Killed by a Fall from a Waggon

KILLED BY A FALL FROM A WAGON

An inquest was held on Monday at Hoyle Farm before Henry Upton Esq., Deputy Coroner, touching the death of Thomas Tiller - Barry Laker, labourer, disposed of himself and the deceased worked for Mr. James Challis. He had known the deceased, who was sixty-five years of age, several years. He had never heard him complain of being giddy in the head, or having fits but he had heard that the deceased was subject to giddiness. For his age, the deceased was a strongish man. On Saturday last they were at work in a hay field . They began to carry about half past nine, and deceased got onto the wagon as the loading was easier for him than to pitch. They had carried three loads and had half filled the fourth load when deceased took a pitch of hay from witness. Deceased was then standing about the middle of the wagon, a boy standing at the horse's head. Witness went a little from the wagon and before he could take up another pitch he heard Tiller fall from the wagon at the hind part. He heard only a groaning noise, no word or cry. On looking round, he found deceased on the ground, on his stomach, doubled-up, as if he had fallen head foremost. He thought deceased's head struck the rail ladder. When he gave up the last pitch Tiller spoke and knew what he was about. After handling the first load Tiller said, "I'll load up the first" and the boy said, "perhaps you will load the last". Tiller answered, " I may be dead and under the sod by then by that time". He was much given to talk in that way and they thought nothing of it . He was not quite dead when taken up and witness thought he was unconscious - Tiller's daughter-in-law said she had heard her father-in-law (who lived with them) complain of giddiness in the head: she had not known him fall but nearly so. He was in his usual health when he left for work on Saturday last - Dr. Robinson of Midhurst, disposed to finding considerable discolouration on the body at the back and upper part of the neck, extending to the ears. There was no bruises or fracture of the skull and he believed the neck to be dislocated. He could not say deceased fell from a fit. If he spoke in the act of falling it would contradict the supposition of the fall having been occasioned by a fit. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased was killed by an accidental fall from a wagon.

West Sussex Gazette 20 June 1872 Thursday

Died Saturday 15 June 1872 "Discolation of neck from Accidental fall from Waggon" Infomation received from Henry Upton Deputy Coroner, Inquest held Monday 17 June 1872

Death registered Wednesday 19 June 1872

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