SWALLOWED WATCHES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3443, 7 February 1912, Page 10

SWALLOWED WATCHES.

FATAL EFFORT TO EARN MONEY BY CONJURING. Remarkable statements were made at an inquest at London Hospital in connection with the death of Lewis William Shannon, 59, a bootmaker, lately of Queen’s Road, Upton Park.—Rachel Shannon, the widow, stated that her husband went out and she heard nothing more of him for six days, when she was informed that he had undergone an operation. —Coroner: What is the meaning of all the things I have heard —buttons, stones, and marble^ — which were found in his stomach?- —• Witness: I dont’ know, sir.—Coroner: Was he a. conjurer? — Witness: I saw him ewallow some stones in a publichouse in Nottingham once, and he said it was .easily done. —Coroner : He must have had a better digestion than I have. (Laughter.) —Dr. William Brodie Angus (house surgeon) deposed that deceased! was brought to the hospital by a friend, with a history that he had been drinking and had swallowed three watches and other things, and had vomited two of the other watches.—Coroner : Did you find! the other watch ?- — Witness: No, sir. (Laughter.)—Witness added, that an operation was necessary, and several fair-sized stones and some marbles were extracted. Deceased died from broncho-pneumonia, accelerated by the operation, and chronic alcoholism. — Coroner: Did lie tell you why he swallowed these things?— Witness: Fie said lie was down on his luck, and to get some money he resorted to his old conjuring tricks and was not strong enough eo expel the stones or palm the watches. —Coroner: Well, it’s a very funny story—The jury returned a verdict of “Death by misadventure.”