From the Kent Herald, 11 November 1824.

Death.

An inquest was held on Monday last at the "Bell and Lion" public house, Mile Town, Sheerness, before Robert Hinde, Esq., Coroner, on the body of Daniel Wollard, an elderly man, who came by his death in consequence of an injury he received by a fall on the Saturday week previous, at the "Britannia" public house. It appeared in evidence, that the deceased, with several others, had been from one public house to another, the whole of the day, drinking and fighting, and when they arrived at the "Britannia" they were quite drunk, and that the deceased was very quarrelsome and irritated a man, by striking him on the head and repeatedly challenging him; the man stooped and took hold of the deceased legs, as though he would lift him up in his arms, but did not appear to have any intention to fight; in the affair the deceased fell, and received an injury that caused his death on the following Saturday.

The jury, after deliberating for some time, returned a verdict of Accidental Death. The Coroner then called up the man whom the deceased have provoked, (whose name we shall suppress, as his situation in life should have been a barrier to his mixing with such company,) to whom he pointed out the narrow escape he had had from being committed on a verdict of manslaughter and cautioned him against following such a course of life in future; the worthy Coroner applied the latter part of his address to the witnesses who were also called up, with the exception of one, who is Osler at the "Britannia," and a sober man.

Kent Herald, 16 January 1845.

Sheerness. The case of the Late Miss Russell.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Coroners inquest.

On the afternoon of Wednesday last and inquest was held before J. Hinde. Esq., and a respectable jury, at the "Bell and Lion Tavern," Mile Town, on the body of the late Miss Russell; the same jury was re-sworn, the foreman being changed, to inquire into the death of a newly born male infant, of which the said deceased Miss Russell had been delivered. After the coroner had briefly addressed the jury, and the jury had returned from taking a view of the bodies, Mrs. Russell, the mother of the deceased young person, was called in, and stated that her daughter, the subject of the present inquiry, was 22 years of age, and that her name was Esther, and that she was a single woman; was her second daughter; eldest daughter was married; that on Tuesday morning, about 3 o'clock, her daughter, who slept in an adjoining department, called her, and when she (witness) went in, her daughter said "look there," pointing to a newly born infant that lay by her side. She saw that the deceased was fainting and got her a cup of tea, and removed the dirty linen; was wholly ignorant of her daughter being in the family way; will swear to that; has had 13 children herself. Had not observed her daughter making any preparation for an event of this kind; but for the last two months had been working for her (witness,) who expected to be confined against shortly. Was very much frightened when she saw what was the matter with her daughter, and called her (witness's) husband and desired him to go for a doctor. Her daughter died before the return of her husband with the medical gentleman; sent for the medical gentleman in about 10 minutes after, being first called by the deceased, but it was half an hour before the doctor came. Did not know that the deceased had ever applied to a chemist for poisonous drugs.

Samuel Russell, the father of the deceased, was next called:- is a broker residing in Mile Town, Sheerness. The evidence of this witness was very similar to that of his wife's, so far as it went, but he was a perfect "Non mi ricardo"; to almost every question put to him by the coroner, he replied, "I don't know. - I can't tell." He knew he went to bed on Monday night, and was called before morning, but did not know what time he went to bed, nor whether he or his wife went first or whether they went both at the same time. Did not know his daughter was in the family way. Did not know what time he was called on Tuesday morning, nor what time he went for the medical gentleman; it might have been an hour and a half or two hours after his wife called him. It was getting late in the morning. Called the nearest surgeon. However, as we have already said the evidence of Mr. Russell was very similar to that of his wifes, with the exception of a great discrepancy as to time; he attributed his want of record collection to the surprise and consternation at finding his daughter confined of an infant, and witness concluded his evidence by stating that the deceased had lately complained of her bedroom being overrun with mice, when witness proposed to shut a cat in the room at night, to which deceased replied, that would be of no use as a cat always got upon the bed and did not look after the mice. He knew the deceased afterwards purchased some arsenic, but supposed it was for the purpose of destroying the mice. When he was first called into his daughter on Tuesday morning did not see anything in her appearance to induce him to suppose she had taken poison, but afterwards did.

The Coroner then said that he wished to have a consultation with the jury, and requested that the room might be cleared of the public; the consultation was about the propriety of having a post mortem examination, after what the last witness had stated, which the jury seemed to think necessary; but before deciding upon it, agreed to ask the medical gentleman, who was called in to use the to see these deceased, a few questions.

The public were then re-emitted, and Mr. Potter, surgeon sworn, who stated that he was called by Mr. Russell about half past 11 o'clock on Tuesday morning to go to his house, but was not told what part of his family was ill. On arriving there, he was conducted to a bedroom, where he found the deceased Miss Russell, who appeared to have been dead an hour or more, and a newly-born infant lying by her side. Could not say what was the cause of death in the deceased young woman, nor whether the infant had ever lived, without a post mortem examination of each. The room was again cleared, and the jury agreed upon directing Mr. Potter with the assistance of Mr. Keddell, a surgeon, to make the necessary post mortem examination, and adjourned till Monday, the 13th, at 10 o'clock.

Another Account.

A young and handsome jewess, named Esther Russell, aged 23, daughter of Mr. Samuel Russell, a general dealer, of Mile Town, Sheerness, died suddenly on Tuesday se'nnight, after giving birth to a child, and the circumstances which have created suspicion and excitement. Mr. Russell has been a bankrupt two or three times; but he had difficulties to contend with, and a numerous family. The following was the evidence at the inquest of the father and mother:-

Mrs. Russell said that on Tuesday morning one of the younger sisters of the deceased, who had usually slept with her for the past nine months, came and appraised her of her sister Esther's illness. Ongoing to see her I was shocked to find she had given birth to a child; she held it up to me and said, "See, mother." It was dead. She complained of being faint. I gave her some tea, and afterwards some gin and water. She became more and more faint, and died on the arrival of the surgeon. I got up to see her about three a.m. She died about seven. For the last three or four months she had been subject to attacks of sick head-ache, and usually moaned much at night. She did not moan more that night than usual. Our rooms join, and open into each other. I was not aware she was pregnant; the neighbours did not suspect it, nor was it ever hinted to me.

A Juryman:- Mrs. Russell, don't you remember you being present one day when I taxed Esther in your own house with being in such a state. I said I was sorry to see it. She demanded what I meant, and on my replying, in the family way, she said that she was sorry I should have such a poor opinion of her.

Mrs. Russell replied she did not. She had no reason to suppose her daughter had taken anything to make away with herself. Her two younger sisters had slept with her for the past 9 months. In all they had 11 children. On the night morning of the occurrence there was no person but the members of their own family in the house. The kettle was always on at a very early hour, being kept full on the hearth.

Samuel Russell, father of the deceased, said that he went to bed at 10 o'clock, and his wife shortly before him. At four o'clock in the morning I was roused to see Esther, with whom her mother was, and I found her very faint and low, but did not imagine her dying. I recommended hot water to her feet, and assisted in putting the pan to them. I was shocked on perceiving the nature of her illness, and asked why I was not previously unformed of this. She replied, "O, father, you have had enough to trouble you without this. O the villain that deceived me!" \[This statement the witness afterwards contradicted by stating that he never knew of her being pregnant, nor was he aware his neighbours thought so. He was much affected, and frequently contradicted himself.] He has reason to suspect she poisoned herself. Remembers her request in him to purchase some arsenic to kill the rats and mice infest in her room. Did not do so, as there were two cats in the house. Has since her death learned that a younger sister lately purchased the pennyworth of arsenic for her. She vomited a good deal previous to her death. She was much trouble with sickness and headache generally. Is in the habit of burning a fire all night, and has the kettle on the hearth continually. No one slept with deceased on the night in question. Am perfectly sure of that.

Dr. James Potter, surgeon at Sheerness, living about 40 yards from the family, said:- Mr. Russell called on him at seven o'clock on Thursday morning, and on the way expressed his fear that she would be dead before their arrival. I then found Esther Russell dead, and a new-born infant also dead by her side; it was cold and stiff, and must have been dead four hours at least, and it's mother one hour. The post mortem examination had since been made.

The Adjourned Inquest. From our own Correspondent,

The jury assembled on Monday, at 10 o'clock in the afternoon, at the "Bell and Lion," to pursue the inquiry into the death of Esther Russell. The first witness examined was Mr. Potter, surgeon, who stated that he had made a post mortem examination of the body on the deceased Esther Russell, and on analyzing the contents of the stomach, found a quantity of arsenic, sufficient to produce death, and believed that death ensued from the taking of the arsenic. He also made a post-mortem examination of the infant child; believing it to have lived; there were not any external marks of violence; the umbilical cord had been cut but not tied, the effect of which would be that the child would bleed to death; believe that to be the cause of death; believe the taking of the arsenic brought on labour.

Sarah Russell, aged 18 years, a youngest sister of the deceased, next underwent and lengthened examination, with a view to eliciting whether the family were aware of the state of the deceased previously to the Tuesday morning, when she was taken ill and died; and also as to how the arsenic was obtained. With regard to the first question nothing was elicited; but she stated that she herself fetched up pennyworth of arsenic from Mr. Leese, chemist, at the request of her deceased sister who gave her the money, for the purpose of his destroying mice, and asked Mr. Leese the very best way to use it. She gave the arsenic to her sister and neither heard nor thought anymore of it.

Mr. Leese was then examined, and stated that the last witness came to him more than a week ago to produce a penny worth of arsenic. He made some scruples as to serving it, but considered her age and knowing her well, and on being told that it was to destroy mice, he served it, but wrote poison on the packets and gave straight caution about the use of it.

Several other witnesses were then examined, with a view of ascertain whether Mr. and Mrs. Russell were aware of their daughters pregnancy, as a very general opinion prevailed that they had been aware of it for some months, but nothing satisfactory could be elicited.

Mr. Keddell, surgeon, who was not present when Mr. Potter was examined, was now examined, and stated, that in company with Mr. Potter he had made a post mortem examination of the deceased Esther Russell and her infant, and corroborated the statement made by the gentleman, adding, that a test used to ascertain if the child had lived, was by putting the lungs in water.

Mr. Fife, a chemist, was also examined, and stated that the deceased Ester Russell herself had applied to him for some arsenic on the second of the present month, and that he refused to serve her.

The Cthen summed up the evidence, making remarks upon such parts of it as he thought required observation, particularly that of the medical gentleman respecting the test used to ascertain if the infant had been born alive, stating that, without impugning the professional skill of that gentleman, a great difference of opinion existed among very eminent professors in the medical art respect in the correctness of such a test, and read a paragraph to that effect from "Jervis "office and duties of coroner's. The room was then cleared while the jury considered their verdicts, which were, that the deceased Esther Russell came to her death by taking arsenic; but how, or by whom administered, no evidence appears, and the jury think that she was greatly neglected by her father and mother; and in the case of the infant, that there were no external marks of violence, but that it died from loss of blood from the umbilical cord not having been tied, and that great blame attaches to the parents of the deceased mother of the infant. The coroner then called Mr. Russell in and read to him the result of the length and inquiry, and regretted that the state of Mrs. Russell prevented his calling her into hear the few remarks that he had to make to them, which were to the effect that great blame was considered to attach to them; that as the father and mother of a large family they thought they have paid more attention to their daughter when they found what was the matter with her; and although they had both stated in their evidence that they did not know of their daughters pregnancy previously to her being taken ill with labour, the jury found great difficulty in giving credit to such statements. The inquiry did not terminate to half past four o'clock in the afternoon; during the whole of the inquiry the room was crowded almost to suffocation.