From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 29 September, 1894.

FATAL QUARREL BETWEEN BOYS AT STELLING MINNIS.

The East Kent Coroner (R. M. Mercer, Esq.) on Wednesday held an inquest at the "Rose and Crown Inn," Stelling Minnis, on the body of Ernest Daniels, aged nine years, the adopted child of Mr. Thomas Beer, a grazier at Stelling Minnis. Mr William Valentine Marsh was chosen foreman of the jury.

Thomas Beer, grazier, Stelling Minnis, deposed that the deceased was born in his house and had lived with him ever since. His mother was Louisa Daniels (now Mrs. Louisa Howell of Dover), a daughter of John Daniels, of Bourne. Witness adopted the child, and was present at his death, which took place at 10.30. on the previous Monday morning, the 17th inst. Witness had two boys, Horace Hobday and Charles Hobday (12 and 9 years of age respectively), at his house for a month's holiday. On Friday evening, the 10th August, witness went home and found the three boys there. The little boy complained to witness's wife that Horace Hobday had hurt him. He said they quarrelled over a bird's nest on the Common. The nest was in the grass, and Horace stamped in it. Deceased then did the same, whereupon Horace hit him on the stomach and back. Witness did not attach much importance to the matter then, but on the following Sunday night deceased went to bed and never got up again. Previously to Sunday night there did not seem to be much the matter. The boy got up on Saturday and Sunday about as usual, but did not seem just nicely. On Sunday night he was taken very sick, and witness sent for a doctor, who came at once. Witness scolded Horace Hobday for having hit the boy. Hobday did not excuse himself at all. Witness did not say much because he did not like to say much to other people's children. The boys went about on friendly terms on Saturday and Sunday. Witness first thought the boy would die about a fortnight ago last Saturday. He did not think it necessary to call in the police.

The Coroner explained to Mr. Hobday, who was present with his son Horace, that if deceased died from the results of a blow struck in anger, the boy striking him was liable to be punished for manslaughter. He (the Coroner) did not suggest that it was a case of manslaughter, but wished to point out that they had evidence that deceased was struck, and that subsequently to that blow he died. He (the father) was entitled to put any question be wished to the witness.

Mr. Edwin E. Lewis. L.S.A., London, a duly registered medical practitioner, deposed that he resided at Meadowcroft, Stelling Minnis. He was called in to the case on Sunday, the 12th August, at about 8.30 p.m., when be found deceased suffering from peritonitis. Subsequently inflammation of the bladder set in, and was followed by dropsy. On the following Monday morning witness met Horace Hobday at Mr. Beer's gate and asked him how the deceased was. He replied that be did not know and had not inquired. Witness did not ask him how it occurred. Witness had no doubt that deceased that had been struck on the abdomen, which set up the inflammation, from the results of which be died. On a later occasion when Horace Hobday came to his surgery for medicine witness scolded bim roundly for losing his temper. The boy did not excuse himself in the slightest degree. Witness made a post-mortem examination on the 18th inst., twenty-four hours after death. There was a quantity of serium and pus in the abdomen, showing the extent of the inflammation. Both the colon and kidney underneath were injured, the latter being congested with blood; and the intestinal track was congested throughout its length. Deceased increased about six inches in length, during the time he was in bed, showing that he was extremely delicate. Death was caused by exhaustion, following peritonitis, the result of violence. The whole covering of the abdomen was one mass of inflammation. Presuming that the violence was inflicted by blows, the boy must have been pommelled all over. Such inflammation could only have been produced by a series of blows.

The Coroner: Are you perfectly clear that it could have been caused by no other reason except a blow?

Witness: None whatever.

Replying to the Coroner, the witness said the injury could not have been caused by a fall, because one injury would not have set up all the inflammation he found. Witness did not communicate with the police, as he did not consider it his duty to do so. After about twelve days' attendance, witness recognised that the boy was in a dangerous condition. Then he rallied, and witness did not apprehend fatal consequences until the night before his death. The boy was not of powerful physique, but apparently of average good health.

Replying to Mr. Hobday, witness said it was a fact that he warned Horace Hobday that if he gave way to big evil passions in the way he had he would probably be hanged sooner or later.

The Coroner explained to Mr. Hobday that the boy Horace could give evidence if he (his father) thought fit. He need not, however, do so.

Eventually Mr. Hobday decided not to put the boy Horace into the witness box.

Charles Edward Henry Hobday, residing at 35, Trollope Street, Wandsworth Road, Battersea, said he was nine years of age, and now in the 4th standard. He appeared a bright and intelligent little fellow, and the Coroner decided to swear him. He deposed that he and his brother came down for a holiday at Stelling Minnis. They went out with Ernest Daniels on Friday, the 12tb August, the first day of his holidays. On that evening they went up the Minnis. A bird flew out of a hole and Ernest went to look. Horace put his foot on the hole, and Ernest put his on that of Horace. Horace then struck him on the stomach with his elbow, and Ernest fell down and cried. After a little while Ernest got up. While Ernest was crying on the ground Horace did not say anything. Ernest was hit once—on the stomach—and lay on the ground face downwards, crying. Afterwards they went home to tea. They played together on Saturday, and went to Mrs. Knott's. Previously to the occurrence they were all good friends, but Horace had quarrelled with deceased once or twice before when playing cricket. The quarrel at cricket arose because one said he was out and the other said be was not.

This being the whole of the evidence, the Coroner proceeded to address the jury. He explained that children under the age of seven were irresponsible in the eye of the law for crime, but over that age they became responsible for their acts. The law said that if one parson in anger struck another—although he did not mean to do any harm as a result of that act—and the other person died, the aggressor was responsible for that and was guilty of the crime of manslaughter. The question for the jury to consider was whether there was sufficient evidence to justify them in putting any person on his trial for manslaughter.

If there was a reasonable suspicion they were bound to send him to take his trial for manslaughter. He (the Coroner) thought it was perfectly clear that Horace Hobday did strike the deceased in the stomach, and the doctor had explained very reasonably and carefully why he thought there was more than one blow—the inflammation being too extensive. As against that they had the evidence of the little boy—and anything more naturally given than that evidence he could not conceive. It was a most common thing for boys to give each other a dig in the ribs with an elbow, and there did not seem to be the slightest evidence of any other blow. Having regard to the manner in which the elbow was used he did not think they could say the injury was inflicted in anger; it seemed to have been a mere matter of horse play between the boys. If the jury were of that opinion it would not be a case of manslaughter.

The jury having deliberated in private for a few minutes returned a verdict to the effect that deceased died from inflammation caused by a blow given by Horace Hobday whilst they were playing together.

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. Saturday 31 July 1909.

Licensing.

George Boughton, licensee of the "Rose and Crown," Stelling, applied for a licence to sell in a tent at Hardres Court, from 10 a.m. to 9, on the occasion of the annual Flower Show.

The magistrates question whether it was necessary for the licence to be from 10, but eventually granted it.