Who Do You Think You Are - Rose Ayling-Ellis 5th Sep

[kiterunner]

Evening Despatch, Tuesday, April 1, 1902
STRANGE DEATH AT ASTON
Surprising Evidence Expected at the Inquest.
The somewhat mysterious death of Mr Alfred Chilton, a builder's traveller, of Dolman-road, Aston, formed the subject of a coroner's inquiry yesterday. The deceased had been in fairly good health of late, but on Wednesday last he was troubled with a cough, and on the following day was found dead in bed. At the inquest held at deceased's residence by Mr J J Wilmshurst, Eliza Homer, a niece, stated that she went upstairs on the Thursday afternoon, and thought her uncle seemed cold. She told deceased's sister-in-law, who had found Mr Chilton in a doze at four o'clock in the afternoon. A neighbour was called, and deceased was found to be dead. Earlier in the day he had sent for some cough lozenges and a bottle of cough mixture.
At this point the Coroner advised the jury that it would be more satisfactory if a post-mortem examination were made. The jury agreed, and the inquest was adjourned till Thursday. The case is peculiar from the fact that when found dead deceased had a handkerchief tied rather tightly round his neck, and it is possible that death occurred through accidental strangulation. Yesterday Dr Prosser, sen., Dr Holmes, and Dr Astley Prosser conducted a post-mortem examination, and forwarded contents of the stomach and viscera to be analytically examined. It is not improbable that evidence of a surprising nature will be forthcoming at the adjourned inquiry.

[kiterunner]

Evening Despatch, Wednesday, April 2, 1902
PROBING A MYSTERY
The Strange Death of an Aston Man.
The circumstances connected with the death of Mr Alfred Chilton, at Aston, have caused the affair to assume extraordinary proportions in the district. The abrupt stopping of the inquest, and the wish expressed by the jury that a post-mortem should be made, has imparted to the case a sensational phase which only the conclusion of the inquiry can check.
It is said that a fortnight ago the deceased contracted a cold while superintending the washing of the yard. Whatever the cause, he seems to have become very ill, but his condition did not apparently warrant the calling in of a medical man. For the greater part of the day Chilton was up in charge of a sister-in-law, Mrs King, and a young niece.
On Wednesday last deceased was so ill that he remained in bed, and some cough lozenges and a bottle of cough mixture were obtained from a local chemist. The invalid partook of both, and remained in his bed. About 3.30 in the afternoon Mrs King, according to her own account, looked into Chilton's bedroom, and thinking he was asleep quitted the room again.

Two hours later Mr Chilton's niece entered the room, and was startled to find that her uncle was cold and pale. She hastened downstairs, and reported the fact to Mrs King, but it was not until seven o'clock in the evening that a neighbour and other visitor, calling to see how Chilton was, made the discovery that he was dead.

Dr R. A. S. Prosser was summoned, and he found that the deceased, who had two handkerchiefs tied round his neck, had been dead for several hours, the body being quite cold. The eyes were protruding, and the fingers were contracted in such a way as to lead Dr Prosser to believe that death had been due to strangulation.

About the neck there were distinct marks of pressure, caused probably by the deceased having tied the handkerchiefs too tightly, either accidentally or intentionally; or there is the alternative that other causes might have produced the mischief. A fit of coughing, a sudden paroxysm of pain, might have resulted in asphyxiation.

Dr Prosser was asked to give a death certificate, but he declared that he would not accept the responsibility of giving one.

After the inquest had been stopped by the Coroner and jury yesterday, Dr B.A.S. Prosser, Dr Holmes (Deputy-Coroner), and Dr Astley Prosser were commissioned to make a postmortem examination, and to call in an analytical expert if necessary. The postmortem examination has been performed, and the result is that every organ in the body has been found to be healthy, notwithstanding the deceased's excessive use of alcohol. The stomach, however, contained no trace of food. The medical men were unanimous that the proper course to adopt was to place the case in the hands of an analytical expert, and the stomach and viscera were accordingly forwarded, under seal, to a well-known local authority.

It will probably take a fortnight to determine the nature of the contents of the stomach, and so when the inquest is resumed on Thursday a further adjournment will be asked for.

Under the circumstances, it can readily be understood that the death has created a great stir in the district in which deceased was so well known.

[kiterunner]

Evening Despatch, Thursday, April 3, 1902
THE ASTON MYSTERY
Birmingham Solicitor and the "Despatch"
The adjourned inquiry into the death of Mr Alfred Chilton, the publican, who was found dead under circumstances already reported, was fixed to take place this morning, at the White Swan, Victoria Road, Aston.
At the outset the Coroner, Mr J J Wilmshurst, in addressing the jury, said it would be recollected that on Monday last the inquiry was adjourned in order to allow of a post-mortem examination being made.
That had been made by Dr Prosser, in conjunction with Dr Holmes, and the contents of the stomach had been sent for the purpose of analysis to a qualified analyst. Statements of witnesses, who would be able to give evidence if necessary, had been taken by his officer, but he did not propose to go into the evidence that morning. In his opinion it would be advisable for the jury to have the result of the post-mortem before them, and then they would be better able to judge what further evidence was necessary.
Dr R A S Prosser gave formal evidence as to a post-mortem examination being made, and stated that the result of the analysis would be known on Thursday next.
At this point Mr John Price, solicitor, Birmingham, addressed the Coroner.
"With your permission I beg to state that I appear for the widow and relatives of the deceased. I wish to call your attention to some publications that have been made in a paper published in Birmingham, and which is called the 'Despatch'. I should like you to look at them, because one of the statements is headed 'Surprising evidence expected at the inquest.' I need hardly say that such reports as these should not appear in a newspaper whilst an inquiry is pending in your court, and I should like an expression of opinion from you as to such statements being made in the press. I have brought the papers if you will kindly look at them."
The Coroner: "I do not think it is necessary for me to refer to them. I have not seen any reference in any paper myself, but I may say that it is against the law for any newspapers to comment on, or circulate any statements pending an inquiry at a court of law. If they do so, they do it at thheir own risk. It is a great misfortune that there is not some way of checking this sort of thing. It is a very great pity that this is done, but there is a legel (sic) remedy, and therefore it is not necessary for me to say anything further than that I strongly object to it myself.
Mr J Osborne (foreman): "I very much regret this, and I think it is a very unmanly action for anyone to meet here and then after leaving to open the eyes of the press."
The incident then closed, and it was decided to again adjourn the inquiry until Monday, the 14th inst.
[The Coroner, who had not read what has appeared in the "Despatch", was obviously speaking under a misapprehension, as no "comment" upon the case whatever has been made in this paper. Nothing has been published on the subject which did not appear to be legitimate public information. As to the objection of Mr Osborne to "opening the eyes of the press", it is one which neither the press nor the public can be expected to share. - Editor, "Evening Despatch."]

[kiterunner]

Birmingham Weekly Post, Saturday, April 19, 1902
DEATH OF AN ASTON PUBLICAN
The Coroner's enquiry into the death of Mr Alfred Chilton, of No 1, Dolman Road, Aston, a brewer's traveller and formerly a publican, was concluded at the White Swan public-house, Victoria Road, on Monday. Deceased died on the 27th of March, and it will be remembered that at the opening of the inquest a few days later, an adjournment was decided upon in order that a post-mortem examination might be made of the body. This was done, and certain parts of the stomach being sent to an analyst, a further adjournment of the enquiry was ordered. Mr Price, junr, watched the proceedings on behalf of the family of the deceased. Mr J J W Wilmshurst, the coroner, reviewed the evidence previously given. Deceased's wife, he said, had stated that on the day before his death her husband was suffering from a cold and an attack of bronchitis, but did not appear to be seriously ill. A niece, Miss Homer, stated that during the afternoon she went upstairs, and at about half-past-five found her uncle, as she thought, sleeping. Going up an hour afterwards, she noticed that he was cold. She went down and told her aunt, Miss King, but nothing further, said the Coroner, appeared to ahve been done for about an hour. The niece and her aunt both stated that Mr Chilton had nothing to eat during the day, but some cough lozenges and cough mixture were taken to him. Mr Wilmshurst added that Miss King made certain contradictory statements, and on account of that fact and the report received from the medical officer, it was thought advisable thhat a post-mortem examination should be made. Mr Spillsbury, analyst, had reported as to his analysis of certain contents of the stomach and viscera, and it was not considered necessary to call him as a witness. -The Coroner, in summing up, remarked that it seemed strange that the deceased should have been left alone as he was. Had he been attended more regularly, and induced to take some food, his life might, perhaps, have been spared. - After a brief consultation the jury returned a verdict that death was due to failure of the heart's action, consequent upon exhaustion.

[kiterunner]

Also I don't think they mentioned that Alfred left a will - probate granted 8 May 1902 to Agnes, effects £1557 16s. I think they only mentioned Thomas's will.

[Ann from Sussex]

The death of Alfred was very much glossed over in the programme which I've just watched again. Rose asked what he died from and the historian said "It was almost like heart failure from exhaustion" which was a very vague way of putting it, to say the least. No mention was made of his illness or the protracted business of the inquest. I wonder if the family didn't want that included? It reads to me as though the poor man was neglected by the sister in law and niece who were supposed to be looking after him when, presumably, his wife was busy running the pub. There doesn't seem to have been any explanation for the handerkerchieves tied tightly round his neck which may have strangled him which never got a mention in the final report. It all seems a bit odd.

[Olde Crone]

Ann

Yes, I thought the lack of mention of the handkerchiefs was very odd, to say the least. Also I wondered what was in the cough medicine and cough lozenges, some of those were pretty lethal back then if taken in large quantities.

OC

[Anstey Nomad]

"Mr Spillsbury, analyst"

Would that be Sir Bernard Spilsbury, born in Leamington Spa in 1877 and therefore of some note locally?

[Olde Crone]

Yes, but wasn't he discredited fairly recently?

OC