The Sun.
London, England, 1837-10-06 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST.

Yesterday a lengthened inquiry was held at the Red
Lion Inn, Old Brentferd, before Mr. Stirling and a highly
respectable jury, into the circumstances attending the death
of Nathan Ingall, aged 53 years, who swallowed a quantity
of sulphuric acid.

Elizabeth Ingall was the widow of the deceased, who re-
sided in Drum-lane, Old Brentford. Deceased was for-
merly a cook in the Royal Navy, hut was discharged at
Sheerness last May twelvemonth, in consequence of his la-
bouring under a dreadful pain of the, head. On Saturday

evening last, between seven and eight o'clock, witness hear-
ing deceased making a noise with his throat, ran up stm!'r,
to see what was the matter with him, when she saw him
standing in the room, and spitting something out of his
mouth. She asked deceased what he had taken, when he
said the oil of vitriol. Witness immediately ran for Mr.
Ralfe, a surgeon near the spot, who was not at home, but
witness was informed he should come within a quarter of an
hour. He, however, did not come, and until Sunday noon,
when Mr. Bonney came, deceased drank nothing but water.
On Sunday last deceased expired. When witness first saw
t,.
deceased, after he had swallowed the vitriol, he said, I
have taken the fatal draught." Witness said, " What, he.
lavender drops? " To which deceased replied, "No ;
of vitriol." On Monday week last deceased twice attempted
to strangle himself with his neckerchief, and on the Friday
following he again attempted, but witness prevented him.
The Jury here severely censuredthe • who gave
witness,
her evidence with apparently great callousness, for not send:.
ing for other medical assistance, finding that Mr. Ralfe did
not attend.
Mr. Francis A. B. Bonney, surgeon, of Brentford-end,
never saw the deceased untirhe was called in to attend hint
about twelve o'clock on Sunday last, when he found him
lying in bed in great pain and weakness. Deceased was
perfectly sensible, and spoke readily and collectedly.
said,
ness asked him if he had taken oil of vitriol, when he
"
" Yes." Witness said " Did you take it intentionally e
to which deceased replied, " Yes." Witness further said,
" Did you take it to kill yourself ?" when deceased hesi-
tated for a moment, and then, with a tone of evident regret,
said, " I did." Witness then said, " Have you tried to
destroy yourself before ?" when deceased replied, " I have;
last week." In answer to further questions deceased said
that he was so low spirited that he could not help doing
it ; and there seemed an impression on the mind of de;
ceased that, although he was in the receipt of a good
pension, he should be starved to death. Witness had to
ask deceased those questions, as his wife was almost inseir
sibly intoxicated, and her brother, who was in the house,
was worse than she was. She was, in witness's opinion,
more intoxicated from the effects of opium than from fer-
mented liquors ; in fact she was an opium eater. Witness
applied whatever external remedies he considered necessary'
and sent deceased some medicine, which witness caused to
be given him by a sober woman residing in the neighbour
hood. Witness afterwards saw deceased twice previous to
his death, which took place at a quarter past ten o'clock'.
on Sunday night.
Mrs. Templeton only knew the deceased and his wife by
sight. On Sunday morning, about nine o'clock, she sal
deceased's wife in conversation with a neighbour, and heard
her say, speaking of the deceased, " If he is determined to
do these things he must ; and, when he is dead, the sooper
he is buried the better." She appeared at the time to be
the worse for liquor.
The Coroner having summed up, the jury proceeded to
consider their verdict, after which they said they should 11
be doing their duty if they did not mark their opinion
Mrs. Ingail's unfeeling conduct towards the deceased, at'ci
they returned a verdict of " Temporary derangement, apu
thejury are of opinion there was gross negligence on the
part of his wife during his illness."