the deceased himself
to his father. The game created an enormous amount
of excitement and was full of danger. He did not
know any game in which there was more excitement
and danger than in football. He had seen fractures
of legs and arms, and had seen dislocations without
end; but this was the first fatal case he had had to
"hal with in the county of Chester, and he sincerely
haped it would be the last. The jury returned a ver-
dict of "Accidental death."

THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE
UNITED STATES.

It has been already stated that the Lord Chief
Justice has accepted an invitation from the Bar AsBo.
elation of the State of New York to be present at their
next annual meeting. In hi letter, which has been
published in the American journals, Lord Coleridge
says : _ _ _

I acknowledge in the invitation a striking mark of
the kindly feeling entertained by the lawyers of a great
American State towards the lawyers of England, en.
gaged as we are in the common practice of a common
profession, and bound by a law m many respects the
ss me. It is a matter of regret to me that the distinc•
tOrlitTried rie ka-; d h unaiiec'tecciy
feels his entire unfitness to represent the great tradi•
- of a body of which he chances to be the highest
non•political member; but as I cannot look upon the
compliment as personal, so neither ought personal con•
siderations to influence me in accepting or declining it.
I do not feel free to refuse an invitation so cordial and
generous as yours, and I accordingly accept it, and
thank you for it.

te tions