From the Whitstable Times, 4 January, 1902.

DEATH ON THE WAYSIDE.

The East Kent Coroner (Mr. R. M. Mercer) held an inquest on Monday, at the “Railway Tavern,” Chartham, touching the death of Charles Briggs, of Beltinge, Wye, a gardener, aged 68.

It appeared that the deceased lived with his sister, but had not been home since the morning of December 26th. He went to the “Railway Tavern” at 5.30 on Friday evening, and he reeled about, and the landlord, George Drew, considered he was drunk, and put him out. The deceased was seen by several people during the evening, and at 9 p.m. a man named Larkin saw him half way up the hill. He could not make anything of him and carried him to the “Railway-Tavern,” where he was found to he dead. Mr. Barton, surgeon, was sent for and made a post-mortem examination, which revealed the fact that death was caused by fatty degeneration of the heart and valvular disease of that organ accelerated by alcoholism and exposure.

The jury returned a verdict accordingly.