Deaths and Inquests 1854

Liverpool Mercury, Jan 3rd 1854

Fatal result of drunkenness

Last Saturday evening Ann STALEY, aged 67, No 11 Court, Ashley St, Toxteth Park, wife of a labourer named John STALEY, met with her death due to intoxication. The deceased had been very much addicted to drink and on Tuesday she and her husband quarrelled about the matter, instead of retrieving her habits she got intoxicated every day until Saturday. That day she again quarrelled with her husband about some money he had given her for provisions for the house, which she had as usual squandered on liquor. Her husband went to a public house and returned at 11pm, he found the door fast and forced it with the assistance of a neighbour. He found his wife was not in the house and searched outside for 3hrs, when he returned he was informed his wife had drowned and was in the “dead house”. A policeman on duty at the Brunswick Dock heard someone fall in. The body was recovered life was extinct. An inquest was held, verdict of, “found drowned”

Death from overdose of laudanum

On Sunday morning last Elizabeth NELSON, wife of a boarding-house keeper, of 17 Bayley St, committed suicide whilst in a state of intoxication. The deceased who was only 21yrs of age was addicted to intoxicating liquors. On Sunday she got up at 6am, saying she could not sleep, her husband rose at 9am and went looking for her but could not find her. Having business to attend to he did not return to the house till 3pm when he was told his wife had gone upstairs and had taken a quantity of laudanum, he went upstairs and found his wife in a state of stupidity, Dr BRUCE was called, the usual restorations were to no effect and she died about 7pm. She had threatened in the past to destroy herself when in a state of intoxication, 3mths ago she had taken a similar dose of laudanum and Dr BRUCE was able to restore her. On this occasion she had sent her brother, a boy of 14yrs to the shop of Mr KINLEY, druggist, Park Lane for four-pennyworth of laudanum, a youth had served the boy without asking any questions. An inquest was held yesterday, verdict, “died from the effects of laudanum” The jury were also of the opinion that it was highly reprehensible on the part of the druggist to allow a boy to dispense medicines, particularly to a boy.

Northern Times Sept 29th 1854

Deaths and Inquests

Inquest

Held at Manchester by Edward HERFORD Esq at the Lamb Inn, Todd St, on Weds evening into the touching death of Josiah HODGSON, late of Liverpool, Traveller in the Tea Trade, he was aged 34yrs and unmarried.

Thomas PRITCHARD, Waiter, of Todd St, at the Lamb Inn, said, deceased came to that house on Monday night, on Tuesday morning he took up his breakfast and the deceased refused it.

10 mins later the Mistress called TODD and said she had heard a noise upstairs and to go and see what it was, he found the deceased on the floor by the bed with his throat cut. A good deal of blood was on the floor, the mirror and wall. Deceased was not quite dead but died minutes afterwards.

Witness said that on the previous night deceased said, “Thomas I shall never pay you.” Witness replies, “Oh it will be right.”

John BEESBY, 2nd cousin of the deceased said the night before deceased came to his place in Cotham St, Strangeways. He said deceased told him he had, had a bad night of it. Witness asked was it the blue devils.

And deceased said, “Yes they are running around my bed at night.”

Witness saw him on Tuesday week when he was the worse for liquor, next morning he came to his place and was put in the stable, he looked sleepy as if he was tipsy.

Edward SCOTT of Srangeways, saw deceased last Friday in the Lamb and he was in a state of delirium tremens, and incapable of maintaining a conversation - verdict insanity.

On Tuesday evening a private in the 51st Foot, George MC AFFEREY, lost his life. He left his barracks in Regent Rd, Hulme and on returning realised he was late. A short distance from Regent’s Bridge he saw the piquet coming out, on which, he decided to secret himself. He got over the bridge on stood on what he thought was the edge stone of the bridge supporting the parapet. The piquet passed him and there was no edge stone, he fell into the River Irwell, he body w2asn’t found until Wednesday.

Inquests

Yesterday

On Alwyn BOYLE of Carlby, Lincolnshire. The deceased who had been in weak health came to Liverpool in July last with the view of emigrating to America. On the 29th when proceeding aboard a vessel he fell on the Landing Stage and broke his arm. He was conveyed to the Northern Hospital where it was necessary to amputate the limb he has been detained in the institution since and died there on Wednesday - accidental death.

On Edward MC DONNELL, a porter, whose death was hastened by his intemperate habits.

A woman who died on board the BEN NEVIS as she was leaving the river for America.

The death of Mrs WARNER, the celebrated actress, took place on Saturday she had been suffering for months of an incurable cancer of the breast, her friends were fully prepared for the melancholy event. She was about 50yrs of age, a native of Ireland, made famous on the Dublin stage. Her career in London is well known she played several important characters in Shakespeare plays, and was respected for her artistic abilities and moral worth.

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