The Sun. — 1844-05-27 (London, England)

CORONERS' INQUESTS. On Saturday Mr. Baker, the Coroner, held an inquest at the Commercial Inn, Poplar, on the body of Thomas Mayes, aged 13, a very fine boy, who lost aston Ratcliffe.and On Friday worked with him in his life under the following deplorable circumstances : William Mayes, of 14, Castor•street, Poplar, said thethe Ratcliffe deceased INa Dock, at morning, between seven and eight o'clock, whilst the work people were raising the lower mast of a ship, he was suddenly informed that his son had been found lying on the ground and was bleeeding. He forthwith proceeded to the spot, and discovered him as described, blood flowing from his nose, mouth, and ears, and on lifting up his shattered head, he ascertained that his ' poor boy was gone. He removed him with all speed to a Mr. Buchanan, surgeon, where he was pronounced to be quite dead. A wan separated witness from deceased, who was stationed to give the word of command to the men at work at the crane, in doing which he had frequently to look round the edge of the wall, and whilst so engaged, it is supposed that the crane must have suddenly slipped and jerked back, crushing the deceased's head severely between that and the wall. No one saw the accident take place. Joseph Perry deposed that he worked in the same yard, and saw the deceased about three minutes previous to the occurrence, or to his finding him in the situation already described, about three feet from the crane. He heard no cries of distress, and could only account for the accident happening as stated by the father of the deceased. The Coroner having remarked upon the melancholy facts of the case, and observing that no doubt the deceased's death was occasioned in the manner mentioned by first witness, although there was no positive evidence of the fact, the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental Death."  Mr. T. Wakley, M.P., Coroner, held an inquest at the George Inn, Church-lane, Kensington, on the body of Mr. Matthew Orpwood, aged forty-four years, the landlord of the above inn, who committed suicide on Wednesday last. It appeared from the evidence gone into that the deceased had for the last five or six years been much addicted to drinking, and during the fortnight previous to his committing the fatal act had not been sober an hour, although he was able during the major part of that time to attend to his business as usual. During these repeated fits of in toxication he was generally very low and dispirited, and latterly he had complained of a pain in his back, for which he was attended by Mr. Turner, assistant to Mr. Pollock, surgeon, of Bath-place, Kensington. On the morning of Wednesday last he was from six o'clock attending to the bar, and between ten and eleven o'clock went into the kitchen to see to the cleaning of the pots, when he complained of a pain in his head. About half-past eleven o'clock Mrs. Orpwood-saw him go in the direction of the cellar, with his leather apron on, and considering he was attending to the cellar duties his stay was taken no notice of.- About half-past twelve o'clock, however, on his sister going to the top of the cellar stairs to cut a piece off a flitch of bacon, which was hanging there, she was horror-struck at finding the deceased hanging by a rope from the same nail, quite dead. He was immediately cut down, and surgeons sent for, but although blood flowed freely, life was quite extinct. Deceased has left a widow and four children. Verdict—" Temporary insanity.  WILL or