From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 29 July, 1870. Price 1d.

FATAL ACCIDENT TO A CHILD

On Monday evening last the Borough Coroner, W. H. Payn, Esq., empanelled a Jury at the "New Inn," York Street, to enquire into the circumstances attending the death of a little boy, between four and five years of age, named Robert James Mills, the child of a comedian lodging at York Terrace. The injuries from which the child had died had resulted from a fall which the little fellow had sustained on the Wednesday before. It will be seen from the evidence given below that on the evening of the day named the deceased was playing on the terrace in front of his parents' place of residence, with another child of about his own age, when he pitched over the railing which skirts the terrace and fell into the road beneath, a distance of about fourteen feet. Although the fall was so serious a one its fatal effects were some time in manifesting themselves. At first the child did not even lose consciousness, but jumped up and ran home, the only injury he exhibited being a bruise on the cheek. This his mother at once bathed and kept it bathed with cold water during the night, and on the following morning the child got up and ate his breakfast. Subsequently, however, his mother became a little anxious about him, and on the recommendation of a neighbour took him to the Hospital, where he was seen by the house surgeon, Mr. Owens, who prescribed for him. Mr. Owens thought the case a serious one from the first, and visited the child at its home with great kindness up to the time of its death, having his last visit only a quarter of an hour before midnight last Sunday. Shortly afterwards death took place, the cause being concussion of the brain.

Mr. J. Wright having been chosen foreman of the Jury, the following evidence was given:-

Ann Jones Mills: I am the wife of Robert James Mills, a comedian, and living at York Terrace. The child was my youngest son, and was four years and five months old. On Wednesday evening last, he ran out of the house to play, between seven and eight o'clock. I saw him run up the kitchen steps, and lost sight of him for six or seven minutes, at the expiration of which he came to the kitchen window, with his face bleeding. I took him in, and bathed his face in cold water, and afterwards put him to bed. I continued to bathe his face the whole of the night, and on Thursday morning he was able to get up and eat his breakfast; but during the day he seemed to be getting worse, and on the recommendation of a neighbour I carried him to the Hospital. The surgeon at the Hospital examined him, and prescribed for him, directing me to put a bread and water poultice to his eye. I followed the surgeons directions; but the child continued to get worse, and died last night about twelve o'clock. The surgeon came to the house daily, and paid his last visit about a quarter of an hour before the child died. Death was occasioned by concussion of the brain. I was told that the injuries were occasioned by the deceased falling from the railings in front of York Terrace. The deceased was sensible up to the last. He told me that he fell from the railings himself, and that no one pushed him.

Margaret Warner: I am the wife of Edward Warner, the landlord of the "Marquis of Anglesey," a public house on the corner of York Terrace. On Wednesday evening last, about eight o'clock, I saw the deceased playing with another child about his own age, upon the terrace. When I saw them they were balancing themselves on the railings and the other child said to the deceased. "Drop; you won't hurt yourself." before I could get to the spot the deceased had loosed his hold, and instead of coming on his feet, on the inner side of the railings, had pitched over and fallen upon his head on the roadway beneath. I was running to him, but before I could get to him, he had got up and ran home. I sent my daughter to enquire after the child, as I thought he must have hurt himself seriously, but she brought word back that he was doing comfortably.

Charles Arthur Owen Owens: I am resident surgeon at the Dover Hospital. On Thursday morning the deceased child was brought to the Hospital by its mother. The child was very much bruised about the head and face, and the left eye was closed from swelling. The mother told me that the injuries were the result of the fall the last witness had described. I attended to the child in the surgery, and subsequently visited it at its home several times. I prescribed linseed poultices for the eye. I thought it a serious case from the first. I attended the child till last night just before its death, and in my opinion death resulted from concussion of the brain.

The Jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death."

A Juror suggested that the proprietors of the houses at York Terrace should be recommended to cover the railings with spikes, so as to prevent a similar calamity in the future; but the remainder of the Jury seemed to think any formal recommendation unnecessary.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News. 12 December, 1952.

PUBLIC HOUSE BROKEN INTO

Soldier sent for trial

In the middle of November, Mrs. Rose Staveley, the licensee of the "New Inn," York Street, discovered that her house had been broken into and property stolen. A window had been broken, through which access to the house had been gained. Seven days later the window was again broken, the house entered and property stolen.

  On Friday, Fusilier Brian Gallogly, of the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, stationed at the Castle, Dover, was committed for trial on charges of breaking and entering the "New Inn" on 21st and 28th November.

Mrs. Staveley told the court that she found the house in a state of disorder on 21st November and that a pan of glass was out of the kitchen window. On November 28th, "it was practically the whole thing over again as the week before," she said. "The glass had only been put back the previous morning."

Mrs. Staveley said that among the articles missing was a door key of the "New Inn."

Detective Inspector O. C. Lindsay stated that he went to the "New Inn" at 9.45 p.m. on 28th November where he saw Gallogly. He asked the soldier what certain white stains were on his raincoat and the man replied that they were chalk marks. The soldier was then asked to go to the Police Station and later they both went to the Castle where Gallogly's kit was searched. Three bottles, one each of rum, gin and whishy were found and these the Fulsilier said he had brought from London. Back at the Police Station, Gallogly was found to be in possession of a key.

Prosecuting, Mr. S. J. Moss said that Gallogly had made a statement under caution which said that he was short of money so he wet to the "New Inn" where he scrapped away putty from a glass pane and got in through the window. He took four bottles of spirits. About a week later he went there again and got in the same way.

Committing Gallogly for trial at the next sitting of the Quarter Sessions the Chairman of the Magistrates (Mr. H. T. Hawkfield) extended bail of £20.