The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-09-06 00:00:00

INQUEST.

An inquest was held on Tunneler afternoon, at the
George. on the body ot a hills girt named Margaret Ann
Palmer. beton G. B. Aldridge, gwq., borougn ooroner, and
the louowing jury, Mr. G. J. Coarlton (loremen). and
Messrs. W. Brown, J. N. Cninchen, J. Barloot, A.
Kibedge, J. Faiil•sy, S. Tanner, W. Reeve, W. Blendford,
E. Dominey, W. F.hems, G. Guy. and A Parker.
The Coroner, in opening the promedings„ audit appeared
lii. child full into emus bA ling water and Med on Mummy.
el ler being attended by Dr. Lawton.
Mr. Tanner (one of ths jurymen), asked if Dr. Dayton
was In attendance to give evidences If he was not he
Should refuse to s•gn any payers.
TOO Coroner: Wnat do you meant
Mr. Tanner: You may remember an inquest that was
held some time ago, and Dr. Ptulpota then put • letter
into the Mere minims to it I was on is aad I then sato
I would bever sign another deposition unless • medical
man was called.
__

Itueifforoner: You medal talk about that • for the
present, you haven't been sulked to situ anything. Mr.
Aldridge proceeded to say, no doubt from the remarks of
the gentleman who had Just spoken they would derive
great benefit, but with regard to an inquest that had taken
place some time ago he did not cheek they used trouble
themselves. Sometimee people wrote to the papers for
t ea purpose of advertising tnernselvea. it had seemed to h in
with mai menus to the inquest in question that the enquiry
was a very simple one. The greatest pains were taken to
ascertain the comae of desth, end the only possible result
that could be arrived at wm that the child got out of bed
and ignited its bed clothes, and so sot burnt to death,
end the jury returned • verdict in accordance with those
fact& The accident had seemed to him of the amplest
nature, and be did not see how me jury could have
brought in any different verdict. Whether if Dr.
Podpstte had been present at the enquiry a different
verdict would hare been given, it was not worth while to
enquire.
Mr. Tanner It isn't worth while to rake up them
The Coroner: No, but you My You will newer attend an
inquest unless a doctor is present. Now I Mink there are
of occasions when the stlendanCe of the medical turm
la not necessary. Ot course if you think the pockets of
the retepayers are of no consequence, by all mean, call
the doctor and pay him his guinea.
Mr. 'faan.r : Well, all can say if • medical MAn had
been called I should have given a different verdict to what
I did. I shall not give any verdict in future unless •
doctor is present (umunaers of approbation from some of
the jurymen). You know that Dr. Phtipotts wrote a very
nasty letter to the papers.
The Coroner: It is not my duty to take up the cudgels
against Dr. Philpotte but I think everyone in the town
amees that it was not imoseeery to call a medical man on
that occasion, I did not do so, but upon this is
simply foe you as the Jury to as/ whether you require One
or not.
Mr. Tanner: There is no blame attached to you, sir, at '
all. I have simply brought it forward as • public duty.
The Coroner ; I am glad to hem that. I thought it an
uncalled.for slur thrown out at me; but I can only tell
you this, if Dr. Pailpotts had been called he would have
found himself in • worse position than he is at Reeent
M., jury then went to view the body, and, after their
r. tiro, the following evidence was taken;—
Mr. liorb-ri Alfred Lawten, • *meson, prectiaing in
P ...id on Suuday el teroosh, @bendy after one o'clock,
he e et. ti oeii iii. d..ce.aed. Re found she had
scalde on buttocks, thigh., and legs, and on the left
fore arm. lie saw the chit. twice the next day, the last
woe teng • lime mono,e to for—leath. The came of
.ieith woo shock, the resu:t if tile ',adds.
Mary Palmer, the wife of W 1111•111 Palmer, carpenter,
stated the deceased child wae seven yeere and seven
months old. The accident oiirtii red in Sunday clout half-
, past 12, when she corn, u. thi Looollett schuol. She
wm Playing wiih the bat, at 11. liure, and was stepping
backward, • hen she tr ppied sod fell into a pan of hot
water that wa.. ou the dor. The child held up her hands,
mid she (ih •in tie, r) ran h, and pulled her our. 1.e.,
, wake had just n. se taken It the lire. bhr at once applied
oil, and her father went for the do:tor. Dr. Leertmr coos
almost directly. The child lived until about hall-pest
ei.tht OD Mosday el/c113114. It Wel Cob Vuistd beene lie
death.
Theresa Grant, wife of William (knot brushmaker, of Inmates', said she went in, as a tr.end, about half-peat
three on Monday afternoon to see the child. She found
It very 111. She stayed with her until her death, and gave
her nourishment and medicine. She was unconrcious
until her death,
The Corover then remarked this wag the whole of the
evidence. Dr. Is ewion had been called. 11-• did not
blame abyone for wishieg bun to b.. railed, but hi. thought
no one could coy his evidence was at all tecemary.
Mr. Tanner: liar it was, an I don't ego h.iw the jury
mold hair (Irene vercict wilhoot
Mr. Brown : I ti-ink the donors evidence went a great
The c ironer: Well, all lean s .y is, if this is the sort of
feeling whi.l gains it, gig, town, on every future occasion.
I shell coil in • medical man.
A Juryman; Well, ih, mother's evidence is not what
You might call good evidenc,
Mr. Twiner : I t`duk eight jurymen iiut of the twelve
wee with we—that we ought to hove • rner:icsi Man at
every inquest. (Hear, hoar, from vent' juryui.n.)
Th. Csroner : That to sufficient If it is the wish of the
Jurymen a medical man should be called, they hove only
to ewes, their opinion. and I will comply with their
de..ire. Generally we don't call • medical man.
Mr. Brown: I think where a medical man has been
attending anyone, he ought tote present.
Mr. Tanner: I do Vile, sir, on principle. I may be a
little bit blackguarded Outside this room, but whether I
am told! am • big Man or • little num, I 'tend to my
optniona
The Coroner: I don't know, Mr. Tanner, that anyone
Imo blacliguerded you.
Mr. Tarsner then Prole:Wed that the fees of the jury be
given to the mother.
This was seconded by Mr. Brown, and the enquiry then
concluded.