Great Horwood History |
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as he was driving a cart loaded with beans, (being his last or Harvest-home load) some persons in the street wantonly threw water upon the horses, by which means they took fright and threw him down, when the near wheel passed over his body, which so much bruised and otherwise hurt him, that he languished in great agony two days and then died.
On being extricated he was at once taken to Dr Denne’s surgery where every attention was shown him, but his system suffered so much from the shock that he sunk beneath it the following day. Verdict – accidental death.
He could find no sign of violence; only a rope round the deceased’s neck, which was twisted three times round very tightly and tied in front. The arms were straight down the body, and the hands clenched. The bed clothes were very neatly laid over the body. There was no evidence of any struggle beyond a deep indentation round the pillow.
The actual cause of death was syncope [fainting]. The only symptoms of strangulation was [sic] the lungs being congested and the cord being drawn so tightly round the neck.
The jury, after a lengthy consideration found that deceased died from failure of the heart’s action, there being no evidence to show whether the cord found round his neck had, or had not, anything to do with the cause of death.