Newbury Weekly News
Dated 7th March 1867
“THE TERMINATION OF AN OLD MAN’S LIFE.”
On Thursday evening, J Bunny Esq., M. D. the coroner for the borough, held an enquiry at the Council Chamber into the death of an old man, 82 years of age, named William Chubb, who died suddenly at No. 3, Raymonds’ Alms Houses, St Bartholomew’s, under circumstances given in the subjoined evidence: -
The first witness called was Ann Canning, a married woman, living next door to the deceased, who said that she saw he last alive between 11 and 12 o’clock on Wednesday morning, an hour before he was found dead. Witness went into his house as she usually did every morning, and familiarly saluted him, “Well Chubby, how do you do?” The deceased answered that he was not quite so well, as the fog affected his breath. He was then washing up the tea things, and she asked if should do anything for him, but deceased declined the proffered kindness adding, “Oh I be all right; there’s no occasion for trouble.” Shortly afterwards she looked over the blind and saw deceased sitting in his chair apparently asleep, but as he was in the habit of passing a good deal of his time in this way the circumstance did not excite any suspicion. About half-an-hour later Mr. Watts called to leave a loaf of bread, and hearing him go out and speak to a neighbour she suspected that something was wrong, and bounded from her chair into the room where she found deceased sitting in the same posture as previously. His features were perfectly composed, and there was no sign of any struggle. Deceased was always asthmatical but still was a fine old man for his time of life.
The Coroner - He had a fine open chest. Did you notice that he had swelled feet at all?
Witness replied that she never noticed that.
The Coroner – I want you to sign your name to the deposition; can you write?
Witness – Yes; but I left my spectacles at home. I think though I can guess it.
The Coroner – We must have the right name. There must be no guessing about it. (A laugh.)
Mr. Watts, baker, 101 Bartholomew-street, said that when he called to leave some bread at deceased’s house he passed the time of day, but getting no answer looked closer at the deceased and found that he was dying or dead, and immediately called in assistance. On the previous day deceased complained of rheumatism, and remarked that he had a touch of his (witness’s) complaint, but that it did not pain him much. Witness replied, “If your gout does not pain you, you have not half got it,” and told him that if he would call at his house, he would give him some vinegar to ease him.
The Coroner – Take care that you do not ease yourself to suddenly.
Witness – I am glad to do anything, sir, to ease myself when suffering.
The Coroner observed that the witness had furnished them with a history of the happy termination of an old man’s life. Death was without doubt natural from some want of power in the circulation, but the precise nature of which it was impossible to tell without a post mortem examination. Under the circumstances he considered that to be unnecessary. The jury fully concurred with the learned gentleman in his remarks, and without further deliberation were unanimous in returning a verdict of “death by natural causes, by the visitation of God.”
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