From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 24 March 1900. Price 1d.

SUDDEN DEATH OF A WOMAN AT CANTERBURY.

The City Coroner (Dr. T. S. Johnson) held an inquest at the “Two Brothers,” Northgate, Canterbury, on Saturday, touching the death of a woman named Maria Walker, a spinster, aged 47.

John Curtis, a peddler, living at 4. St. Gregory's Square, deposed that he had cohabited with the deceased for about seventeen years The deceased was a spinster to the best of witnesses knowledge. Witness met the deceased at London about seventeen years ago. Between eight and nine o'clock on the morning of the 13th March they took their baskets out. They had not been far when deceased said she did not feel very well, so they went into the “Unity” public house and had a pint of beer between them. They had another pint and then they went on again. When going through the Friars the deceased came over ill again, and they went into the “King's Arms” and had several pints of beer there. Witness stayed there for half an hour with the deceased, but as she said she did not feel any better he left her there and went up Wincheap. When he came back in the evening after his day's work the deceased was still in the house, but had nothing in front of her to drink. They had another drink and then they went back to the “Unity.” He might have spent 2s. 6d. at the “King's Arms.” At the “Unity” they had another pint. As they were passing the Methodist Chapel the deceased fell down and P.C. Reynolds, who was near, came to witness' assistance. The deceased said she felt a “bit bad” and witness gave her some beer. They got along some distance when the deceased again fell down and witness then got her two-pennyworth of brandy from the “Victoria.” After drinking the brandy the deceased said the felt better and witness got her home to the door of the house in St. Gregory's Square where they lodged, when the deceased fell down, apparently dead.

P.C. Reynolds gave evidence as to assisting the deceased up at about twenty minutes to nine o'clock on the evening in question. The man was perfectly sober, but the woman smelt somewhat of drink.

Mr. Brian Rigden stated that he was called to see the deceased on the 15th inst, at 9.30 in the evening. On arrival he found the deceased lying on the bed dead. He had since made a careful external examination and did not find any marks of violence. He was of opinion that death was due to natural causes, probably heart disease. The deceased had been in the habit of drinking, and he did not consider that that was the cause of death.

The Coroner summed up, and in doing so spoke of the matter as appearing to him to be a "drinking affair.”

The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.