Inquest - Andrew Thomson Reid

Extract from Eccles and Patricroft Journal of 10th November 1899

Found Dead at Pendlebury Singular Case: An Open Verdict.

An inquest was held on Tuesday afternoon by Mr J F Price at the Windmill Hotel, Pendlebury, touching the sudden death on Sunday of Andrew Thomson Reid, aged 34 at 165 Salford Road, Pendlebury, the residence of his brother.

Mr W T Postlethwaite barrister, instructed by Messrs Bowden, Widdowson and Marklan, appeared for the relatives -

Margaret Thomson Reid 165 Station Road Pendlebury said deceased had been living at the same address about six weeks. He had been a rug manufacturer up to about two months ago, and for six weeks had been out of employment. He had been unfortunate in business, but she had not noticed any depression.

About 8.30pm on Saturday evening witness saw deceased in the dining room, and heard him go out shortly afterwards. She did not see him again that evening. Deceased did not come downstairs to breakfast next morning, but she did not think anything of it as he sometimes stayed in bed. She knocked at his bedroom door to call him for dinner about one o'clock on Sunday at noon, and afterwards walked in his bedside.

Deceased was lying on his side apparently lifeless. She called her brother and sent for Dr Berry. Deceased did not confide in anyone. He had been answering advertisements for a situation while at Pendlebury. Medicine bottles used be her mother during her last illness were in the bedroom. She had not heard of deceased taking laudanum or threatening to commit suicide. The bottles had not been disturbed. Deceased, who was a little dark coloured in the face when found, had not had the best of health, having long been troubled with bronchitis.

He had not been under a doctor during the past three years. He had then rheumatic fever.

- By Mr Postlethwaite:

Two of the bottles produced containing laudanum and belladonna were used during that illness. Deceased was quite cheerful on Saturday afternoon, assisting her to pack up prior to her removal, and was playful with a little niece.

Allan Reid 165 Station Road, Pendlebury said deceased had been in business at Bacup. He had expressed disappointment with the business, but had not appeared depressed in the least. Witness saw deceased before he went out on Saturday evening. He returned shortly after midnight. Witness did not at first feel concerned that deceased did not rise on Sunday morning as he had been troubled with his teeth.

After the sisters removal they had hoped deceased would continue to live with him or reside with his sister at Lytham. Deceased had pneumonia four years ago. The doctor expressed surprise at the bottle containing poison being left in the room, but as his father was a doctor they looked upon a medicine bottle as quite a common thing.

- By Mr Postlethwaite: Deceased had never threatened suicide.

-Dr Berry said he was called in about 1.30 on Sunday at noon deceased being then quite dead. He made a post-mortem examination on Monday. The body was fairly well nourished. There was blue discolouration in parts due to an early stage of putrefaction. The vessels of the brain were very congested, but the membranes were perfectly healthy. Both lungs were congested in a marked degree, particularly the right one, a portion of which had become wasted through old pleurisy. The heart was normal. Only two small pieces of tomato skins were found in the stomach. There was unusual fluidity and darkness of the blood.

The cause of death was very difficult to say. The unusual fluidity and darkness of the blood early putrefaction and the marked congestion of the lungs were all signs that would be consistent with death from laudanum poisoning. The marked rigidity of the body and the state of the pupils of the eye negatived that however.

Belladonna had a contrary effect to laudanum so that the symptoms would be quite consistent with the pae of both poisons. There was not sufficient evidence to the condition of any of the organs to cause/death. It was almost impossible to tell the cause of death.

In reply to a juryman, the witness said laudanum was quickly absorbed and if deceased had taken any it would be impossible to find traces of it. The Coroner said the post mortem did not assist them in finding the cause of death.

– The foreman (Mr Blair): Would natural causes be consistent?

– The Doctor: No: you would expect to find some premature signs in a death from natural causes.

– The Coroner suggested an open verdict

– Dr Berry said he considered that would be the best verdict the jury could arrive at.

– The jury then found accordingly, there being no satisfactory evidence to show the cause of death.