An inquiry was held on Friday evening at Mr Southam’s beer house, Cromwell-road, Rushden, by the Deputy-Coroner, Mr J Cairns Parker, into the circumstances attending the death of Walter Austin, the six weeks old child of Edumund Bruce Austin, shoe finisher, of 126, Cromwell-road. Mr H H Hobbs was foreman of the jury.

Annie Austin, mother of the deceased, said the body viewed by the jury was that of her son Walter, aged six weeks. The deceased had had a cold all the week and on Thursday afternoon between 2 and 3 o’clock he seemed to breathe hard. She went to the doctor about 6.30 and explained how he was. The doctor told her what to do and she arranged to let him know the next morning how deceased was. At about nine o’clock at night deceased was worse and witness sent for her mother and decided to sit up all night. Between 3 and 4 o’clock that morning deceased was convulsed and he died about five o’clock, after breathing very badly. Witness did not think deceased was ill enough in the night to send for a doctor, but thought he would be all right in the morning. The child’s life was insured.

Phoebe Dickens, mother of the last witness, said she was sent for on Thursday night and saw the deceased about nine o’clock. He was breathing very badly, and witness thought he was very ill, but not dangerously so. Witness went home for a time but returned at eleven o’clock. At about 4 o’clock deceased appeared much worse and breathed very badly. She had great experience of nursing children, and did not think the doctor could have done much good for the child. She thought it more a matter of nursing. Deceased died at five o’clock that morning quietly.

Dr Greenfield, medical practitioner, said that on the previous night, the deceased’s mother called at his surgery and said the baby had a cough and asked for medicine. He suggested treatment and said if the child was any worse in the morning he would call and see it. The mother did not ask him to call on Thursday night and evidently did not think deceased was dangerously ill. That morning witness was called at about 10 o’clock and informed that deceased was dead. Witness saw the body which was of a well-nourished child, and in his opinion death was caused by bronchitis and convulsions. He did not think if he had seen the child on Thursday night he could have done more for the child than was done. There was no doubt that the parents looked after children in a very exemplary manner.

The jury found that death resulted from natural causes.