Contributed by Tony Swarbrick
Inquest Yesterday.
At the coroner’s court, yesterday, Mr. Clarke Aspinall inquired into the circumstances of the death of Malachi Dooley, thirty-five years of age, a jobbing plasterer, who lived at 109 Limekiln Lane.
Catherine Dooley, the widow of the deceased, stated that on Thursday evening last her husband was taken home by two men. He was unconscious at that time, but he partly recovered himself the next morning. He had two wounds at the back of his head. A couple of doctors saw him between the day he was taken home and the Sunday, and then he was removed to the Northern Hospital, where he died the following morning.
Three boys deposed that they saw Dooley with several men emerge from a public-house at the corner of Ennerdale street, in Bevington hill, and saw him knocked to the ground, and held whilst his head was knocked repeatedly on the pavement. They could not, however, identify the man who struck the blows.
Robert Legg, a labourer, stated that he was in the public-house in Ennerdale street, and there saw Malachi Dooley, John and Patrick Dunn, two men belonging to Garston, and a man named Connor. One of the men from Garston paid for drinks for the Dunns. A quarrel soon arose amongst the company. Witness spoke to one of the Dunns, and said: “These are two strangers. You ought to be glad to get a treat out of them instead of quarrelling with them.” Dunn made an offensive reply, and witness then struck him below the eye. The Garston men went away, and one of the Dunns said: “Let us follow them, and when we get them lower down we will pay them off.” Witness followed, but as soon as he got outside the Dunns threw him down, leaving him stunned by the fall. When he recovered, he saw Dooley lying on the ground, with the Dunns on top of him. They almost immediately afterwards ran away.
Mary Gilroy stated that she was a domestic servant at a house in Bevington Hill. She heard screams in that thoroughfare on Thursday evening, and on going out she saw Patrick Dunn lying across Dooley and knocking Dooley’s head against the floor by lifting the ears with both hands, John Dunn pulled his brother away, and they then ran off.
Robert D. Mothersole, surgeon at the Northern Hospital, stated that when the injured man was taken to him he found that he was insensible. The only injury that could be found was a cut at the back of his head. He died from concussion of the brain owing to injury to the head.
Patrick Dunn, after having been duly cautioned, made a statement to the coroner as follows :”On the night of the 20th, me and my brother went into the alehouse at the corner of Ennerdale street and had a pint of ale there with the two men from Garston. Next, at about nine o’clock, as we were coming out of the public house, Robert Legg struck my brother. A strange man afterwards, as we were going home, struck me in the left side. I staggered, and asked him what did he do it for. He made another attempt at striking me, and when he made the second attempt I made fight with him, and the two of us fell to the ground. When I got I walked away, as there was a crowd there, and I thought they might beat me. That is all I know.”
John Dunn stated that he knew nothing about Dooley being assaulted.
The jury retired and found a verdict of death in accordance with the views of the medical gentleman. Patrick Dunn was committed to the assizes charged with manslaughter, and was taken away by the Sub-inspector Hale, who had charge of the case
Old Liverpool 2009.