The Telegram. — 1893-05-02 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

DEATH ?KOK LOCKJAW. A MID-WIFE SEVERELY CENYURED.—An inquest wae held at the Victoria Temperance Hall on Monday evening, before Itlr. E. Q. Louch (deputy coroner), and a jury of whom Mr. J. B. Snell was foreman, on the body of Agnes, the seven days old daughter of James Carle, labourer, of 9, Park Street, who died on Friday, from lockjaw.—Dr. I'. A. Colmar stated that he was called in to attend the deceased on Thursday evening, about nine o'clock. The child then had convulsions and its jaw was fixed. The mother said that it had been unable to take anything all day. He called again next morning, when he found that the child was dead. Its his opinion the deceased had not received proper treatment after birth. The came of death was lockjaw, and witness told a woman named Morris, who Way in attendance, that it was brought about , by neglect. He would be very sorry to recommend her an a good mid-wife.—Harriett Morris. aged 70, I said that she bad been a nurse and mid-wife for over 35 years, and had never had a misfortune before. She had onee been before a coroner, but he had treated her very kindly, (Laughter.) Witness then handed the deputy-coroner a list of testimonials with regard to her efficiency as a midwife. Continuing, , eke said that she attended Mrs. Curls in her confiliailiant and was able to du all that was necessary. She dressed the deceased every morniug, the mother and a sister having charge of the child for the rest of the day. She left it allright on Thursday morning, and its death was not sauced by any neglect ou her part. No.one had compledued to her of her treatment of the child, which was able to take food as usual on Thursotay.e-Dr. Winer ,eraaiked bloat the mother told him that it had taken tiojiiiig whaiever.—Addreesing the witness, the deputy curtailer said that at the age of 70 the was net, even if in her younger daye she had been, alit and proper person Fa act as wife. She had besot told so once before, when she was severely censured toy the coroner (Mr. Muller). Her day was passed, and she ought to recognise that she should not allow people in the bumbler walks of life to believe that ehe was able to give them the assistance that they required at a most critical period ; she had not the proper nursing skill. The riedicel evideuce went to show that death resulted from lockjaw, brought attune by inattendance, and that reflected in the highest degree on the skill of the mid-wife. There was one point in her favour— she only saw She child once in 24 hours. At the Mania time he thought she had been guilty of the most culpable, if not sot criminal neglect, and lie would advise her not to again undertake any case of mid-wifery. Her teetioionials only enabled her to practice frauds on people in the humbler walks of life.—Witness ; I have nothing else lout the pariah allowance, and nsylitieband is an invalid.— The deputy-curoner said he did out wish to be hard on her, but she t not act as a mid-wile or nurse any more. The public must losi protected.—The jury returned the fol.owing verdict :—" That deceased died from natural causes, namely, hockjaw, attributable to the nuintentiosial neglect of an unskilled mid-wife."  Dnowiiiiit IN THIS HivEß.—As a nom named Miles was walking towards the town from l'enn Mill Station on Wednesday morning, he noticed a hat lying on the bank by the side of the river Yee. Ile seat it to the Police-station, and an the hat bore the name A Reader, and John Reader, labourer, a single ream aged 30, of Park Street, had not been seen since theprevious day, it was thought that he had committed suicide. Dragging operations were carried on throughout the day from about eight and nine in the morning, and as nothing was found after many hours' search, the affair began to be looked upon as a stupid hoax on the pert of Reader. However, the dragging WAS continued, and at about live o'clock the body was recovered near the weir and taken to the house of deceased's mother, with whom he resided. No motive can be assigned for deceased having taken his life, but it is a strange coincidence that his father was drowned in the river, only a few yards higher up, 21 years ago. Reader was known as a strong swimmer, and was found with his hands clasped together.—An inquest was held on the body at the Swan Hotel on Thursday evening, before the deputy-coroner (Mr. E. Q. Lona), and a jury of whom Mr. J. H. Farley was foreman. Arthur Werner, a packer in the employ of the Great Western Railway, said that he saw the demeaned between two and three o'clock on Tuesday walking towards Penn Mill by way of Wyndham. He did not see him again till the body was recovered from the river near the weir.—Herbert Reader said that he last saw his brother alive about 8.30 on Tuesday morning Witness wished him 'Good morning," and deceased replied. His brother was working for Meows. Thing & Luifinan it the time, and had been to work before breakfast that morning. Deceased appeared to be in his usual health and spirits, and witness had no reason whatever to suppose that he would commit suicide. He was in the habit of coming home early after he had finished work, awl they became allXiall6 when they found that he did not return on Tuesday night. About 8.30 on Wednesday morning sou Leone told them that deceased's hat had been found on the Link of the river. Witness identified the hat produced, and also the writing "J. Reader," which was found on a piece of paper incite the hat, as being that of the deceased.—PC. Williams said that about four o'clock on Wednesday afternoon he went to the River Yeo, and having boriowed a boat searched for the body of the deceamd, in company with two or three others. They found the body by the weir. The water had been drawn off, and the bottom eould be touched with the rakes which they were using. Detealed's hands were clasped blether, and the body was stiff. It was afterwards conveyed home. Witness found nothing on the body which would lead to a conclusion an to how deceased gut into the ricer—The deputy coroner, in summing up, mid that there NVAS no evidence to show how the deceased gut into the river, neither was there any evidence to show th&t hecouteinplateJ or that his death Man attributmile to suicide. Without any further evidence it teemed to him that they would be hardly justified in assuming that deceased met with his death by Ms own act, and an open verdict would be the ewe which Inuit agreed with the evidence givem—Some of the jurors said they thought is was strange that the same should be found in the hat.—A verdict of " Found Drowned " was returned.