On Saturday night a distressing tragedy took place in Rushden, when an old lady of 62 years of age fell dead in her chair during a conversation with her husband. It appears that Mrs. Mary Ann James, of Victoria-road, Rushden, was sitting in a chair about 11 p.m. on Saturday night, waiting for her husband to conclude his supper. She was talking to him when, suddenly, she dropped back and expired. Dr. Owen had attended the deceased, but not for some years. The Inquest At the inquest, held at the Police Station, before Mr. J. Cairns Parker, Mr. C. W. Barker was chosen foreman of the jury. Joseph James, 4, Jones'-cottages, Victoria-road, Rushden, labourer, said that the deceased was his wife. She was in her usual health on Saturday when he left the house about 10 p.m. He returned home just before 11 o'clock, and the deceased was sitting in her chair, apparently the same as when he left her. She said to him that he had been gone a long time, and witness replied that he had had to wait his turn for a shave. He then started his supper, and suddenly his wife stopped talking, and fell backwards in her chair. Witness was alarmed, and fetched a neighbour. His wife had had two strokes seven years ago. She was not an invalid, but took a long time over her housework. Mrs. Emily Ellen Frisby said she lived next door to deceased, and was called to see her by Mr. James, who said, "Come on, Mrs. Frisby, I believe my wife's dead." When witness saw deceased the latter was sitting in her chair dead. Witness was sure that deceased had been properly looked after. Dr. Owen, of Rushden, deposed that he saw deceased at about 12.30 a.m. on Sunday morning. She was sitting in her chair, and had been dead about an hour. From her appearance, and the history of the case, he should say that deceased died from heart disease. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.