The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1891-01-24 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

DEATH OF THE PAILTON MISER.  On Saturday Dr. Hifi, (Coroner) held an inquest at Pailton upon the body of Joseph Underhill, better known as "Old Joe" or "The Pailton Miser." Joseph Miiwby, a machinist living at Gilmorton, said the deceased was his cousin, and was 67 years of age. Witness had often visited him at the pigsuye where he lived, and had remonstrated with him -for being there. Deceased always said he would rather stay there, and witness communicated with the inspector of nuisances, who told him they could not remove deceabed while he had money. Mr. Harrison, a juror, said the matter was discussed by the Lutterworth Guardians, but they came to the conclusion that they could not interfere. —The Coroner said he might have been removed to a lunatic asylum, and Dr. Baron, who attended him when he died, remarked that he should have been prepared to sign a certificate as he considered that any man who lived like a beast as Underhill did was insane.—Mr. Arch, clerk to the Coventry Guardians, who was present at the inquest, said practically the law was no use in a case like that unless a doctor could certify that the man was insane.—The witness Mawby, continuing, said he took a room once for his cousin but he would not , stay. Deceased had left a will in which he made witness his sole legatee, and probably there would now be about £l5O. Deceased rented the pigsty. from a Mrs. Robbins, and was supposed to pay sixpence a week, but he made it up by doing odd jobs. Mr. Harrison said deceased always tried to make out that he had no money.—Evidence having been given of the finding of the deceased in a dying state in his pigstye and his subsequent death, which Dr. Baron said was due entirely to exposure, the Coroner, addressing the jury, said this was the most remarkable case he had ever come across. It was still more remarkable that deceased should, while he had money in the bank, have suffered privation worse than could come to those in absolute poverty, and although he did not advise the jury to do it, he thought the right verdict would be that he died from suicide brought about while in a demented condition. He considered it was wrong for Mrs. Robbins to permit the deceased toTemain on her premises during such severe weather when she must have known that be could-have no fire, and that he was living a life which must end in death, and he asked the jury to consider the necessity of censuring her.—The jury returned se verdict of "Death from exposure to the cold," but they did not deem it necessary to censure Mrs. Robbins.  This extraordinary individual was born at Lutterworth, and was apprentioed to a tailor at Leicester. After he had served two yea ..i his master went to America, and Joe was trammirred to a shoemaker. In consequence of bib new master's tyranny he ran away, and his friends heard nothing more of him till they discovered him at Pailton, leading a miser's life between thirty and forty years ago. There are people who can remember him when he first came to Pailton. He , was then a smart wagoner, and took a pride in his personal appearance—in fact he was rather a dandy. Becoming enamoured of a village maiden •he sought her love, but, it is said, she would not return it, and from that the upsetting of his simple mind probably occurred although he could never be induced to speak of the matttr. About that time the Mormons came along, Joe listened to them, and with twenty other converts was baptised in a pond. He became imbued with a scrupulous regard for the sanctity of the Sabbath, and refused to do any work on that day, with the result that that he lost his situation. ‘He then adopted the mode of lifewhieh made him notorious in the neighbourhood. He would live in hovels as long as the owners would permit hini ; a certain remount of sympathy was always &Oen towards him, but his filthy habits soon matte hint intolerable. The pi in whit& he lived- i bout I -- prior to er t five 1 Wag art and  d!istit