Saturday 23 Nov 1844 (p. 3, col. 3) INQUESTS. ----- (Before Mr. CARRICK, Coroner.) The inquiry touching the death of Mrs. Martha STEEL, was resumed at Wigton Workhouse, on Monday last, before Mr. CARRICK, and a highly respectable jury, of which Timothy TWENTYMAN, Esq., was foreman. Mr. PARKER, vice chairmrn [sic] of the Board of Guardians attended to watch the proceedings. The body presented a shocking appearance, the face was cut and bruised in several parts, and the arms and legs also bore similar proofs of violence, while the whole body was in a most emaciated condition, literally reduced to a skeleton. The substance of the evidence, which was very lengthy, was that deceased was aged seventy-three years, and for the last six months had been very infirm and weak. She resided with her son James, a collier at Crummock Bank, in Bolton, and his wife Judith, for two years, during which time she was allowed two shillings a week as an out pauper of the Wigton Union. In the spring of this year she fell from her chair and received some injury, which rendered her still more infirm and in a great measure unable to walk without assistance. Since August deceased was principally confined to her bed, and her memory was much impaired. She was unsettled, and frequently, in attempting to leave her bed, fell upon the floor, which STEEL's wife alleged as the cause of the injuries found upon the body. Deceased son, Jas. STEEL, being obliged to remove from Crummock Bank to Oughterside, sent his wife, on the 5th instant, to Mr. Jacob WOOF, Relieving Officer, and she stated in her deposition, that she represented the deceased's condition to him, and in answer to inquiries informed him that deceased had been confined to bed for six or seven weeks. This, however, was denied by WOOF, who stated that no such representations were made to him. WOOF gave Mrs. STEEL an order for deceased's admission into the workhouse, and a note to John JAMES to convey her there in a cart. It appeared that the Relieving Officer had not seen deceased for eleven months: that her weekly pay of 2s. was received from the call house, at Bolton Low Houses, where WOOF stated he attended at call times, and that deceased had not had, nor had any application been made for, medical attendance. On the following Saturday JAMES's son went to the house. Deceased was taken from her bed and told that she was to be removed. She exclaimed, "Oh dear! have the gaol folks come for me? Is it come to that at last, after all my toiling?" She was laid into the cart upon straw, and covered with two quilts, and driven away by JAMES's son, a boy twelve years old, a distance of four miles; and on her being received there she was in a very weak and exhausted condition, moaning, trembling, and nearly unable to articulate or render herself any assistance. After being warmed before the fire, she was placed in bed and some tea and bread, at different times, were offered her, but of which she took very little. Mr. HENDRIE, the medical officer, was called in on the Sunday afternoon, when he found her in a dying state. She expired on Tuesday morning, about three o'clock. Mr. HENDRIE was of opinion that the wounds did not contribute to her death, but that her removal from Bolton had hastened it, and that removal in her state could not, under any circumstances, have taken place without endangering her life. The jury returned a verdict "that deceased died from natural causes, accelerated by the fatigue of the journey and exposure to cold, but whether the parties removing her were aware of the consequences likely to follow there was not sufficient evidence to show." At the same time, the jury expressed themselves in strong terms of disapprobation of the unfeeling conduct of Judith STEEL, and of the negligence of WOOF in not either visiting deceased or sending the medical officer to see her, and this they requested the coroner to communicate to the Board of Guardians. The parties were called into the room and received a severe admonition from the coroner. ----- On the 19th instant, at Brampton, on the body of Robert HOBSON, aged 27 years, who died on Saturday last from the effect of injuries received in wrestling at Carleton, near Carlisle, on the previous Monday. It appeared from the statement made by deceased that in a competition with another man he had fallen with his breast upon his opponent's head, and received considerable injury. He did not mention the name of his opponent, or impute any blame whatever to him. Deceased was in ill health and complaining for some months, and was not in a condition to bear either exposure to cold or violent exercise. Verdict, "Acidental [sic] death from injuries received from wrestling, aggravated by subsequent exposure to cold." (Before Mr. LEE, Deputy Coroner.) At Brampton, on the 13th instant, on the body of Peter DOYLE, aged 45 years, a tramp journeyman shoemaker. The deceased had been complaining of ill health for two or three days previous. On Monday night he left his lodgings for the purpose of consulting a medical man. The landlady of the house seeing he was very unwell, sent a fellow lodger after him. The messenger had not got many yards from the door when he found deceased lying on the street quite dead. Verdict-"Natural Death." On the 10th instant, at Chalk Side, Rosley, on the body of Mr. David ARMSTRONG, aged 72. Deceased had gone to the fold gate to dam back the rivulet, which runs past the premises, and was at the time considerably swollen. His wife having occasion to pass through the yard about ten minutes afterwards, found him lying quite dead. Verdict-"Apoplexy."