The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-26 00:00:00

DEATH FROM FRIGHT.

Yesterday morning Mr. H.R. Wa!thew, deputy coroner,
held an inquest at the White Hart Tavern,
Kingsland-
road; touching the death of a young woman named Priscilla
May, aged 15 Yearsi *ha boat her life through the practical
joke of a servant, in dressing up as a gliogi
Mr. R. May, a tradesman carrying on business at i 46,
Kingsland-road, said that deceised, his daughter, was a
dressmaker. She was in perfect health when, about four
months ago, she went to Mr. Blyth's house in Hyde-park-
gardens to do some work, She returned three days after-
wards looking seriously affected in health. he bottld hardly
breathe. Her nostrils were greatly distended, and Were
plugged. She said that she had been terribly frighiened
the night before; As she was going upstairs, she stated,
with the g,;yerness and the serieatiti past the, bath-room,
the door of the latter was seen to be open. She asked the
servant to close the door, and the latter was going; to do
soi when something all ht thite thre* the door Wide open,
aid akiented I'roiii the dirlineii. Slid Said that She in-
stantly fell back screaming into the arms of the governess.
Blom,' --bed from her nostrils. and she was carried down-
stairs insensible. A doctor Wail sent for, and the servants
remained till with her all night. ft ap'p'eared that the ay.
Daritibi *4 a iier;iint, Who creased herself alt in *life as
a practical joke. tieceased fiefer ibEtPiei•ed from the shock.
She lost her appetite and her mind became affected. She
gradually sank; and died on the 10th haat.
SOPitie Bttiiiebn gaid that She teas d servant in the em-
ploy of a gentleman residing at 30, tipper ilYde.:Park
gardens, Bayswater. On the night in question witness was
preceding Miss Cl#rhei the gctiernese, and the deceased up-
stairs, when she heard a stipeittiatiittal "sOreata to imitate a
ghost.' Paceased game a strewn, like a laugh, and fell.
Witness belieed she fell tipon the stairs. Deceased had
bean bleeding from the nose outing the clay. A doctor was
sent for. Witness Said that trama Frisbey, the nursery
govvernest, ratite to the coyt of the bath loom in her white
night-dress as a joke. Witness old evreat tiptia of the
other servants were in the secret, _

Emma Prishy, nttrserp goVeritesao said that she made her
appearance in white merely to frighten the pereen going tcp
stairs. The other servants knew nothing of her intention.
She told deceased that she was very sorry that she had so
seriously frightened her, the whole affair being a frolic
" out of her own head."
Mr. Waller said, from what ho could ascertain, the ghost
was not pre-arranged by the other servants.
Mr. A. Catterwood, surgeon, said that he was called in to
deceased, and found her suffering from loss of blood from
nausea, sleeplessness, and want of appetite. Latterly she
became affected in her mind. She would not look at witness
or answer when spoken to. He believed she died from an
obscure affection of the brain conjoined with hysteria. Her
death was decidedly accelerated by the fright.
The Coroner said that the act of dressing up
as a ghost
was very foolish, and very dangerous. It several cases it
produced id iotcr, and in the present instance it caused death.
It was but right 1.0 consider, however, that the yet; . & woman