Melancholy Case Of Hydrop...
The Times, 1824-07-14T00:00:00

At .3 o'ctockastefdav fternoon an inquigition wvas taken beFore T. U.WWX*N Esi., Coroner, atthieMaidand MAgple,Stepney-fields, on iew of the body, of Dlr. Thomp-oki Bennet, late a baker, of Wellington.place, Stepney, who came to his death under the fol- lowing circumstance T-e firsiwitness examined was Thornt zWahller. He sfated -he was a milkman, living at 48, Gold-street. About five or weeks ago he was pas*ing A r. Hanrer's house. in George.strtet, with hit miflk, and sawi a mastiffstandilg at the door; a boyg pattiDgiim on the back; the dead at the same time cane up with-his rad- cart, drawn by la7rge dog, which he beat to keep Irom going .o the other dog. Witness went to keap the other dog away, upon which it bprng at hmn, but he made a blow at himn with his yokes,s..d the hooks wrent into his mouth. The dog then rushed 3: the one in the cart; and on the deceased endeavouring to beat inm of; he flew at him, and caujght him by the srm. Witness ran to his assistance, took bold of the dog by the hind legs, and thrust his stick down his throat, but could not loosebim from deceasid for five minutes. On getting the dog on lhe ground, he beat him for some time on the fore legs and the animal at lengtb ran away bhone, and Mr. Bennet came to.his house. He saw him next day, when he complained much of his arm, and returned hins thanks for the assistance he afForded bin. He met ir. ifarner the same evening, and told him his dog had liked to have killed Mr. Bennet, and that he would have kilel him it he could. MIr. Marner said he undtr- atood that he had beat his dog, and offered to fight hirn. Ue has seen the dog since, and believes it is stililiving, but dos no,thinkthede- ceased lknew the dog to be mad. WiMiam Haeer, the person above alluded to, was then called, and underwent a rgid crossexamination. -ne denied that the dog was his property; it belonged to a mnan of thearneeof John Bailey, living xn North-street, Whitechapel.-soad. About two months ago the dog followed him, and he intended to have kept him Sor his yard, bat he was ewned in three or four days after, and he strove to keep him away and conld not. He never had the lea-sc suspicion that the dog was mad. Since the deceased's death he in- formed Bailev of the circumstance, and setommended thaet'the dog should be killed, but he would not do so unless belhad pzoper orders, The Jury, having a doabt that the dog iwas mar ari, wisheed the landlord to be called, In consequence of some 'words which Hazner let fall in his house. 1r. George Gisson, landlord of the hEaid and Mfagpie. s+ated, that about five mnonths ago, Harner was In his bouse, and said that Seward the pieman's dog was mad, and bit his dog Bob. The pieman's dog had every appearance of being mad, for he bit several persons n sne neighbourhood. He at first supposed the dog to be Hamer's, but he afterwards leamed that an owner was found for it, he believes Harner has not enconraged the dug since the afaIr oc- curred. Harner is a green-grocer, and a very industrious well-he- bavedman. The Pieman -vas then examined, in order if possible to discover whether the dog, which wa stated to be very large, and of the nmans tiff breed, really belonged to Hamer, and also to know of hirn ;f his dog, which was stateedto have bit the dog " ob," was madL He deposed, that his name was Etinry Sweet; he was a piemmn.residing at o.S, GPeorge-street,Stepney. Aboutfoarorfive tonthgago, he had a small dog, and perceived one morning tlut it appeawed vcrY dull: it went the saine day to his father's in the hl ile.end-road, and ttid not return until three o'clock, and ran off shortly after, and haa never been seen since. Previous to its running away, it bita dog of the last witness's, which also ran off. The same dog bit his son, but he lhad him taken to a surgeon who burnt away the woand with caustic. It is witness's opinion tttat the dog was not Harner's. He never had any suspicion of its being mad, nor of his own dog being infected with that malad'. Mr. Stevens, one of the jury, addressing the Coroner, said, that if Haner had kept the dogat large, knowing it to be mad he ms be considered, in this instance, as havimg committed a capib1 f'elony. CORONsRR.-Unless you car show that he was respenaible for the dog, and that he knewit to be mad, yoa can come to no Caimilua conclusion against him here. You can lay the case before the Pollee Magistrates if you think proper. Mr. Richard Pate stated he -was a surgeon, residi,- at No. 9 Lucas.street, Commercial-road. On Thursday, the8thoef July, he was called tO see the deceased, vhom he found at home evidently labouring under hydrophobia. About siX weeksprevions, he tt.d been bit by a dog. Until he attended him no person was taled, it being considered only a trivial wound at the tinwe w;hen1 alone the aischief might have been remedied. Aneighb:r'r applied some Dntch.drops, and the wound healed speedily. Qle had been slightly unwell for two days before he visited him, b'at not so much so as to alarm the family. On Wednesday eveniDg he comiplained of severepain in the seat of the injury (the elbovr) the arm, and muscles of the neck: he refused his tee, takbig only half a cup, and that with the greatest difficulty. The next -ua , upon my expretsing a wLsh to sce him swallow, heroseup, and takingacap in which was a small quantity of fluid, andlooking atitfor some time with evident tremor, he at last attempted, and he believed swallowed a snmall quantity, and then threw the cup from him in great agitation; re- mained convulsed and gasping for breath for some time, antt lay down again quite exhauated. The usual remedies were reswrted to im- mediately with little hope of doin,toed: but the disease remained stationary all day on Thursday ana Vriday. Saturday morning the parexysms becamne more frequent and of longer duration and in- creased violence, which continued untitl twoo'clock onStunday morn. nug, when he quietly expired after a severe fit of raving. He was about 60 years of age. Mr. Stevens and others of the j ury having stlil a douht as to wbom the dog belonged, wished to adjoum the inquest until lMr. Bailey should be in attenuance. The CoRosrxn said he would put itto a shsw of hands wliethertbe jury, underall the circumstances, thought an adjournment necessa-y. Upon the show of hanids, there appeared only three for the adjoumn. ment, upon which Mr. Stevens, apparently rnuch displeased, ex- claimed-" I think this is the most outrageous conduct ever exhi- bited on a jury." .Mr. Uhwrij checked him severely for this observation. Twelve of the jutry beingunanimous, the following verdctb wasrre.. turned:-` That the deceased died of hydrophobia, cornmunicaed to him as the jury believed, by the bite of the dog.' they re- questca the Coroner would ap y to theDmg ist=teaL a n.orer e have the dog destroyed, which hepromised he woultl attenD tn. M1EEZWXCHOLY CAMg OFP HY-AOP.Orfl. .