Manslaughter Hannah Lewis 1835 of Purton/Lydney (Inquests)

by ChrisW , Monday, October 06, 2008, 22:21 (5885 days ago) @ ChrisW

Feb: An inquest was held on Thursday last before WJ Ellis, Esq. at Purton, in the parish of Lidney, on HANNAH LEWIS, wife of JAMES LEWIS. It appeared from the evidence given at the inquest, that the deceased and her husband lived very uncomfortable together, often quarrelling and fighting, that on the evening of the previous Tuesday fortnight, they had quarrelled violently about some trifle, and he had struck her, and at length turned her out of doors, and locked her out. A boy who was witness to the quarrel ran into the stable, and whilst there, he heard the cry of 'murder!' Lewis came into the stable room soon afterwards, and when the horses were finished he and the boy were going into the house, when they found the woman lying on her back near the house door; she was quite insensible, and could not speak. Lewis carried her into the house, and up to bed; she continued in a sad state for some days, when she died, having been attended during her illness by an eminent surgeon, in the neighbourhod. At a post mortem examination of the body, a considerable quantity of extravasated blood was found on the brain, caused by an injury between the temple and the ear. After a very long investigation, the Jury returned a verdict of Manslaughter against Lewis, who was thereupon committed to our County Gaol for trial at the ensuing Assizes.

[/i]Record_ID: 24941
Entry Number: 730
Year: 1835
Month: Feb
Day: 20
Surname: LEWIS
Forenames: Hannah
Place of Residence: Purton - Parish of Lydney
Age at death: 50
Officiating Minister: H.C.H.Hawkins Curate
Event: Burial
Cause of death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register Reference: P209 IN 1/11
Page No: 92
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: L200

March 1835 JAMES LEWIS was charged with the manslaughter of his wife, HANNAH LEWIS. Mr ALEXANDER conducted the prosecution and Mr WATSON the defence.
Trial Report

WILLIAM JONES, a boy, said - I am employed by Mr BETHEL, and so was the prisoner, who is a carter. I lived in the same house with the prisoner and his wife. I was at supper with them in February last when they had a dispute. He caught her by the hair and told her to hold her tongue. He drew the chair from under her and she fell on the paved floor. He struck her on the head and kicked her. They continued quarrelling. He turned her out of the house and locked the door. I was frightened and went to the stable. While I was there I heard the deceased cry 'Murder,' two or three times. The prisoner came to the stable, and as I went from the stable with him I saw the deceased lying on the pavement in front of the house on her back. She did not speak or move. The prisoner passed her without noticing her. He afterwards dragged her into the house, and supported her in a chair; her eyes were shut and she appeared insensible. I saw the prisoner take hold of her under her arms and pull her upstairs. I went out to work with the prisoner next morning at half past five. We returned at two. He went upstairs and said, 'The old woman is lying on her back just as I left her this morning.' On the Sunday week the deceased died. The prisoner himself went for the Coroner two days after her death. The prisoner told me not to say to the Coroner that he struck her on the head, or he should be hanged.

Cross examied by Mr Watson. The deceased had aggravated her husband very much. It was nearly a fortnight after the quarrel that she died.

GEORGE PARKER. I lived with the prisoner on the night in question. I saw Hannah Lewis, the deceased, lying on the pavement. I lifted her head and spoke to her but she made no answer. I found the prisoner in the stable. I asked him what was the matter with the old woman, and he said, 'There she may lie; I did not put her there, and I shall not take her away.'

Mr HARRISON. I am a surgeon. I saw the deceased on 5th February. The prisoner is about 30 years younger than his late wife. When I attended the deceased she did not answer my questions, she looked vacant and wild. The prisoner said she would soon find her tongue. I saw her on the Sunday on which she died. She was labouring under compression of the brain, and she was evidently dying. The prisoner, when I asked him, denied having struck her. The prisoner asked if the Coroner must be sent for. I made a post mortem examination of the body, which I found in a healthy state. The head was slightly bruised, and under the bruise the skull was indented. It was such an appearance as would be produced by a stone or the point of a shoe. I found extravasated blood on the left side of her head, which was the cause of her death. The deceased was between 60 and 70.

Cross examined. The deceased was a hale woman. She must have received great violence.

By the Learned Judge. No hand or first could have caused that appearance of the skull.

WILLIAM JONES, recalled - The deceased was not intoxicated.

Verdict, Guilty. Transportation for Life.