MATTHEW HENRY FANSTONE
FATAL RESULT OF A CARRIAGE ACCIDENT AT HUNGERFORD.
AN inquest was held at the "Castle" Inn, Donnington, Newbury, on Wednesday evening, before Mr. J. C. Pinniger, the county coroner, on the body of Mr. Matthew Henry Fanstone, farmer and brewer, of Donnington, who died on the Monday evening previous, under circumstances detailed below :— It will be remembered that Mr. Fanstone and his partner, Mr. Palmer, were driving home from Hungerford on the 18th Oct. last an accident occurred (the particulars of which were reported in the Mercury at the time), by which both were thrown from the dog cart, and Mr. Fanstone sustained injuries to his head.
The jury proceeded to the residence of the deceased and viewed the body, and on their return, Dr. Wm. Thos. Parker Douglas deposed that he saw the deceased at the "Lion," Hungerford, on the day of his accident, the 18th Oct., and he was then unconscious, and had been bleeding freely from his left ear. There was no wound on the head, but symptoms pointed to fracture at the base of the skull. Witness saw him on two or three occasions at Hungerford, and on the 20th, when he had partially regained consciousness. There had been a little recurrence of the hemorrage from the ear, and there was partial paralysis of the right side of the face. With witness' sanction, and that of Mr. Baker, of Hungerford, he was removed to Newbury to his home on the 15th Nov. Witness saw him the same evening at Donnington, and he had borne the journey well and was in good spirits. Witness continued to visit deceased regularly. He progressed favourably for the first week, and then he began to lose his appetite, and to show symptoms of irritation of brain. He was able to get about till the 2nd Dec, and walked about in the garden. About that date witness said he must be confined to his bed, and from that time witness had seen him almost every day. Deceased died at 10 o'clock on Monday evening. The cause of his death was the secondary results of the accident, as inflammation of the base of the brain had set in, probably associated with abscess, and this condition was complicated by his usually suffering from Bright's disease, which contributed to bring about the result.
Aldwin Temper Hidden, watchmaker, Charnham-street, Hungerford, said that he witnessed the accident, which occurred between half-past 6 and 7 o'clock, on the evening of the 18th of Oct. He was standing in Charnham-street, opposite the "Red Lion." A carrier's cart with passengers in it was standing on the left side, and was facing towards Newbury. The trap in which deceased and Mr. Palmer were, came from the direction of the Bear Hotel—at good pace—a full trot, and the wheel of the trap struck the box part of the van wheel. The trap, which was a two-wheel dog-cart, was turned over, and the horse dragged it along upside down. Some one stopped the horse. Both wheels were off the trap. Witness assisted to undo the horse, and came back, and saw deceased lying on the right-hand side of the road bleeding very much from the head. He ran for Dr. Barker. Witness was about 12 yards from where the accident happened when it occurred, and he could plainly see there was plenty of room for the trap to pass on the right hand side of the van, which was the proper side for it to pass. It was dark, but there was a gas lamp about 20 yards behind. The trap had lamps. Witness saw nothing of the other occupant (Mr. Palmer) after the accident. He could not say who was driving the trap.
Mr. Ernest Edward Palmer deposed that he resided at Newbury. He was a partner with the deceased in the brewery business at Donnington. On the 18th of Oct. he attended Hungerford market with the deceased. They left at 6 o'clock from the Bear Hotel, to drive home. Whilst deceased was driving they came into contact with a van standing opposite the Lion Inn. Witness saw the van when about 10 yards from it, and called the deceased's attention to it. Their trap was struck on the box of the wheel on the near side, and the force of the collision threw the trap over, and witness and deceased were thrown out. Witness was but slightly hurt, but when he got up deceased was lying on the road insensible, bleeding very much indeed. Deceased did not usually drive when they went to Hungerford market, but he was then holding the reins for witness while witness was arranging the rugs. Deceased was not sitting on the driver's side. The mare was a bad starter, and sometimes did go off rather fast. They were then going about eight or nine miles an hour. Deceased was about 55 years of age.
The jury returned verdict that "Deceased died from the effects of an accident which occurred at Hungerford on the 18th Oct." The jury gave their fees to the funds of Speen Cottage Hospital. The funeral of the deceased took place yesterday (Friday) in the Cemetery. |
