Blandford Weekly News. — 1889-04-13 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

POOLE. A FATAL FALL DOWNSTAIRS. On Monday morning an inquest on the body of William Henry Jones (29), moister, employed at Mr. Marston" luereisry, was held it the Police station before Mr. G. Brax.on Aldridge (coroner), and a jury of which Mr. H. J. Sydenham acted as foreman. Deceased Lad been tomtit at the bottom of the stairs of his bow, tv Mary ot I topkins. on Saturday evening. having evidently ft. down. The body-baving been viewed, Mary Ann Rivkin., fish hawker, said she hail lived with deceased for the past nine veal,. He worked for Mr. Marston as a master in the winter montha, and was 39 years of age last Febrnery. She saw him on Saturday a fternrget at shout half-past four outside the Harbour View publie-hoese. She dared say he had a little drink, but he waa not drunk to go "slumbering " about. He was very strange, his eyes appearing like glass. Site had notteed this idraegenea in his appearance for two or three aztc previous to his death. She again saw him at balf.rnar five waiting mum& hi* house until she returned with the key, the door being locked. He said he wishea to lie down and went. upstairs for that purpose. Witness went upataiia shortly after and loosened bia shirt collar, 'Odell she bad made a practice of doing wheat he went to lie down. Me was not a drunkard: when he aid drink he was always able to take care of himaelf. Witness wialted to go out, and about six n'elvel: she again wont upstairs to see that aeceesed was all right. Shelecked the aenr niter tog not. When she returned elm fauna dee( rds d at the bottom of the Osiris. head downwsrds.and she pullea hint into theroom. Reappeared to be alive ee be opened his eyes. She had hurl no qoarrel with him, and that day he seemed more full of fun than anything else. On Saturday morning mire noticed that he appeared low in his mind and staked him what he had upon his mind. To reach the staircase from the bed upon which he NV II Ft lying he would have to cross the room. The staira wee steep end hest no baniatsry. and deceased had slipped down them on previous oecasions. Mery Payne. is neat door neighbour of aeceneed. said she was a fish hawker. She saw deceased on Saturday evening at about belt-pet fire standing at his own door waiting to get in. He was not drunk but looked eery pale. Be did not tell witness he hurl had a quarrel with Mary llopkine. They were very good friend% and seemed to live together very happily. At about helf-past fix she heard him get out of bed, and be seemed to fall upon the floor. She could bear quite plainly through the wall. She was sure the noise she beard vas not the noise of his falling downstairs. She did not hear him fall downstairs while she was there. Edward Cole, head maleter at Marston's brewery, where deceased worked said he bad noticed • strangeness about deceasea during the last three days of the week—Thursday. Friday end Saturday. He seemed to be in n stupor, and took no part in the conversation of th^ workmen. P.C. Real said he luta examined the body on Saturday evening, and found the skull partly broken on the back of the head, but there was no blood. Hia right shoulder and elbow wege scraped. There was a portion of one of the steps broken off. Dr. Turner had been sent for and pronounced the men to be quite dead. Witness had known deceased for many years, and had. never seen him drunk. The Coroner, addressing the jury, said the deceased at the time of death would appear to have been perfectly sober. Whether he died in a fit or from stumbling downstairs they bad no means of knowing. We did not attach ranch importance to the man having been in a low state of mind during the week, and he thought they might banish from their minds all idea of the man having committed suicide. A verdict of "accidental death" was returned.