The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-15 00:00:00

EXTRA ORDINARY DEATH OF A GENTLEMAN.

Yesterday morning, Mr. Carter, Coroner for East
Surrey, held an inquest, which lasted nearly five hours,
at the Prince of Wales Tavern, Brixton-road, on the
body of Mr. Wm. Jones, aged 83, a gentleman pog-
sessed of considerable property, residing at Springfield
Cottage, Acre-lane, Brixton, who died suddenly on Mon-
day morning last. It having been rumoured that the
deceased gentleman had met' his death from unfair
means, the greatest interest was manifested by the in-
habitants of the vicinity to hear the evidence, the in-
quest room being densely crowled.
Mr. Lewis, solicitor, attended to watch the proceed-
ings on behalf of a female attendant, who has had sae
charge of the deceased since his wife's death, in 1838.
The Coroner, in opening the proceedings, said that the
deceased had been found dead, and in consequence of
numerous bruises and cuts being discovered about his
person, it was deemed necessary to impannel a jury, and
have a poet mortem examination made, to clear up the
mystery that seemed to attach it,elf to the case.
Edward Evans, a carpenter, residing in Acre-lane, the
first witness called, said—On Monday last, about half-
past four o'clock in the morning, I was requested by 0'
woman of the name of Vickers, the deceasecre
housekeeper, to come to Springfield Cottage, °s
.
her master had suddenly expired. I immediately Wu'
to the house, and found the deceased lying upon a
couch in the back parlour, wrapped in blankets, quite
dead. his hands were quite warm, but I could not
detect the slightest sign of life.

Elizabeth Vickers, -housekeeper to deceased, was the
next witness, and deposed as follows :—I have lived
with deceased for 14 years past as his housekeeper.
had no family. His wife died in 1838. His health has
generally been very good. Mr. Key has not treated
him medically for the past three months. His death
was not apprehended. Last Monday morning I re-
quested the assistance of the last witness, as Mr. Jones
had died, and I could not leave him. Evans, on his
arrival, went for Mr. Key. On the previous day (Sun-
day) the deceased had his dinner in bed, he apparently
suffering from gout in his feet, and he was also veil
weak. He got up after dinner, and I assisted him down
stairs into the back parlour. I laid him on the couch
and washed him. At night he took a little gin and
water. I could not get him up to his bed-room that
night, as he was so weak and helpless. I wrapped him
up in two blankets, and he continued to lie on the
couch. He requested me to sit up with him that night.
I did so. He died at half-past three o'clock on Monday
morning.

By the Coroner—l occasionally left him alone while I
went out to make purchases. He would then fall about,
having no one to look after him. He never received
any injuries, except from the falls, caused by the weak-
ness in his feet. The bruises on the head were caused
about five days•before his death.
The Coroner—Now, has any person been the cause of
the injuries about the head ?
Witness—l cannot say.
By a Juror—He fell in the garden one evening while
I was out. On my return I found him lying down. X
dragged him into the house.
Mr. David Key was then sworn. He said lam 5
surgeon in practice, and reside at Brixton-oval. I have
known deceased professionally for eighteen years. Vickera
was the only person that resided with him. Evans cam°
to me • on Monday morning, and told me that gr•
Jones was dead. Feeling that th- e was some pow
liarity about the case, I deemed it necessary to take
another medical gentleman with me. By brother se'
companied me. I went to Springfield-cottage about
eight o'clock. We then examined the body externally,
and found two contused wounds on the head and several
others of the same kind, but they appeared to have bee°
inflicted some time. There was also a bruise on the tOP4.
of the head, and another on the right temple, both °'
which were recently inflicted. The bruise on the temPle
was larger than a crown piece. That on the top of the
head was smaller, but of the same character. The le
knee appeared as though burnt. The cartilage of tu°
nose was broken, which appeared to have been don
about a week.
By the Coroner--I made apost mortenz, examination
of
the body, assisted by my brother.
Coroner—Are you not the executor to Mr. Jones?"'
Witness—Yes, sole executor.
Coroner—Have you any beneficial interest in 66
will, that you know of ?—Witness—Decidedly ; a c°ll.
siderable one.
Coroner—Did it not strike you, in that case, that I
would have been better to have called i
in another muclit
man, unconnected with your family ?—Witness--"-"4-
did not strike me at the time ; having attended
st
medically for so many years, I thought I was the In°

_ -
proper person to make the examination.
aocl
Mr. Key resumed—l opened the heady
found a number of patches of extravasated bio,o
immediately under the external bruises, that on '7„
temple being the principal. There was no injurY:on
the bone. From the nature of the extravat`o
under the bruise on temple, it appeared to Poe
been done about . four or five days. Under,
bruise at the top of the head there was also an eic
sation. There was no effusion on the bone, as of a r';‘
ture of any vessel of the brain having taken place.. Id_
removing the cranium I found the dura mater bruise
with extravasated blood, precisely under the extern
tal
va
injury on the temple, and also an effusion of thin blood
on the dura, mater. The extent of the effusion Vag
about a wine glass and a half, perhaps two or th 7
ounces. The pia mater was healthy, with the exception
of a slight extravasation on the lower part of the tor
p° ral bone. The brain itself was healthy. Thu
on the temple was internally round the whole of the
side of the head.
By the Coroner—l did not open the other portions of
the body, because I had sufficient er:dence of the cause
of death.
Coroner—What, in your opinion, was the cause of
death ?
theright ead.
Witness continued—l cannot form any opinion as to hod
that blow was received. Ido not think that merely a 13,"t
it, unless he had fallen agll3ll
in the gardenzould cause
uieesdfeedl
fl
.rboyml
a stone or a similar hard body. It must have been calls;
tgahthet thebl ao esteem
deceased
de c and
b atome blunt instrument, but was in such a posit °t
at
acertainve it
hadt
he was struck by any otherperson,but I think it ll'
received in the act of falling.
He suffered from o'
stones under the heels, which gave him great pail'''.
violence. lnot;-1 fi
mean e In
cl
it would probably cause him to fall. I have ado'
him for 18 years, and he had never complained to ME
being ill-treated b any one. /e
William Collins a gardener, proved that about ,
days before the death he saw the deceased fall doll ride
his front garden, first striking his head on the right 5l
a violent blow aaainst the wall of the home. ore
Mrs. Allen, residing next door to site deceased, sW
that on several occasions she had seen him covered vil
bruises, and also that she had heard him cry out 0,5
he had been violently beaten.
The Coroner having summed up, half
The jury consulted with closed doors for about
reeet
an hour, and ultimately returned a verdict to the 011,51
that the deceased died from the effects of an accidents
fall.

M. Kossuth is, it is understood, about to pay an ea ill
.440
1r -Alt to America, where the election of a democrace.
President has given many of his admirers new inflesn o
The presentation of the Shakspeare Testimonial is,
are informed, to take place immediately.
4„u est,
THE RECENT MURDER IN LIVERPOOL.—An
was held yesterday be['ore P. F. Corry, Esq., coroner
Liverpool, upon the body of M. de Costo, who was e;.,e
tor
dered by an American named Christie, on board the uir.„
Mannering, lying in the Mersey, bound for New VI.
The inquest was proceeding when the dispatch left.
it
THE METROPOLITAN POULTRY SHOW. Yestert,
was the last day of the Poultry Show, and it is eniT
puted that the number of persons who passed through
l
the galleries of the bazaar amounted to little short
is
.t'
12,000. Amongst the visitors were his Excellency the
Turkish Ambassador and suite, the Belgian and Swecll74.
.A.
Ambassadors, the Earl of Wilton, Lord Sandys, L 0
Brougham, &c., &c. The sales of the various specimen
were resumed by Mr. Strafford,
120; but the prices realised were not so great as those
ee_s
commencing with clams
the previous day, when the Cochin China specuntuls.,
were sold. The most remarkable was in class 43, t;
fowls. Mr. W. G. Vivian's (of Singleton) PTA 17,i.e. 3
obtained the first prize, sold for 12 guiner ;irorner,
in the same class, belonging to Master bi-
In te pigeon
Hull, aged 7 months, fetched 6 guineas, some of the
to 14/. per pen.
sclassespecim etnhserree awl iassi ncgo nassidmeuracbhl ea ses°ln.lPpieeotriit.pi
competition, and some of
the Aylesbury ducks fetch
rchasers realised upwardS
nracold, but. it is under-
A vast number of lots remedainfru°
stood that those which found
finally at ten o'clock last
of 1,000/. The show finauf the excellence of the ar'
night, and in consequence
Boulnois, the proprietor of the
rangements made by
.-m"r• his manager, efficiently aided
!laaitiii:logioders of Mr. Inspector O'Brien,
bazaar, and M 7
der
by the police, ohia greatest satisfaction appeared to be
It is an extraordinary fact that,
affordedf theD
tdotrieiipnu,
bt.fiec.
thousand have
the manypersons who
not a singley has either
been his 'tiler
pnaostwseiathtsht
d or complained of.
been detected
HOSPITAL SOCIETY(THE D
READNO
SEAMAN 'S
The ordinary quarterly court of the subscribers of this
fit n was held yesterday, at the offices in iCill;gr,
raonutnhigt he show,
William-street, City—Captain G. Probv H.C.S., '-
The proceedings were confinedn to the reeer
the chair'
tion of the report, which stated that during the Llst,
quarter 13 patients had been received into the preaci
nought from her Majesty's ship; 627 from those of the
East India Company, and of the British and foreign nr:t
cantile marine, which, with 98 in the hospital on the .
of October, made a total for the quarter of 738 patien.e"
Of these, 129 were still sick ; fit for duty, 6 ; and sci,ll-5:
charged. 603. The number of out-patients for the cla-ed,
ter was 407, and the total number of patients received
since the establishment of the institution, in 1821, ,
67,692., The receipts, including legacies of 319/. 9s•
from B. Hill, Esq., and 101. from Lady Colville, arn°;d ,
ed to 1,6391. Os. 5d.; and the expenses to 2,058/. 40. •
leaning a balance against the hospital of 4191. 3s. 7d*
MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.—As Mr. Thomas Newlur-
was on Tuesday superintending the removal of his
niture from his late residence to 49, Camden-sqtTo
Regent's-park, he leaned over the railings of the are:hed
give some directions, and in doing so he overrea,u,et
himself, and fell headforemost into the area, several fee
deep. The unfortunate gentleman was conveyed, bl4-r•
ing profusely and quite insensible, into the house-
~,d
Day, surgeon, was in instant attendance, and
life, bat
all
that skill and experience could, suggest to save lit„i
was
all his efforts were in vain, as deceased, whose skulaised,
fractured, gradually sank, and died yesterdaY!, Pteeed bY
who was in his sixty-first year, and much r,eoree
_Av to
large circle of friends, has loft a widow Kid fa' "
lament hit untimely end. iJ