Mexborough and Swinton Times, December 12, 1902

Strange Case of Poisoning At West Melton.

George Moorhouse, aged 46, shunter, of Concrete Cottages, West Melton, died on Saturday evening under the following circumstances.

He had returned home on December 1st from working looking very strange. He could not rest, and his wife borrowed a bottle of medicine from Lydia Hunstone, a neighbour, and gave the deceased about eight drops. Moorhouse remained in bed, and was attended by Dr. Atkin, of Wombwell, on the Tuesday, who, having to go away from home, advised that if the deceased became worse Dr. Burman should be called in.

At that time the deceased seemed to be better on in his mind. He became worse, however, on December 5th, and the wife borrowed the same bottle of medicine, which contained laudanum, and as the deceased had apparently dropped asleep she left it on the dressing table by the bed. There was nearly an ounce of laudanum in the bottle, which was duly labelled. She also left a gill bottle containing whiskey near it, and went downstairs to get supper ready. She heard the deceased out of bed five minutes later. She and her son Harry, aged 18 years, went up, and the deceased was walking about. The laudanum bottle was empty. When asked what he was doing out of bed the deceased said, “I don’t know,” and further questioned he said, “I have taken on laudanum.” Dr. Milne, assistant to Mr. Burman of Wath, was sent for but the deceased died on Saturday morning.

The inquest was held at the Bull’s Head, Brampton Brierlow, on Tuesday, before Mr. D. Wightman, coroner. Mr. G. P. Chapman was foreman of the jury. After hearing the evidence, to the effect stated above, the jury returned a verdict “That the deceased administered an overdose of laudanum while being in an unsound state of mind.”