[from the Medical Aid and Poor Relief Commission Report - 1879]

APPENDIX V.- Report of Inquest on JOHN BRIDSON (copied from of Isle of Man Times June 1st, 1878.)

An inquest was held before the High- Bailiff of Castletown and a jury at Cross Four ways, Malew, on Saturday last to inquire as to the cause of death of John Bridson, who had been found in a field in a dying state on the same morning.

William Clague deposed : This morning, about five o'clock, when passing along the road from Ballabeg towards Cross Four-ways, I saw a person in the field adjoining Cain's house. He seemed to be in a sitting posture, and was moving down the field towards Malew Church. He had no clothing on, and I surprised to see a person in such a condition, and I called out to him, upon which he turned his head and then went on. I then went to the house of William Gawne, and aroused him. I told him of the man being in the field, and he said he supposed it was the cripple who lived with Cain in the next house, as he often got out from them. I waited to see if Gawne was going to his assistance, and as he did not come at once, I went down to where he was in the field, and asked him if he was cold. He said he was. I then asked him if he had been put out by his parents, and he said,"Get behind me, Satan." I spoke to him several times, but could get no intelligible replies from him. I then went back to Gawne, and he said he had been down and told John Clague, who works for Parson Gill.

William Gawne deposed : I was called up by last witness about five o'clock this morning, and he said a naked man was in the field near to Cain's house. It struck me that it would be the cripple named John Bridson, who lived with Cain. I went to Thomas Flinn's, but he was ill, and could not go with me. I went to John Clague's, and he said he could do nothing with him. I wanted him to go and rap the Vicar up, and he would not do so. I returned and met William Clague in the road, and he told me the man was down the field close by the Parson's garden. I then went to where the crippled man was in the field, and spoke to him, but did not get any answer. I sent word to Cain's people to tell them where Bridson was. This was about six o'clock. The morning was cold, and the corn in the field was wet. I got a shirt warmed at the fire to go and put it on Bridson, and just then Cain's wife came up with some clothes, and I then did no more, but left Cain's wife to attend to him. She said he must have torn the shirt off him. She went to him with the clothes she had, and left them near to him. I went, about ten minutes after she had left him, to where he lay, and he was then quite dead. When I found that he was dead, I went to my work, but before going I saw Cain and his wife both going down to where he was lying.

Rev. H.S. Gill, vicar of Malew, deposed : I have known deceased for two years past. He was 49 years of age, and had been employed in the iron mines near Carnforth, in England. He was a cripple, and I believe the cause of the injury from which he suffered was rheumatism contracted in the mines. He had 5s. a week from an Oddfellows lodge, and had 10s. per month from the church collection. He has been very eccentric in his way, and was very violent in his language. He often quarrelled with the people with whom he lodged. In April last he lived at Ballasalla, and got out one evening, and by the aid of two pieces of wood travelled about a mile and a half towards Grenaby. His limbs were contracted, and he was quite unable to stand upright. On that occasion he had been locked in, but had made his escape unknown to the people with whom he lived. That night he slept in an outhouse at Ballakewne. I saw him next day, and he said he would not go back to where he had lived. I then had him put into a small house temporarily, and afterwards I arranged with Mrs. Cain that she should take him in to lodge with her at 7s. 6d. a week, As soon as I heard this morning of the occurrence, I went at once, within five minutes after receiving information from James Cain, to where the body of the deceased was lying, in Skybright Hill. This would be about ten minutes past six o'clock, and he was then quite dead. The coat and trousers were thrown over the body. The body was then removed to Cain's house. In my opinion, from the speed at which the crippled man could go, it would take several hours for him to get from Cain's house to where he was found.

Dr. Clague deposed : I have examined the body of deceased and found a large bedsore over the projection of the hip joint; also a sore on the left knee joint. There has been a permanent contraction of both hip and knee joints caused by chronic rheumatism. From the evidence given, in my opinion, death was caused by exposure to cold. I had attended him some time ago professionally.

Margaret Cain deposed : I am wife of James Cain, labourer, of Cross Four-ways. Deceased, John Bridson, has lived with us for eight or ten weeks past. He always kept his bed except when he was being changed. He was not ill in any way beyond being crippled in his limbs. This morning Gawne's boy came to the door and said Bridson was down in Skybright Hill field naked. I put on part of my clothing, and took some of his clothes down to Bridson, and told him to put them on. I then went to the Vicarage, but none of the people of the house were up at that time. I understood from him that he could dress and undress himself, but had not his clothes on during the time he lived with us. He was never out during the time he was with us. He got share of the same food we had ourselves. His bed was a straw one, and he had a sheet, two blankets, a quilt, and a pillow for his head. After coming back from the vicarage, I got my husband, and we both went down to him again, and he was then dead.

Verdict: "Death from exposure."

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