Inquest
on the death of Henry Elson – reported in the Supplement to the
Nottinghamshire Guardian, Friday, January 1, 1875
Précis:
The
inquest was held on 21st
December 1874 at the Swan and Salmon Hotel, Newark before Mr Wm.
NEWTON Esq on the body of Henry ELSON, aged 35, eldest son of Mr
Thomas ELSON, keeper of the locks, who drowned himself in the
Navigation Canal on the previous Saturday afternoon.
WITNESS
testimonies:
Mr Samuel JOB, surgeon reported that he had known the deceased and
attended him at intervals for some years. “Deceased had been in a
low nervous state for some past time”. He said that Thomas Elson
had asked him to visit his son and Henry Elson said that he had
“taken largely of an opiate called hydrate of chloral” and
“deceased was in the habit of taking dangerous does, - as much as 2
drachms in 24 hours” Henry Elson was prescribed “some composing
medicine to be taken in the place of the opiate”
Later, Henry Elson requested that he be sent to hospital. Samuel Job
thinking that he would be better watched and taken care of there,
allowed him to go. Whilst in hospital the surgeon, Samuel Job found
Henry Elson to be restless and unsettled but not overly excited. On
the Friday evening Henry Elson suddenly left hospital and Samuel Job
saw him the next morning at his Father's house. He reported that he
had a tolerable night and seemed more composed and he warned Thomas
Elson that if his son did not improve it may be necessary to send him
to an Asylum.
Samuel Job considered that the drugs Henry Elson had taken had caused
temporary insanity.
Henry Elson's mother had spoken to Sarah Jane EDWARDS, wife of Thomas EDWARDS of 39 Castle-gate, tailor saying “Oh Mrs Edwards, my Harry is bad” Apparently the witness took hold of Henry Elson's arm as he left the back door of the house into the garden which led to the lock. She asked him to return to the house but the witness shut the door of the garden. When she opened the door she saw that Henry Elson had gone, then saw him in the water and noted “he was struggling very much”. Some boatmen tried to rescue him but it was too late and he had then sunk.
George Elson, aged 35, brother of the deceased noted that he had
actually taken Henry Elson to hospital. He reported that he brother
had accused his brother and Mr Job of trying to poison him.
Harriett Ann ALLWOOD, domestic servant to Thomas Elson said she saw
the deceased rush out of the house on Saturday afternoon, as he did
so he said “Now is the day of judgement, mother”. The witness
followed the deceased and she saw deceased standing by the lock side
with his coat on his arm. Henry Elson called for Harriett to come to
him, but she was afraid to do so and went to fetch his mother and a
neighbour, Mr CHERRY. When she returned she was told by Mrs Edwards
that the deceased was in the water.
Henry COBB, boatman reported finding the body of deceased about
twelve o'clock at noon on Sunday near the Town's Wharf.
CORONER'S
SUMMING UP
The Coroner concluded that the deceased had suffered from a diseased
mind, produced no doubt from partaken so extensively of this drug or
opiate, the use of which he was sorry to say was now so much on the
increase. Many people were taking it instead of laudanum or opium.
In this instance deceased appeared to have taken it so frequently
that he had injured his brain. Whether the death occurred from mere
accident, whether his foot tripped and so he stumbled into the water,
or whether it was a deliberate act on his part arising from his
frenzy he must leave them to determine, but it was clear that the
time of the occurrence he was not responsible for his actions. When
he left the house he did not seem to have expressed any determination
to take away his life, and being by the side of water a sudden
impulse might seize him, though this did not appear to be borne out
by the facts, because he returned to into the garden and met with Mrs
Edwards. Had he met a man instead of a woman it was quite possible
his life might have been spared. They could not say whether he
purposely jumped into the water or whether running from the door he
missed his step and accidentally fell in, but it was clear that he
met with his death by drowning, and that at the time he was not in a
state of mind to be responsible for his actions.
The jury after an interval of about ten minutes returned a verdict
that the deceased drowned himself whilst in a state of temporary
insanity.
