Ulster Origins

Coleraine Chronicle – Saturday 06 April 1895  

Inquest on the body  

On Friday evening Dr. W.H. Caldwell, J.P., Coroner for Coleraine and district, held an inquest in a cottier-house owned by Mr Hugh Kennedy, at Macleary, on the body of Catherine Herald (aged 37 years), a single woman, who resided at Claggan, Landmore, Aghadowey, and who died that morning in the house of a labourer named Gaston, from the effects of exposure to cold and rain on the roadside at Macleary on the previous Wednesday night.  

Head-Constable Tilson, with Constable Gallagher, McLernon and McKeown, represented the authorities at the inquiry, and the following were sworn on the jury:- Messrs. John F. McLaughlin (foreman), David Love, Robert McCurdy, William Hanson, John Usher, James Crowe, John Mooney, John Forsythe, Robert Maxwell, Joseph McFetridge, Wm. Reid, Robert Patton, Thomas Miller, and Alex. McKinney.  

Jane Edmundson, the first witness stated that she lived at Castleroe. The deceased, Catherine Herald was her sister, and was about 37 years of age. She lived with her brother at Landmore. Witness went to see her on Wednesday morning by the 8.50 train from Coleraine, and remained all day. Deceased was apparently in her usual health.  

Between 5 and 6 o’clock witness and deceased left the house to go to the station. On looking over the bridge witness saw that it was 6.30, and came to the conclusion that the train had passed. Witness then said that she must walk home and her sister came with her.  

Darkness settled down when they reached Miss Holland’s Mill at Ballylintagh, or Collins. Her sister was all right up to that point, and they had been in no house on the way. When they reached Killure witness found that instead of going by the Gleneary Road, she had taken a wrong turn, but she knew she could get home by that way.  

Her sister then complained of weakness, and sank down on the road. Witness raised her and urged her to come on, but she said she was not able, and said she would have to sit down. Witness said she should not do that on such a wet night, but deceased said she must, and then she sat down on the side of the road, witness sitting down beside her.  

It was clear daylight before the witness rose up. Head-Constable Tilson –” How long was she ill after sitting down?” “I could not say. ” 

“Might she have been two hours ill?” “She might.”  

“Did she afterwards recover?” “Yes.”  

“Was it raining all that time?” “Yes.”  

“When she recovered did you try to bring her to any house?” “No.”  

“Did she say what ailed her?” “She asked me if I would go home now, and I said I would stay until it was clear, for it was very dark.”  

“Did you know the road you were on?” “Yes, but I was not aware I was so near a house. My sister only complained of weakness. ” 

“Did anyone pass you on the road?” “Yes.”  

“Did you speak to anyone?” “I asked one man what he wanted, as he was standing looking, but he never spoke at all.”  

“Did many people pass you?” “I could not say there were many. ” 

“Did you ask any of them for help?” “No.”  

“Why didn’t you?” “I didn’t want to. I thought she would be alright in half-an-hour or so.”  

“Had she had any drink that day?” “She had taken a little – not much – in my sister’s house. ” 

“Had you any along the way?” “No.”  

“Was she able to walk well enough?” “Yes.”  

“Had she been ill before this?” “I do not know that she had been ill, but she was delicate enough – not lying, but for some time past she had not been very strong.”  

Witness further stated that some time since, deceased had taken a weak turn while attending Coleraine chapel along with her.  

When it was breaking day on Thursday morning she tried to get deceased to come on home, as she appeared all right, but in ten minutes or so after starting she again took ill, and could not speak.  

Witness tried to get her up, but failed, and she then went to Mr Gaston’s house for assistance. When they got her in there witness sent for Dr. Caldwell, but he was engaged elsewhere. Dr. Morrison came to the house to see Mr. Gaston’s boy, and he attended to deceased.  

She never spoke but once after being taken into the house, and she died between twelve and one that morning.  

The Head-Constable – “Didn’t you think it strange, now, that you didn’t ask any of the people along the road for help?” “No; I didn’t wish to do that.”  

“Mustn’t you have been wet through?” “No; my inside clothes were not wet.”  

“Didn’t you see a light in some of the houses?” “No; I didn’t want to go to any place – I didn’t like to go. That’s all.”  

The Coroner – “Did she complain that day?” “No; she said it would be cold, when she wanted me to go home, but she was then all right and warm enough until morning.”  

A Juror remarked that it was a singular circumstance that the witness did not look out for shelter on such a wet night. Witness said she did not think her sister was so ill; if she had she would have looked for help.  

The Coroner – “Did she intend going with you when she left home?” “Not if I had caught the train.”  

Nancy McQuillan stated – “Deceased was my sister, and lived next door to me. I recollect my other sister, Mrs. Edmundson, coming to my house and then going to my sister’s. I didn’t see drink in her house that day, but from the time my sister came there were two half-pints of whiskey distributed over five people in my house. When leaving both of them were all right, but I thought they would be too late for the train. Deceased was ill about three weeks ago, but we thought it was just with the cold. She was always a delicate girl. “

Margaret Gaston, Macleary, said – “Mrs. Edmundson came to my door between five and six o’clock on Thursday morning, and I went with her to where her sister was leaning up against the ditch. She was very weak and helpless. My sister and daughter carried her to my house. Mrs. Edmundson said something about their having lost their way, and I said if she had come to our house that we were up all night with the child. If she had been looking she might have seen the light, but the shutters were on. In my house deceased had every attention and Dr. Morrison was in attendance on her. There was no appearance of drink on either deceased or her sister. She never spoke in my presence. Her teeth were closed all the time, and we could not get anything administered to her. ” 

Wm. James Gibson said he was on the road at Killure School House between 8:00 and 9:00 on Wednesday night. He passed two women there but did not know them. He thought there was something wrong with them as they appeared to be staggering across the road, but he did not know the cause. It was very dark and raining at the time. Witness remarked that it was a “sott evening” but they made no reply. When returning, witness saw them almost half a mile further along, standing in the middle of the road, but he did not speak to them. It was then about nine o’clock.  

Mr. Kennedy remarked that he observed two women on the road about 9.15 that night. Dr. H.S. Morrison, medical officer of Aghadowey dispensary district, said he came to the house at about two o’clock. The deceased was lying at the side of the fire, quite unconscious, and her hands and feet perfectly cold. She was quite exhausted and all her clothing was saturated with wet. Witness got her put to bed, rolled in dry blankets, gave her warm milk and whisky and did everything possible to restore circulation of the blood, but it was no use. So far as he could see, the woman died of exhaustion following the exposure to the cold and wet.  

Witness knew the deceased and that she was a somewhat delicate, badly nourished woman who could ill stand exposure on such a night as Wednesday.  

To a juror – Witness did not detect any smell of drink about deceased, and her sister was then quite sober. The jury found the deceased died from exhaustion following exposure to cold and wet. 

 Several jurors made remarks on the neglect of Mrs. Edmundson in not asking for assistance but they decided not to add anything to the verdict, as it might lead to proceedings against her, and they did not think her conduct amounted to (page cuts off here)