| 26
April 1902
OLDHAM MORTUARY SCANDAL
Two Corporation Workmen Discharged
The investigation of the conduct of Clayton YARDE
and Joseph COTTERELL, two Corporation servants,
who allowed an exhibition to be made at the public
mortuary at Rhodes Bank, of the body of the murdered
woman Elizabeth MARSLAND, on April 7th, was considered
at a special meeting of the Health Committee on
Wednesday night. — Alderman SIMISTER presided
and told COTTERELL he had not given a true account
of the affair. COTTERELL, in reply to questions,
said he did not know the names of the three gentlemen
who came first to the mortuary. He did not see any
snapshots taken.
YARDE was examined, and said the three men stated
that they thought the body was that of Alderman
SIMISTER's son, who committed suicide. A large number
who entered were under the same impression. Other
people on seeing people leave said they had a right
to enter. — The Chairman: It is a great scandal.
How many did you let in all the day? — Witness:
Between 50 to 70. He received 3s 6d and shared with
COTTERELL. — Some of the members said they
thought both men were telling lies. — Councillor
GRIMES said that people had been seen with snapshots
in their hands. — The men were discharged
from the Corporation's employ.
HE WANTED IT FAIR AND
SQUARE
A coachman in the service of Sir W———
was very fond of taking a drop of stimulant now
and then, trying at the same time not to let his
master know it. One night the master had given a
party, and after it was over he called his servant
to him and said: "Now, John, if you walk on
a chalk line which I will make, I will give you
five shillings." The coachman agreed; but when
the line was drawn he turned to his master and said:
"Don't be trying to have me; make one line."
CORONATION CELEBRATIONS
AT ASHTON
We are informed that the sub-committee appointed
from the General Purposes Committee to arrange for
the Coronation festivities have decided to give
a medal to all Sunday school scholars joining the
proposed procession. The age limit has been fixed
at 15 years, so that any scholars over that age
who may wish to wear a medal will no doubt have
the option of buying one.
The medal selected is of pleasing design, bearing
on the obverse busts of the King and Queen and on
the reverse the borough arms, for which a special
die will have to be prepared, surrounded by a suitable
inscription. Those presented to the children will
be fitted with a suspended, composed of white metal
bars and tri-coloured red, white, and blue ribbon.
Others unpierced and without suspenders may be obtained
in bronze, silver, and gold, fitted in cases, but
only on order placed with the honorary secretaries.
Doubtless many will take the opportunity of securing
a Coronation souvenir before the die is destroyed,
as we understand it will be after a certain number
of medals have been struck off. In addition to this
each Sunday school is to be subsidised at the rate
of threepence per head for every teacher and scholar
on the registers of such schools as consent to join
the united procession.
We venture, however, to think that the great difficulty
which will face the committee will be the musical
one. Every town will require bands of one description
or another, and this fact has long since been recognised,
for it is well-known that terms have risen in some
cases to a prohibitive point. Music is all very
well when it is of good quality, but no one likes
to pay an unreasonable price for what at the best
is but a "transient joy," and the committee
will no doubt consider whether — rather than
pay high terms for music — they could not
make better use of their funds by increasing their
grants to the schools, and so enable the authorities
to give the children a right royal field day such
as would be a pleasing and lifelong memory.
HURST
BOTH WERE DEFENDING THEMSELVES. —
Charles GLOVER and George CUSACK were before the
Ashton county justices on Wednesday, charged with
committing a breach of the peace at Hurst on April
5th. — Both pleaded guilty in self-defence.
— A constable stated that at 11.15pm on the
Saturday night in question he saw two defendants
fighting in Hillgate-street. Each blamed the other.
— Defendant GLOVER said that CUSACK got hold
of him and hit him, and he tried to get loose. —
CUSACK said that the bother commenced in a fried
fish shop, and when they went outside, GLOVER struck
him. — Defendants were bound over in 40s to
keep the peace for three months.
CHILD SMOTHERED IN
DOUGH AT TAUNTON
Annie Elizabeth BRAMALL, a year and ten months old,
the daughter of Joseph BRAMALL, Earnshaw-street,
Taunton, Ashton-under-Lyne, met with a singular
death on Wednesday afternoon. The child's mother
left a mug of dough standing on a chair, and in
her temporary absence deceased climbed upon another
chair and fell face downwards into the dough, being
quite dead when discovered a few minutes afterwards
by her mother.
The inquest was held at the Waterloo Inn, Waterloo,
yesterday (Friday) afternoon by Mr J F PRICE, District
Coroner.
Annie Elizabeth BRAMALL, wife of Joseph BRAMALL,
pork butcher, 20 Earnshaw-street, Waterloo, said
the deceased child was one year and ten months old.
The child had never had good health. On Wednesday
afternoon witness had been kneading dough which
she left in a mug on a chair in the house. She placed
another chair close by for protection. The dough
reached up to within about an inch or two of the
rim of the mug. The child had previously tried to
get at the dough whilst in the mug on the rug.
Witness went to a neighbour's house across the road,
and was away about five minutes. On her return she
found deceased lying with her face embedded in the
dough and one hand grasping each side of the mug.
Her feet were hanging down by the side, nearly touching
the chair. From the position of the child witness
presumed that she had climbed upon the chair, and
whilst looking down at the dough had overbalanced
herself. Witness snatched the child up and shook
her, but there was no evidence of life, and she
placed on the rug and sent for a doctor, who was
out at the time, but arrived later on.
Sergeant DOVE deposed to going to the house of the
last witness and seeing the child lying on the couch.
Both the child's arms were covered with dough, and
there was also a piece of dough on the right cheek.
Witness tried artificial respiration for nearly
an hour without avail. The jury returned a verdict
of accidental death.
ASHTON COUNTY POLICE
AT TEA
On Tuesday evening the 23rd instant, the second
half of the members of the Ashton-under-Lyne Division
County Police Cricket and Football Club, with their
wives and sweethearts, to the number of about sixty,
sat down to tea at the Co-operative Hall, Hurst,
the catering again being in the capable hands of
Messrs J ANDREW and Son, Ashton.
Mr Inspector HUMPHREYS, of Audenshaw, presided over
the entertainment in the absence of Mr Superintendent
HEWITT, owing to pressure of duty. The Inspector
said the club had done very well in their charitable
efforts. £110 had been handed over to the
various charities. He was very glad to see Mr George
and Mr Willie BOOTH present. — Mr Inspector
CLARKE supported the chairman. — Sergeants
DOVE (Waterloo), SHEA, Mc DIARMID (Denton), HOBSON
(Mossley) also spoke. — Thanks were passed
to the chairman, Mr Inspector CLARKE (treasurer),
and Sergeant HALLIWELL (secretary) for the excellent
work they had done for the club, on behalf of whom
replies were made.
During the evening dancing was indulged in, selections
on the giant gramophone (kindly lent by Mr HIRST),
songs by Mr Dom FAVIER, Miss HIRST, Miss GORST,
of Mossley, and Mr WESTWOOD (who also supplied ping
pong articles), Sergeant HALLIWELL, Constable WOODS
(of Hooley Hill who came by special request), Constables
GLEDHILL, FRASER, SHOESMITH, SCRAGG and WINDESTT:
Sergeant HALLIWELL also rendered a recitation entitled
"A comedy at St Peter's Gate."
Sergeant McDIARMID proposed a vote of thanks to
Inspector CLARKE and Sergeant SHEA for the very
satisfactory manner in which they had arranged the
parties. It was Sergeant SHEA who first originated
having them, and it was very creditable to them
both affairs had been so successful. The arrangements
could not be in more capable hands. They had surmounted
great difficulties in procuring such excellent talent.
Constable McKNIGHT, in a few chosen words, seconded
the vote of thanks, which was well received.
Just before the company dispersed Mr CLARKE proposed
that the best thanks of the company be given to
their superintendent (Mr HEWITT) for his kindness
in allowing them to have these meetings. He had
seen the superintendent that morning, and could
assure them that they had his very best wishes,
and that he hoped they would all enjoy themselves,
though he was sorry he could not be with them that
evening.
Sergeant DOVE said that he had been in this division
for about seven years, and he hoped he would be
in it when he was pensioned. He was sure it was
a pleasure to their superintendent to be in a position
to allow them these privileges. A vote of thanks
to Mr Dom FAVIER, Miss HIRST, Miss GORST, Mr HIRST,
which Mr FAVIER acknowledged, brought the evening
to a close. |
