1826

Coroner’s Inquests 1826 cases

There were 37 cases in 1826.

There are, at this period, a large number of cases where the Coroner, it might seem, is simply pocketing the fees for travelling and holding an inquiry on a death that is clearly by natural causes, often in an elderly person who had clearly been ill for some time. But, in this year, there are several more interesting occurrences.

Poverty seemingly comes in different classes, for the Unknown Male at Trowbridge in January, was so bereft of cleanliness, food and health, that the other travellers in a lodging house refused his admission, so he died on the road outside. Money, indeed, seems to be a telling factor in the death of a young lady some forty years before – this Unknown Female at Etchilhampton in May, apparently found a pot of money in a field, went home and told her master, and subsequently suddenly disappeared, but in 1826 a seriously injured female skeleton was unearthed.

Two murder cases, or not, mark this year. One, that of Richard Thomas’s blatant brutal stabbing of Mary Taylor, needs no explanation, and the Jury clearly saw the obviousness of the evidence, sending the prisoner to the assizes where he was duly executed. The other case is that of Mrs Hooper, who had been ill, and in being given gruel to eat had actually been poisoned with arsenic. Now, Mr Hooper had bought Top’s Composition, containing arsenic, some time before, and kept it carefully under lock and key – and yet none of the magistrates thought it fit to suspect him at all. The servants were questioned, but never the master. See what you think, it rings the same bells as the famous Rode Hill House murder.

Giles, male – Whiteparish

Purnell, female – Trowbridge

Unknown male – Trowbridge

Foot, Catherine – Salisbury

Castleman, William – Salisbury

Barter, Joseph – Whiteparish

Jeffrey, Charles – South Newton

Chubb, James – Wilton

Bevis, Sarah – Idmiston

Garret, Elizabeth – Great Wishford

Small, Ann – Downton

Cook, Job – Plaitford

Winter, James – Nomansland

Witt, Sarah – Maddington

Bowes, Mr – Chippenham

Humphries, George – Winterbourne Stoke

Moody, Jane – Downton

Unknown female – Etchilhampton

Carter, Ann – Zeals

Norris, John – West Knoyle

Smith, Isaac – Stratford-sub-Castle

Newberry, Thomas – Fonthill Bishop

Ingram, Sarah – Broadchalke

Munday, John – Bradford on Avon

Bench, Hannah – Coombe Bissett

Shepherd, John – Corsham

Ings, Stephen – Redlynch

Cooper, Isaac – Collingbourne Ducis

Dyer, Edward – Wylye

Hooper, Mrs – Collingbourne

Stevens, Elias – Hindon

Unknown infant – Trowbridge

Taylor, Mary – Preshute

Grey, Charles – Mere

Akers, John – Collingbourne Kingston

Unknown female – Marlborough

Paddick, James – Hanging Langford

Giles, male 1826 January 23^rd Whiteparish

A farmer at Whiteparish, named Giles, was instantaneously killed by the falling of a quantity of chalk on him, while digging in a pit on Monday.

There was no inquest reported for this event.

Purnell, female 1826 January 23^rd Trowbridge

An inquest was held by W. Adye, Esq., at Trowbridge, on Tuesday last, on the body of an aged woman, named Purnell, who died suddenly. Verdict, “Died by the visitation of God.”

Unknown male 1826 January 23^rd Trowbridge

An inquest was held on Tuesday last by W. Adye, Esq., on the body of a wretched beggar, found dead in the road. It appeared that he was so filthy and wretched an object, that the inmates of a house, kept for lodging travelling persons, had repeatedly refused him admittance. Verdict, “Died from the inclemency of the weather.”

Foot, Catherine 1826 January 30^th Salisbury

An inquest was held on Saturday last by Mr Cobb, the Coroner for this city, on the body of Catherine Foot, aged 61, who was found dead in her bed, to which she had retired the previous evening in apparently perfect health. The jury, on hearing the evidence adduced, returned a verdict of “Died by the visitation of God.”

Castleman, William 1826 February 6^th Salisbury

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest at Milford on Saturday the 4^th inst., on the body of a lad named William Castleman, about 16 years of age, who was found dead about a mile on the London road from Salisbury the same morning. The deceased had, with another lad, of the name of Young, ran away from the workhouse in Salisbury the preceding Thursday for Winchester, and on returning they got up behind a coach about the five mile stone; the deceased there got down, when his foot became entangled in a strap, which threw him down. His companion rode on to Sarum, and never saw him until the next morning, when he was lying dead on the road. A surgeon was sent for, whose opinion was that the deceased died in a fit, brought on by exhaustion and fatigue, and the jury returned a Verdict accordingly. Neither the deceased nor his companion had any thing to eat from Thursday morning until the deceased died, but some turnips which they took on the road.

Barter, Joseph 1826 February 13^th Whiteparish

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Tuesday last, at Newton, near Whiteparish, on the body of Jo. Barter, who was found dead on the road in Newton. There were no marks of violence on his body, and the deceased having been subject to fits, it was supposed he had been seized with one. The Jury returned a verdict, “Found Dead.”

Jeffrey, Charles 1826 February 13^th South Newton

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest at South Newton, on the body of Charles Jeffrey, who was found dead in his bed; he had been very unwell for some time previous, but had retired to rest the preceding night not worse that usual; he was far advanced in years. Verdict, “Died by the visitation of God.”

Chubb, James 1826 March 6^th Wilton

An inquest was held before Mr Whitmarsh, at Wilton, on Wednesday the 1^st inst., on the body of James Chubb; he was driving a cart with two horses about a mile out of Wilton early on the preceding morning, when the horses, taking fright, ran away; the deceased was sitting on the head-board of the cart, and in attempting to get down he fell to the ground, and the near wheel passing over his body, occasioned his death the same evening. Verdict, “Accidentally Killed.”

Bevis, Sarah 1826 March 6^th Idmiston

An inquest was held before Mr Whitmarsh, at Idmiston, on the body of Sarah Bevis, a child, whose clothes having caught fire on Tuesday last, she ran into a court where a neighbour saw her enveloped in flames; she assisted in stripping her, but the child was dreadfully burnt, as to occasion her death the Thursday morning. Verdict, “Accidentally burnt to death.”

Garret, Elizabeth 1826 March 20^th Great Wishford

On Monday an inquest was held by Mr Whitmarsh, at Wishford, on the body of Elizabeth Garret, housekeeper to the Rev. Mr Williams; who, on the morning of that day had been complaining to a fellow servant of a pain in the head, when she suddenly fell senseless, and never spoke afterwards. Medical advice was resorted to, but in vain. Verdict, “Died by the visitation of God.”

Small, Ann 1826 March 26^th Downton

An inquest was held on Monday at Downton, by Mr Whitmarsh, on the body of Ann Small, a child four years of age. It appeared that on the preceding Monday the mother of the deceased had left the house for about five minutes, and on her return the child was enveloped in flames. Every assistance was procured; but after enduring the greatest agony, the child died on the following Saturday. Verdict, “Accidentally burnt, which occasioned her death.”

Cook, Job 1826 April 17^th Plaitford

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest at Plaitford on Saturday the 15^th instant, on the body of Job Cook, a little boy about four years old, who, having fallen into a pot containing boiling water, on Monday last, was so severely scalded as to occasion his death the following day. Verdict, “Accidentally scalded to death.”

Winter, James 1826 May 8^th Nomansland

An inquest was held by Mr Whitmarsh on Monday the 1^st inst., at No Man’s Land, on the body of James Winter, who, on the preceding day, whilst getting some vegetables in his garden for his dinner, suddenly fell down and expired. The deceased had been subject to spasms, and had been unwell for some time. Verdict, “Visitation of God.” The deceased belonged to (and had had relief from) Landford.

Witt, Sarah 1826 May 8^th Maddington

An inquest was held by Mr Whitmarsh, on Wednesday the 3d, at Maddington, on the body of Sarah Witt, who was found dead in her bed by her mother on Monday morning. The deceased had been in a bad state of health for a month previous. Verdict, “Died by the Visitation of God.”

Bowes, Mr 1826 May 22^nd Chippenham

On Monday afternoon, Mr Bowes, schoolmaster, of Chippenham, with several of his pupils, went to bathe in the Avon, at Westmead, near that town. After the boys had bathed, Mr Bowes himself undressed, and went into the river, but had not been long in the water before one of the boys, named Peacock, by some accident, fell in, and was likely to be drowned; when Mr B. with the greatest promptitude swam towards the youth, and, shocking to relate, immediately sank himself, to rise no more! Medical assistance was soon on the spot, and every means that could be devised to restore animation was resorted to, but without effect. The boy Peacock was rescued from his perilous situation by another boy, who undressed himself and jumped in just in time to save him from a similar fate to that which had awaited his lamented master. Mr Bowes was a young man of good prospects, and had been lately married to a Miss Gould, whose peculiar situation at this time renders her loss the more distressing.

There was no reported inquest.

Humphries, George 1826 May 22^nd Winterbourne Stoke

An inquest was held before Mr Whitmarsh, at Winterbourne Stoke, on Wednesday the 17^th inst., on the body of George Humphries, a child about three years old, who was found drowned the preceding morning. Verdict, “Accidentally Drowned.”

Moody, Jane 1826 May 22^nd Downton

An inquest was held before Mr Whitmarsh, on Thursday the 18^th inst., at Downton, on the body of Jane Moody, a child between three and four years old, who was found drowned in the waters of a tan-pit in the said parish on Tuesday night; a surgeon was sent for, and every means used to restore animation, but without effect; the Jury returned their verdict, “That the said Jane Moody was found drowned in the waters of the tan-pit, that she had no marks of violence appearing on her body, but how, or by what means she became drowned, no evidence thereof doth appear to the jurors.”

Unknown female 1826 May 22^nd Etchilhampton

As some men were digging at Etchilhampton, near Devizes, a few days since, they discovered a skeleton, within four feet of the surface of the ground, lying on its side. It is recollected that about 40 years since, a servant girl who had discovered a pot, containing some money, in a field, and who had made known her discovery to her master, was shortly afterwards missing, and has never since been heard of. Be this as it may, there appears not the smallest doubt, that the person, of whom the above skeleton is now the only remains, was brutally murdered. It has been examined by an eminent surgeon of Devizes, who states that the front teeth must have been knocked out by force, and that there are two severe fractures on the skull.

There was no report of an inquest.

Carter, Ann 1826 May 29^th Zeals

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Saturday the 20^th inst., at Zeals Green, in the parish of Mere, on the body of Ann Carter, who on the preceding day was thrown down (whilst passing the road) by a horse, which occasioned her death before a surgeon could arrive. The deceased was 70 years of age. Verdict, “Accidentally killed.”

Norris, John 1826 June 26^th West Knoyle

An inquest was held on Monday at Chaddenwick before Mr Whitmarsh, on the body of John Norris, who, on the preceding Friday, fell suddenly to the ground, whilst eating his dinner, and expired. A surgeon was sent for but to no purpose – life was extinct. Verdict, “Died by a sudden seizure of apoplexy.”

Smith, Isaac 1826 July 8^th Stratford-sub-Castle

A few days since, Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest at Stratford-sub-Castle, on the body of Isaac Smith, a lad who was drowned whilst bathing in the rivers of the said place. Verdict, “Accidentally drowned.”

Newberry, Thomas 1826 August 5^th Fonthill Bishop

An inquest was held before Mr Whitmarsh, on the 25^th ult., at Fonthill Bishop, on the body of Thomas Newberry, who, on the preceding day, suddenly dropped dead in a field whilst reaping. The deceased had been subject to fits. Verdict, “Died by the sudden visitation of God.”

Ingram, Sarah 1826 August 5^th Broadchalke

An inquest was held before Mr Whitmarsh, on the 26^th ult., at Broad Chalk, on the body of Sarah Ingram, who was found dead in her bed by her husband, the same morning when he awoke. The deceased had been ailing for some time previous. Verdict, “Died by the sudden visitation of God.”

Munday, John 1826 August 5^th Bradford on Avon

An inquest was held on Wednesday last, before W. Adye, Esq., upon the body of Mr John Munday, clothier, of Bradford, who was found drowned the same morning in the river adjoining the town, near Basten Bridge. From the evidence adduced, it appeared that the deceased must have mistaken his way and got into the water. Verdict, “Found drowned.”

Bench, Hannah 1826 August 12^th Coombe Bissett

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Thursday last, at Coombe Bisset, on the body of Hannah Bench, who was found the preceding evening lying dead across a table in her house by a neighbour who called to procure a light. The deceased had been eating her supper, and some bread and cheese was taken from her mouth; she had been for some time subject to great difficulty in swallowing her food. From the evidence given before the jury, they returned a verdict “that the deceased came to her death from suffocation whilst eating her food.”

Shepherd, John 1826 August 19^th Corsham

An inquest was lately held by Mr J G Archer, bailliff of Corsham, Wilts, on the body of John Shepherd, a boy 12 years of age, who was killed by a waggon, in descending a hill, owing to his not dragging the wheel, which he had been repeatedly cautioned to do. Verdict, “Accidental Death.”

Ings, Stephen 1826 August 26^th Redlynch

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Monday last at Redlinch, on the body of Stephen Ings, who was found dead in a chalk-pit. The deceased, with another person, had been digging chalk in the pit, when suddenly the chalk gave way, and overwhelmed them both. The deceased was killed instantly, but his companion was miraculously preserved by a person accidentally passing, who rescued him from his dangerous situation, he having receiving a compound fracture in one of his legs, and in a state of insensibility when delivered. Verdict, “Accidentally killed by the falling in of the chalk.”

Cooper, Isaac 1826 September 16^th Collingbourne Ducis

An inquest was held at Collingbourne Ducis, on Saturday last, before Mr Whitmarsh, on the body of Isaac Cooper, who was found dead in his garden the preceding Wednesday. The deceased was advanced in years, and had been subject to spasmodic affections. Verdict, “Died by the Visitation of God, and not otherwise.”

Dyer, Edward 1826 September 23^rd Wylye

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Monday last at Wily, on the body of Edward Dyer, who was found dead in that parish the preceding Saturday. Verdict, Died by the Visitation of God.”

Hooper, Mrs 1826 October 7^th Collingbourne

On Thursday last a meeting of the Magistrates took place at the Crown Inn in Everley, for the purpose of investigating the mysterious case relative to the death of the late wife of Mr George Hooper, of Collingborne. The circumstances (which have not, as yet, we believe, been before the public), are as follows.

In the early part of May last, Mrs Hooper was poorly, and desired some gruel to be made, which was accordingly done by one of the maid servants. Upon Mrs Hooper’s taking a little of it, she said it had a very disagreeable taste, and sent it back. About three weeks afterwards, she, being again indisposed, ordered some gruel to be made, and gave out some grits from a jar in a cupboard for that purpose. The gruel was made by one of the servants, and taken up by the other to her mistress, who was then in bed. Mrs Hooper had no sooner tasted it than she complained of its having a nauseous and lardy taste; she then desired her husband to try it; he did so, and said he thought it tasted as if stale butter had been put into it.

Neither of them having suspicion that any ingredient of a noxious quality had been put into the gruel, she took the greater part of it; she soon after became very ill, and reaching and vomiting ensued, which continued the whole night, and in the morning about 11 o’clock Mrs Hooper expired. The medical gentlemen who were in attendance, analyzed the sediment left at the bottom of the basin, and found that it contained arsenic. A coroner’s inquest was held, when it appeared that the deceased, “died in consequence of having taken poison in her gruel, but how such poison came there was not known.”

It appears that about 3 or 4 months before this tragical occurrence, Mr Hooper had purchased some of “Top’s Composition” for the destruction of mice and rats; that some of it had been placed on sticks, and laid in various parts of the house and premises; which sticks had been afterwards burnt, and the places where they had been laid cleansed. Mr Hooper very prudently kept the box containing the composition locked up, and no one had access to it but himself. Upon the sediment in the basin being analyzed, it appeared exactly similar to the composition above alluded to.

Since the inquest, various reports having been circulated respecting Mrs Hooper’s death, and amongst others that she herself was the immediate cause of it, Mr Hooper thought it an indispensable duty that a thorough investigation should take place, and that the servants should be examined before the Magistrates.

This mysterious affair was accordingly investigated on Thursday last, when, after a most minute and strict examination of all parties, nothing was elicited to show by whom or by what means the gruel became impregnated with the poison. The servants were consequently discharged. It is but justice however, to Mr Hooper, and to the memory of the deceased, to state that not the slightest ground was established to warrant the insinuation of her having caused her own destruction; but on the contrary it was satisfactorily proved by the evidence of most respectable neighbours, as well as from the servants in the house, that Mr and Mrs Hooper, since the time of their union (about one year only) had lived together in perfect harmony, and were endeared to each other by the most ardent attachment.

By the above melancholy occurrence, Mr Hooper has been deprived of an amiable and affectionate wife, sincerely esteemed and beloved by her relatives and friends.

Stevens, Elias 1826 October 21^st Hindon

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Wednesday the 18^th inst., at Hindon, on the body of Mr Elias Stevens, aged 82 years. The deceased had retired to bed on Saturday night as usual, and finding himself unwell, he arose from bed, and went into another room, and sipt a little rum, and returned to his bed for a few minutes, when he again left the bed, saying to a brother (who slept with him) that he should die; he went into the other room again, and his brother got up and followed him, and found him lying on the floor speechless. A surgeon was sent for, but he died in a few minutes after. The Jury returned a verdict, “Died of apoplexy.”

Unknown infant 1826 October 21^st Trowbridge

An inquest was held on Wednesday at the George Inn, Trowbridge, on the body of a child, whose death was occasioned by drinking boiling water from a tea-kettle. Verdict accordingly.

Taylor, Mary 1826 October 28^th Preshute

An atrocious murder was perpetrated in the afternoon of Thursday the 19^th instant, at a small public house at Preshute, known by the name of the Wheat Sheaf, situated about a mile on the London road from the town of Marlborough. The person murdered was a young woman, about 20 years of age, named Mary Ann Matilda Taylor, who, it is stated, has respectable connections at Bridgewater, at which place she had served an apprenticeship to a straw-bonnet maker. Her murderer is a man with whom she had cohabited for the last twelve months, by name Richard Thomas, a wretched looking being, diminutive in stature, and with a most forbidding aspect, presenting a striking contrast to the well-grown, and finely-formed person of the deceased. The circumstances attending this horrid deed were detailed at an inquest held by Mr Adye, the coroner, on the Saturday following.

Mary Irons deposed as follow – I am the wife of Jas. Irons, of Colebrook, in Buckinghamshire, and travel with pickled salmon. On Thursday last I was proceeding, in company with my husband and brother, and some other persons, to Devizes fair. A short distance from Hungerford we overtook the prisoner and the deceased. On entering Marlborough Forest, we were about five or six yards behind them, where the deceased called to us, saying, “Here’s a pretty sort of a fellow I am with, he has drawn his knife on me.” The prisoner replied, “if you say that, you’ll swear my life away.” The woman who accompanied me, desired the deceased to come on with us, and not have any quarrel with the prisoner. We stopped a little, and the prisoner went on before us, but came back again. We then proceeded toward the Wheat Sheaf; the deceased did not wish the prisoner to go in with us, nor did I, for I did not like his appearance; we, however, all went into the house together; we were eight, I believe, in number.

I sat in the corner; the deceased sat next to me; and my husband and brother next to her; the prisoner sat somewhere opposite. We had some beer and bread and cheese, of which we asked the prisoner to partake. He at first refused, saying he was going to have a pipe of tobacco, and it would be enough for him, but he afterwards took some beer with us. After we had been here some time, my husband and brother left the room, on which the prisoner came and sat by the side of the deceased. Within a minute I saw him strike her somewhere in the breast with his right hand. I did not see the knife. The blood flew over my apron, and I cried out murder. The prisoner then ran out of the room without saying a word. There had been no jeering or quarrelling; both the deceased and the prisoner appeared cheerful the moment before. I was so frightened I cannot say who was in the room at the time. We had 5 or 6 pots of beer between us.

Thos. Copeland, landlord of the Wheat Sheaf, deposed – that about one o’clock on Thursday, several people came into his house and called for beer; they sat down apparently very comfortable; there was not the least quarrelling. Between 3 and 4 o’clock, I heard some one say, “the woman is murdered.” I entered and saw the deceased falling from her seat; the prisoner was running off; I went out and called Mr Hammond. On my return, I picked up this knife, (the knife with which the bloody deed had been perpetrated was here produced; it was a large clasp knife, with a sharp point); there was blood on the lower part of the blade, and also on the handle. Some one present accused the prisoner of being the murderer. He replied, “I know I am the murderer.”

John Bowman, one of the party who overtook the prisoner and the deceased on the road, deposed – While at the Wheat Sheaf, I sat near the prisoner, and borrowed a knife of him to cut some bread and cheese (the murderous weapon was again produced and identified). After I had finished with it, I wiped it, closed it, and returned it to the prisoner, who immediately put it into his pocket (The prisoner here interrupted witness, and said the knife was never returned to him, and that it lay with the blade open on the table; the witness, however, solemnly persisted that it was closed, and that he saw the prisoner put it into his pocket). I was leaving the room, when the prisoner rose and sat alongside of the deceased. Directly afterwards, I saw the prisoner run out, followed by a young man, who knocked him down, saying, “You have murdered the woman.” The prisoner said, “I know I have.” There was some singing in the room, in which the prisoner joined. There had been no angry words, nor any thing said to annoy the prisoner, either on the road or in the room.

Wm. Lewis, a dealer in pickled salmon, said the prisoner sung a song at the Wheat Sheaf in good humour, and joined in two or three others.

Anna Hurley – I slept in the same house with the prisoner and the deceased at Hungerford, on the night preceding the murder. The deceased wanted to go out, but the prisoner would not let her; he struck her two or three times with the back of his hand. The deceased then said, “another inch of ground I will never go with you. I will get up to-morrow morning, and make the best of my way to Bath; there I shall meet with some carriers who will take me to Bridgewater, where I belong.” There was no further conversation then. I saw them on the following day at the Wheat Sheaf, in perfect good humour.

Mr Summerset, a surgeon at Marlborough – Between 4 and 5 o’clock on Thursday afternoon, I was requested to go to the Wheat Sheaf at Preshute, to see a woman supposed to be dying. On my arrival she was quite dead. I discovered that she had a transverse wound on the fore-part of the neck, immediately above the breast bone. I have since examined the body of the deceased; the wound is of the depth of two inches; it passed the large blood-vessel of the heart, and must have occasioned instant death. I also discovered about 2lbs. of coagulated blood in the cavity of the chest. The external wound was about three-quarters of an inch. The knife now produced might have occasioned such a wound. The deceased was not pregnant.

The Coroner clearly explained the distinction between Murder and Manslaughter, and the Jury without much deliberation returned a verdict of, “Wilful Murder against Richard Thomas.”

The prisoner stated that he was a native of St Ann’s, Blackfriars, that he had been a seaman for upwards of 20 years, during which time he had served on board a man of war, Indiaman, merchantman, and in the whale fishery. He also stated that he had cohabited with the deceased, without being married, upwards of a twelvemonth; and that they had been at Hungerford for the last fortnight, subsisting on charity. He acknowledges striking the deceased 3 or 4 times in the mouth with his hand, on the evening preceding her death, “which drew blood,” but that he was urged to do it, in consequence of her laughing and jeering at him, which she had never done before.

It is supposed that the prisoner committed the murder on the ground of jealousy.

For whatever reason he committed it, Richard Thomas was found guilty at the assizes of March 1827, and executed shortly afterwards.

Grey, Charles 1826 November 27^th Mere

An inquest was held before Mr Whitmarsh, on Monday last, in the parish of Mere, on the body of Charles Grey, who on the preceding Friday was found suspended by a halter from the rack in a stable. After a strict investigation of the circumstances, the Jury returned a verdict, “That the deceased put an end to his existence whilst in a fit of derangement.”

Akers, John 1826 November 27^th Collingbourne Kingston

An inquest was held before Mr Whitmarsh, on Friday last at Collingbourne Kingston, on the body of John Akers, who, on the preceding Wednesday, called at a public house in that parish for a pint of beer, and having drank it off, gave the cup to the landlord, desiring him to wash out the cup, and adding that he had taken a deadly draught, and should be a corpse before the morning, as he had taken two ounces of arsenic in her beer. Medical assistance was immediately resorted to, but he died the following morning. The jury returned their verdict, “that the deceased took the poison whilst in a state of mental derangement.”

The deceased was, what is called in the village, a “cow doctor.” He resided within 50 yards of the inn where he took the beer and arsenic. He had a quantity of arsenic in his house, on examining which after his death, near two ounces was found wanting from a pound which he had before in his possession.

Unknown female 1826 November 27^th Marlborough

Determined Suicide

A very fine girl, the daughter of an innkeeper at Marlborough, in the early part of last week, sent a woman (who occasionally went her errands) in a druggists shop, for some arsenic; the woman, however, not being able to give any satisfactory account for what purpose it was intended, the druggist very properly refused to let her have it. A short time afterward, the girl herself came to the shop, and after purchasing a box of pills which she stated to be for her father, asked for some arsenic for the purpose of poisoning rats in a situation where a trap could not be placed.

The druggist suspecting that the woman who had previously called, might have been sent by the girl, asked her the question, but she denied having sent any other person. Being well known at the shop, the quantity she asked for (two ounces) was given to her, labelled ‘poison.’ She then went home, and swallowed the whole of it in a glass of gin and water; immediately acknowledging what she had done, and thanking God that she had the resolution. She told the people about her that those who saw her then alive, would not see her alive in the morning.

On her father being informed of the dreadful act, he immediately procured the best medical advice. The poor girl, though in agonies, was perfectly sensible; but such was her determination to quit this world, that she stoutly resisted every effort of the medical gentlemen for her relief. In less than an hour from the time she swallowed the poison, she was a corpse.

An inquest was held on the body on the following morning. Several witnesses were examined, all of whom were unanimous in deposing, that there had not been the slightest difference in her manner or conduct; that she was a lively cheerful girl, and throughout the day “had been lively and merry as usual.” The verdict of the Jury was, “That she poisoned herself whilst under the influence of temporary derangement.” It is rumoured that she had formed an intimacy with a young man, of which her father disapproved; and this preying on her mind, led to the rash act.

Paddick, James 1826 December 11^th Hanging Langford

An inquest was held before Mr Whitmarsh, on Tuesday last, at Hanging Langford, on the body of James Paddick, who was found drowned the preceding Saturday. He was seen going homewards about two o’clock in the afternoon, but not returning home, a search was made for him, when he was found in the waters near Scotland Hatches. The weather was very boisterous, and the deceased was far advanced in years, and it was supposed that he fell from a bridge which he had to pass, near the spot where he was found. The bridge (for want of railing) is very dangerous in passing; one of the jurymen observed, that he knew of three persons having fallen into the river in going over the bridge. A verdict was returned, “Accidentally drowned.”

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