The Sun.
London, England, 1833-01-04 00:00:00

INQUEST ON GENERAL LEWIS RM.

(From the Maidstone Journal.)
Late on Thursday evening, the inhabitants of Star-lane,
Rochester, and its vicinity, were alarmed by a report that
General Lewis, R.M., who resided in Star-lane, had died
suddenly under suspicious circumstances. An inquest was
held on the body on the following morning, before Thos.
Patten, Esq., Coroner. Theophilus Lewis, grandson to
the deceased, was about 14 years of age. At about 20
minutes before 8 o'clock on the preceding evening, he had
heard a noise as if two persons were squabbling in the
passage ; he proceeded to the spot, and found his grand-
father lying on his housekeeper (Ann M'Carthy), at the
bottom of the stairs. The deceased then got up and said
that Ann had bitten him, and went into the parlour, fol-
lowed by Ann, but who was prevented from entering by
the deceased. Ann then said that if the deceased would
not go and shut the street-door (which was open), she
would go and slam it. Ann then went to shut the street-
do,r, but was prevented by persons outside. Deceased
followed her along the passage, when another squabble
took place. The deceased then returned to the parlour
with a steady step, and immediately upon entering he fell
backward with his head outside the parlour door. He be-
lieved that there was no Now given to cause the deceased
to fall. He (witness) then approached the deceased, and
endeavoured to lift him np. Witness then called as-
sistance, and Mr. Parrninter came, and the deceased was
placed between two chairs. The deceased did not show
the least signs of life, but appeared quite dead.
Dolina Bath (niece to the housekeeper) had lived in the
family for nearly 11 years ; about eight o'clock in the
evening of Thursday, Ann opened the parlour door,
and said to the deceased that she wanted some victuals, as
she had not had any thing for three days, and would
thank the deceased to give her some. Deceased said that
he had nothing in the house, but if she would go and get
some he would pay for it. Ann said that she should not
go, but that Mary, the servant, should go and bring it up
to her. Ann wanted to go into the parlour and sit with
deceased, but he said she should not. There were then angry
words passed between them in the passage, calling each
other bad names, when the deceased shook or bit her, and
they both fell down at the foot of the stairs. She did
not know which fell under. Deceased had dined about
four o'clock, and had eaten but a very little bit of fish, and
drunk a little wine and water. Did not know if he had
drunk wine after dinner, but believed be had not.

Juror—What made Ann complain of want of victuals?—
Witness did not know, as there was always plenty in the
house. Ann was intoxicated on the last evening, hut not
so much so as she had seen her on other occasions.

CORONER—Was she in the habit of getting tipsy ?
Never hardly saw her sober.
Mr. Newton, surgeon, sworn—On last evening, soon
after eight o'clock, I was sent for to attend the deceased.
I thought it necessary to abstract blood, if possible, and
for that purpose I opened a vein in the arm and also the
temporal artery, but life was too nearly extinct for the
blood to flow. The last convulsion took place during the
time we were leaning over him. Ahout half an hour af-
terwards I undressed the deceased. There was a mark
on the left arm which might have been occasioned by a
bite. I am of opinion that his death was of apoplexy pe-
culiar to his age, and that a scuffle such as had been
proved by the witnesses would have tended to excite it.
Dr. Anderson confirmed the opinion of Mr. Newton.
The Jury returned a verdict of " Died by the visitation
of God, by apoplexy, produced by excitement."
The deceased was about eighty years of age, universally
beloved, and, though repeatedly warned by his friends
that the violent conduct of his housekeeper would eventu-
ally cause his death, yet so benevolent was his disposition
that he would not consent to having her turned out of
doors, and, as unquestionably she would have been, ex-
posed to the severest distress and destitution.