Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-03-04
CITY ITEMS.
Coroner's Inquest.

Maj. John Heath Knight, who died on Thurs
day evening, from the effect Of wounds re-
ceivcd the evening previous.
The first witness examined was
Charles Lanb.-The witness, who is hack
driver, testified that Earl Peck came to him at
the American House, soon after 9 o'clock on
Wednesday evening, and stated that Maj.
knight had fallen down stairs at his store
and hurt himself badly, and he wished him
to go and carry him home. Peck got upon
the box with him, and, as they passed Mrs.
Ridels house in Mechanic ST., told him there
was the place he was to leave Major X. When
he got to Washington Square, he found Maj.
! X. in the back room of Peck's store. He was
in chair, and three or four other persons
who were present, were holding him up. Two
of these were John Angler and Albert Gleas-
on. He did not know the others, but one or
two of them were Frcnchmen. They put
knight into the carriage, and Peck told them
| to take him home and take care of him. An
gier got on the box and rode with him, and
Gleason and two Others rode inside with Ma
jor Knight. They went to Mrs Ridell's, and
left Knight, and he then returned to his
stand.
Mrs. RideH testified that Maj. Knight left
her house at half past 4 in the afternoon, and
didnot return till he was brought back wound
cd. He was sober when he left. He said he
was going to Mr.. Partridge's after girl to go
and live with his daughter at Nashua. He
was brought back about half past 8. They
called her to the door, and told her they had
brought the Major, badly hurt, and asked if
they should bring him in. She said " to be
sure" They brought him in, and she told
them they must go and call his sons, and a
doctor, but one of them said "Oh no." and
added that he had been hurt more than an hour,
and was getting over it. If she would apply
cold water to his face he would soon be well
She asked this man his name, and he said it
was Williams. He was the same man that is
now here, whom they call Gleason. He adj
yised her not to send for doctor or any body.
She told them, then, that they must stay and
take care of him, but they all hurried off.
She looked at the watch when they left, and
it wanted quarter of ten. AS Mr.. Knight
got no better, she called Mr.. Perry up and
sent him for doctor, and Mr.. KS sons. They
came about BAN. They undressed Mr., X. and
examined his pockets. They found small
sum in change. Mr.. knight had 1927 in
change, short time since, which he kept in
a shot bag. He also had sum in bills,
amounting, with the change, to from $50 to
800, She had not known of his paying any
of it away. He had been to his daughters
at Nashua since she saw it, and returned from
there last Monday. He had been collecting
the change and saving it to carry out west.
Major knight did not smell of liquor when
brought in. He never came home intoxica-
ted, to her knowledge. He usually came home
early in the evening. She asked John An
gier, yesterday, who came with him to bring
Mr.. X. home, and he said he did not know
any of them.
Leonard Fzagg is bar tender at Earl Peck's
drinking saloon, over his liquor store, No. Is
Washington Square. The saloon is entered
by doorway and stairs, opening upon the
street side of the store. In the entry is an
other door opening into the store knight
came to the bar, about quarter past o'clock,
and asked for glass of gin, which was given
him. He was quite sober. After drinking,
he inquired about canary bird, which Flagg
had promised him, and then went out. He
stopped in the entry, which was lighted with
gas, and talked some Is or 20 minutes with
Judson Fisher, commonly called Doctor Fish
er. The next he heard, was some thing fall
ing-it was not like the falling of anything
down stairs, but single crash. He ran down
stairs and saw it was the Major. AS he
came down, Fisher came in at the street door.
He took hold of him to lift him up, and, at
that moment, two Frenchmen entered the en-
try from the store. He told Fisher to stand
aside and let the Frenchman help, as they
could lift more than he. Fisher is stout
man, but had been drinking. They carried
knight into the room back of the store. When
X. was found, his head was toward the stairs
and his feet diagonally toward the side door
opening into the store, not in the position he
would be likely to be if he fell down stairs,
but more as he would be if he fell from to-
ward the street. His hat was not on his head.
It was afterwards brought into the back room
where he was. 1t was 10 or 15 minutes past
o, when the hack left.
'Tbia witness nm heinp questioned in rea-
ton to the selling of liquor at the bar, SO evil
IDENTIFY equivocated and prevaricated, as to
show that his testimony was not of the slight
est value, except SO far as it might be corrobo-
rated by facts, or more reliable testimony. He
could not recollect of selling and taking pay
for any liquor for several days past but had
given it away occasionally, to his friends 'just
as any body else would"
2 o'clock p. M.
Mr.. Joseph Pratt saw Major Knight about
o'clock on Wednesday evening. He had
DRINK some but was perfectly able to take care
Of himself Know Fisher. He is . dissipa-
ted man, but is not quarrelsome SO far as
know.
John Angler was at Mr.. Earl Pecks store
between six and seven o'clock on We'd
nesday evening. Saw Major Knight seated
in chair in state of stupefaction. Waited
till Peck got mack, and assisted to curry Ma
jor knight to his boarding house. Albert Il.
Gleason, and two Frenchmen assisted. Do