Sheffield Independent – Monday 09 January 1899
Sad Effects of Drink.
An inquest was held, before Mr. F. E- Nicholson, coroner, at the Station Hotel, Conisbro’, on the body of Sarah Hobson, wife of John Hobson, labourer, living in Glasshouse row, Conisbro’.
The husband said he last saw his wife alive on Tuesday. She was then ill in bed. He went to work, leaving mother with her. When he returned from work the same afternoon, his wife was dead.
On the 24th ult. Dr Garratt was called in to see his wife. She was then unconscious, and in bed. On the previous night she was lying on the floor in the house, unconscious. He lifted her up and exclaimed, “What! drunk again!” He went for a neighbour, but the person would not go to her. He then put his wife to bed. She remained unconscious from Thursday till Saturday, and then she came round a little. He went to Doncaster for her mother, Elizabeth Parsons. About three weeks ago he picked her up drunk at the bottom of the stairs. The last time he struck her was five weeks ago. The police had been railed in. When they had quarrelled his wife had refused to give him in charge.
ln answer to further questions, the witness said they had been unhappy for seven years, and had often quarrelled; he had good reason to doubt his wife’s faithfulness.
Elizabeth Parsons, of 24, Alma ‘ street, Doncaster, said while she was with her daughter she made no remarks about being hurt or anything else.
Dr. Craik, who had made a post- mortem examination along with Dr. Forster, said he had found a slight fracture of the jaw and a bruise on the right shoulder. All the organs were healthy, except the kidneys.
A verdict was returned to the effect that death was due to kidney disease.