From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 15 June, 1844. Price 5d.

CORONER'S INQUEST

Yesterday evening an inquest was held at the "King's Arms Inn," Limekiln Street, before G. T. Thompson, Esq., Coroner to the Borough, on the body of Edwin Wilson, a child aged four years, when evidence to the following effect was adduced:-

Mary Wilson, mother of the deceased, deposed that on Friday last, while at play, he had a violent fall on the back part of his head. On Saturday afternoon he came home crying, saying a boy had knocked him down in the street. She then looked at his head, and found a small bruise. He complained of pain in his head, and getting worse on Sunday and Monday, with fever and cold chills, she got some powders from Mr. Hambrook's, and on Wednesday put his feet in mustard water, when he appeared better. About 12 o'clock the same night he appeared worse, and she remained up with him till about six o'clock on Thursday morning, when seeing a great change she called in her neighbour, Mrs. Smith, and the child died shortly after.

Elizabeth Ann Bourner, servant to Mr. Umberstone, deposed, that on Saturday afternoon last she saw deceased near the door of Mrs. Greenland's shop, from which a son of Mr. Thomas Long, about 12 years of age, ran out in great haste, and in so doing knocked deceased down. It appeared quite an accident, and young Long stopped to pick deceased up.

Richard Thomas Hunt, surgeon, deposed, that he could find no marks of violence on the head of deceased, and could not state the cause of death without making a post mortem examination, but from what he heard supposed death had resulted from injury to the brain.

The Coroner then enquired of the Jury if they could find a verdict upon the evidence adduced, and after some discussion it was agreed to adjourn the inquest till 8 o'clock, for a post mortem examination.

Mr, Hunt, on resuming the enquiry, stated that he found on the inner surface of the scalp a severe contusion, and, corresponding to it, a considerable effusion of blood on the surface of the brain.

The Coroner then called the attention of the jury to the leading facts of the case, when a verdict to the following effect was returned:- "That deceased died from the effects of accidental falls on Friday and Saturday last, but cannot say whether one or both falls led to his death."