FATAL ACCIDENT AT MERTON

A painful sensation has been occasioned in the village of Mitcham, Tooting, and Merton, by the death of Mr William Newman, of Mitcham, the well-known medical herb-grower.

On Tuesday morning, about 8 o’clock, some men in the employ of Mr B. Drewett, of Lower Tooting, were at work in a field near the single gate, at Merton, when they heard the smothered report of a gun. About 11 o’clock, business calling them to the farther end of the field, they perceived the body of a respectably dressed man lying across a ditch, with a recently discharged fowling-piece lying by his side.

The roof of the right side of his skull was blown completely off just above the ear, and the brains lay in the ditch a few inches apart from his head.

The men immediately procured assistance, and conveyed the deceased, who was recognized as Mr Newman, to the Victory Inn, Merton-lane.

It appeared that the deceased had left home early in the morning to shoot over his fields, and from the position in which the body was found, there is no doubt that whilst he was in the act of leaping the ditch, which is six feet wide, his foot slipped, and as he fell the trigger caught the hedge, and in a moment the deceased was hurried into eternity.

The deceased was 62 years of age, and has left a numerous family well provided for.

An inquest was held yesterday upon the body by Mr Carter, and a verdict of ‘Accidental Death’ returned.

An inquest was held on 3rd December 1846: cause of death Accidental Death

Source: Morning Advertiser – Thursday 03 December 1846 from the British Newspaper Archive (subscription required)