Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-07-08
Local Affairs.
Death of william d. Trout.

On Friday evening last, about nine o'clock.
our community were shocked to hear of the
sudden death of Mr.. William D. Trout, one of
the deputies in the Office of the Clerk of the
County Court Of Rockingham.
j. y. Price. Esq, acting as Coroner. upon
being informed of the sad event. caused a.
jury to be summoned for the purpose of hold
ing an inquest over the body of the deceased.
The jury was accordingly summoned by A.
]. Nicholas, and having been duly sworn, pro-
cseded to examine the body. DR.. Vim. Will
liams was summoned TO make the usual post
mort mortem examination ; and johnson, R.
A. Gray, and L. W. Gsmbill were sworn 10
testify relative to the circumstances attend
ing the death of Mr.. Trout. so far as known
to them.
Mr.. johnson testified that he was 6 citizen
of Augusta county; said he was intimately
acquainted with the deceased was here on
business, and had accepted an invit to
sleep vita him on Friday evening; ami that
they had gone to Mr.. Trouts room On the
second floor of the clerks Office building and
retired between eight and nine o'clock -
About nine O'Clock he heard some one knock
al the door of the clerks office. and call to
Mr.. Trout to open the door. The balance of
Mr.. Johnson's evidence was irrelevant to the
point under consideration.
r. A. Gray, Clerk of the County Court,
testified that he and other gentlemen had been
at the office about an hour previous to the sad
occurrence; that he left some papers in the of
fee, which he said he would call for after the
arrival of the mail from Staunton that when
he called for The papers, about o'clock, he
found the door locked, and that Mr.. Trout
had gone to bed, that, seeing light in his
room, he called to him to open the door Said
he heard Mr.. Trout leave his room and de
scend the steps, and that when on the fourth
or fifth step, having no Eighth unfortunately
stepped upon wash basin that happened to
be on the fourth step. and was precpitated
head foremost to the floor. Mr. Gray said
the fall WAS an exceedingly heavy one, and
that it sounded as if his head had struck the
floor and rebounded against the door. He
listened few moments, but not hearing him
make any effort to open the door, be called
10 him, and receiving no reply, but hearing
him breathe as if badly hurt, he Immediately
went in search Of Maj. Gambiu, and having
70 md him. they returned TO the Office. taking
DR.. Williams with them. Not having the
keys. they forced he back door open, and
upon entering and procuring a light. they
found the deceased lying upon his face, with
his head against the from. door and his feet in
direction of the stairway Dr.. William: ez-
amined the body carefully and found that the
neck had been dislocated by the fall. The
and also upon both knee caps, was considera-
bly, bruised.
The jury, through their foreman. F. A.
Daingerfelj, returned verde, in accordance
With the above facts.
Sir. Trout had been in he employ of Maj
Gambil, as deputy clerk, since 1852, and his
long continuance in that responsible position
is evidence of the faithfuiness with which he
discharged his duties His melancholy end
is sincerely mourned by large circle of
friends and acquaintance. On Sunday his
remains were taken to Port Republic, in this
county, the place of his nativity. for inter-
ment. Mr. Trout was in the 42I year of his
age-Oid Commonwealth