Middlesbrough & Stockton Gazette and General Advertiser. — 1871-08-18 (Stockton-on-Tees, Durham, England)

VERDICT OF MANSLAUGHTER.  On Misaday afternoon, Mr J. T. Hoyle, coroner, held an inquest at the Old Queen's Head Inn, Pilgrim-street, on the body of the deceased woman„ Elizabeth Kirk.—lsabella Smith, wife of William Smith, engineer, deposed that the deceased was her sister. Deceased was 33 years of age, and lived in the Queen's Head Yard with a man whose name she (witness) understood was Thomas Ratchford. She supposed her sister lived with him as his wife without being married.—Maria Peacock, wife of Ralph Peacock, said she did not know Elizabeth Kirk till Friday afternoon last, when she went to the Ridley Arms Intl, to seek her husband, and saw the deceased talking, to him. There were some other persons present. She did not hear anything take place that afternoon to lead to anything that afterwards occurred. On the following morning, , about ten minutes to nine o'clock, she saw her husband and the deceased go again into the Ridley Arms, and she followed them in. Her husband called for three glasses of ale, and then went out to get sonic tobacco, havin,,,, tirst drank off his beer. She and the deceased drank some of their glasses. They were standing opposite the counter, beside the window, when Thomas Ratchford, now present, came in, and sail to the deceased, "Where's that silver ring you have belonging to me !" She replied, " Its in a small cream jug on the mantle piece, where you keep your matches." He took her by the arm, called her by her name, and said, "You —." He wanted her to go and seek him the ring, and she said she would not go for fear of being murdered, or somethiug to that effect. He then took up his hand and gave her a bat on the face. As he lifted hia hand she did not think it was a heavy blow. After deceased was hit she made a sort of reel twice or thrice round the bar, then she fell towards her (witness) and a young mail, and before they could get her steadied she fell with the hack of her head on the floor of the bar. She thought it was a fit, and got some water and bathed deceased's temples with it. Deceased was carried into the yard to get the air, and she (witness) then left her with some other parties until she went to a chemist's shop. As she was coming back she met Thomas Ratchford, and told him she thought the woman was dying, and he had better go and seek a doctor. Ho returned with her to the yard, and alter looking at the deceased he went to seek a doctor, as she thought. After deceased was struck she called Ratchford" a murdering thief." She made a sort of murmur after they took her out into the yard, but they could not make out what she said.—Dr Maine deposed that he made an external and internal examination of the body of the deceased ou Saturday evening. There were no external marks of violence. The vessels of the brain were very much congested—that was to say full of blood. ' At the lower part of the brain and upper part of the spinal marrow there was a large clot of blood. This was the cause of death. He had no doubt the rupture of the veslel was from the blow with the hand. The symptoms produced conic on before she fell. Deceased's liver was enlarged in a way generally produced by a life of intemperance in drink. This would make the blood vessel more likely to rupture than it would be in a healthy subject. It would not require a blow of great violence at this particular place to produce the rupture of the vessel.—Tho jury returned a verdict of " Manslaughter " against Thomas Itattchford.  To n• ix POBISItHSVIN of • Mitnzawit of known efficacy le of the utmost importance to every housekeeper in She kingdom. Temporary Sickness, either more or less, is of daily occurrence in nearly every family, and in many instances, if a suitable Remedy be timely and judiciously . . . . . best hi edl , . applied, medical aid will not be required. The hies.. clue for general family use at present before the public is WAriszoa's Tomo Lwrunuous or