SHROPSHIRE }

TO WIT           } 

  An Inquisition indented, taken for our Sovereign Lady the Queen, at the House known

By the sign of the Plough Inn, in the Township of Pontesbury, in the Parish of Pontesbury, in the County of Salop, on the thirteenth  Day of October in the fifteenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, before WILLIAM EDDOWES, Esquire, one of the Coroners of our said Lady the Queen, for the said County, on view of the body of John Pugh then and there lying dead, upon the Oaths of the undersigned

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-    -    -    -    -    -    - good and lawful Men of the said County, duly chosen, and who being now here duly sworn and charged to enquire for our said Lady the Queen, when, how, and by what means the said John Pugh came to his Death, do upon their Oaths say that the said John Pugh on the Twelfth Day of October, in the year aforesaid, in the Parish and County aforesaid, about One O'clock in the morning, being in a road leading to some fields, in the Parish aforesaid, having a gun in his hand loaded with shot and powder, whilst striking at a cat, it so happened the gun so loaded, accidentally, casually and by misfortune went off and was discharged and he, the said John Pugh, by means of the discharge and going off of the said gun as aforesaid, did then and there receive one frontal wound on the right side of his chest, of which said frontal wound, he, languished and did live about two hours, and then and there died.

                             In Witness whereof, as well as the said Coroner, as the Jurors

Aforesaid, have hereunto set their Hands and Seals the Day and Year first above written.

William Eddowes, Coroner            Unreadable Signature

Thomas Nichols                           Richd Owen

John France                                Richard Egerly ?

William Cartwright                      Benjamin Blower ?             1851   

Edward Tipton                            William ?????

William Deakin                          John Edwards
 

This document was kindly sent in by Duncan

The transcript that follows was from a report of the accident in the Shrewsbury Chronicle on Friday 17^th October 1851.

“Fatal Accident near Pontesbury

On Monday last an inquest was held at the plough Inn, Pontesbury, before William Eddowes Esq. coroner, on the body of John Pugh of Pontesbury Hill, who accidentally shot himself whilst out poaching about one o'clock in the morning of the 12^th past. His widow said she went to bed about eleven o'clock on Saturday night, leaving him up sewing a piece of white leather around the muzzle of his gun (a piece of white leather was found around the end of the gun); she had gone to sleep, and was awoke by him calling to her that he had shot himself, and that it was all over with him; she jumped out of bed screaming, and awoke the children, one of whom she sent to the nearest neighbour, who immediately went for medical assistance; this was about two o'clock. He was found on his house floor almost lifeless; a gunshot wound, the size of a crown piece, was found at the lower part of the right side of the chest, not far from the centre, filled with a portion of the right lung, which protruded through the wound several inches. There was also a gunshot wound in the right hand, the thick of the thumb being partially torn away. The whole of the charge remained in the chest; he was pulseless, and so exhausted that he could only now and then answer questions put to him, and then only with very great effort. He said he did it by striking at a cat in a field. He was told that he had but a very short time to live, and on being asked if he would like to see the Rev. Harrison, he said he should; he was immediately sent for; he arrived as soon as possible and rendered all the consolation in his power. He died about three o'clock, surviving the accident about two hours. On examining the place where it happened in the morning, it was found to be about a quarter of a mile from his house, and a great deal of blood was found about the place, so that he must have walked that distance after the accident, carrying the gun with him. Several gins were taken up by police constable Sampson near the place where the accident happened; a rabbit was caught in one of them. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.”
 

This document was kindly sent in by Duncan