The divisional coroner, Mr. J. T. Parker, held an inquest at the Red Lion Inn, Irchester on Tuesday, respecting the death of an old man of the village named Samuel Arthur, who had been found dead near his allotment on Monday morning.
The first witness called was Jane Arthur, who identified the body as that of her late husband, Samuel Arthur, formerly a shoemaker, of Irchester, aged 73 years. On Monday morning, she said, he left home to go to his allotment near Station-road. He was brought home dead about 12.30. He had been in his usual health, and had his breakfast as usual, having tea, toast, and bacon the same as the rest. He had recently had a cough. Dr. Gabb saw him in December, and he had had no other doctor. He had been feeble of late, but had not complained, and he was always short of breath.
William Sanders, hairdresser, Irchester, said that on Monday morning, between 11 and 12, he was in Station-road, when his attention was called by a man named Pettitt to a man lying on the ground in the allotment field. Witness went to him, and found it was Samuel Arthur. He was quite dead, and was lying on his side as if he had been knocked down or had fallen over 'something'. There was nothing for him to have fallen over, and he was lying about 20 or 30 yards from his own ground. Witness sent for the police, and then took the body of the deceased home. There were no marks of violence or of a struggle, neither were the clothes torn or disarranged. Witness knew deceased well.
Thomas Brown, parish constable, Irchester, deposed that he was called by the previous witness about twelve o'clock on Monday morning to the allotment field, and found deceased lying as described. He had been dead some little time, and was nearly cold. There were no marks of a struggle or of violence. Witness searched the body, but found nothing of importance.
Dr. Edward Gabb, Irchester, said that he knew the deceased well, and attended him last December for acute bronchitis and cardiac asthma. He got fairly well over that illness, but was still very weak. At his age it was not likely that he would make a complete recovery. Witness saw the body the previous night, and found no marks of violence or of a struggle. Death was apparently due to natural causes—failure of the heart's action brought on by cardiac asthma.
A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.
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