SUDDEN DEATH OF A PRISONER.

Evening Star, Issue 4028, 24 January 1876, Page 2

SUDDEN DEATH OF A PRISONER.

The City Coroner (Mr Hocken,) held I inquest at the Hospital to-day touching the death of Thomas Wilson, who died suddenly in the gaol on '■ riday night last. The Coroner remarked that the inquest was held in accordan e with the gaol regulations. Deceased had evidently died from an epileptic fit. He had been committed to gaol on a charge of commi’ting rape upon a young girl, and it was not unlikely that his committing this offence was indicative of some disease on the brain. Anna Wilson said deceased, who would be about si ty-six years,of age, was her husba- d. He was a native of v* est Bromich, Staffordshire, an iron caster by occupation, and a Baptist by religious persuasion. He had no fami y, and had resided in the Colony thirteen years. About eight years ago he received a sunstroke, the effects of which had frequently troubled him.

James Caldwell, governor of the gaol, produced the warrant of committment by which deceased was received into prison on the 18th inst. He seemed to be a weak, silly, inoffensive old man, and very hard of hearing. Thos. Bateman, night warder ot the gaol, stated that he was called by two other prisoners on Friday night last, who said deceased was very ill. He fund him in a dying state, foaming at the mouth, !>nd •* sking earfully. The two pri-oners were called, snd described how deceased Was suddenly taken with u nvulsions.

Ur ulme, surgeon to the gaol, deposed to being called to attend deceased, who he found to be dead. He was like a man who had degeneration of the muscular tissue of the heart. He (witness) would attribute his death to failure of the heart’s action, and there evidently must have been some disease of the brain also.

“ Died from natural causes,” was the verdict returned.