Inquest into the Death of George Rose

Island of Tasmania (4065) 3 Aug 1857

(To Wit)

Information on oath of Witnesses taken this Third day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight Hundred and fifty seven at the house of Thomas Aherne Known as the Sign of the “Queens Arms” Situate in Harrington Street at Hobart Town in the Island of Tasmania before me Algernon Burdett Jones Esquire one of Her Majesty’s Coroners for the said Island and its dependencies on view of the body George Rose then lying dead as follows.

To Wit –

The Information on oath of Joshua Moore who saith I am a Licensed Victualler and live in McQuarie Street Hobart Town – I have this day at the same time as the Coroner and Jury and Mr. Smart now present seen the body of George Rose lying dead at the Brown Bear Public House at the corner of Harrington and Bathurst Streets – Deceased was a Licensed Victualler and about forty eight years of age – He was Landlord of the Brown Bear – I have known him about seven or eight years – The last time I saw him alive was about three weeks ago – He was then at his own house – He appeared then to be most as well as ever I saw him, He appeared to be in good health – I called at the Brown Bear several times subsequently, but never saw him – I did not ask where he was because I did not know he was ill but one morning I rode up to the door, and there was a man sitting in the parlour. I believe his name to be Charles Young, that is the man now present (Charles Young) This man drew back as if He did not want me to see him – It struck me that Mr. Rose was in the house ill – I said nothing but I inquired the next morning of Mrs. Rose where Mr. Rose was – She said – “He is poorly he has been drinking again. He is not drinking now, he is suffering from the influence of the drink he has been taking” – The next morning I called again. I did not see Mrs. Rose – I saw a woman there. That is the woman now present (Elizabeth Thompson) Inquired for Mr. Rose. She said he is much the same – The next morning I called again – I saw Mrs. Rose then – I inquired of her for Mr. Rose – She said – “He is very poorly, we have got the Doctor in the house again” – The same day I met Mr. Smart in the street – I asked him how Mr. Rose was – Mr. Smart said it was impossible for him (Mr. Rose) to recover as he was not in his senses – I cannot say say anything more about this time – I can say something about some time back – About eight months ago I called at the Brown Bear and asked for Mr. Rose – Mrs. Rose said he was poorly, he had been drinking – I replied – “I have never known him to drink” – She said – “He is not suffering from what he has taken now but from what he has been taking” – I had called two or three times before – and had received the same answer – I asked to see Mr. Rose – Mrs. Rose said – “He will be down in a day or so, he is feeling better” – The morning after she said this as near as I can recollect – I called on horseback and I could hear Mr. Rose shouting – I could not understand what he was saying exactly, but I asked Mrs. Rose – Mrs. Rose’s reply was – “He is calling for the little girl Sarah” – I went away then – I called the next day morning and I asked Mrs. Rose to let me see Mr. Rose – She said – “No you cannot see him this morning” – I asked her the reason – Her reply was – “He is not fit to be seen” – I said – “Well Mrs. Rose, I have known you a long time and I did not think you would deny me seeing him” – She said no more then – I went back in the middle of the day and asked to see him again – Mrs. Rose denied my seeing of him again. Then I went and looked for Mr. Vickers. I did not find him until the evening and went to the Brown Bear followed by Constable Vickers – When he came in, I asked Mrs. Rose, in Vicker’s presence, to let me see Mr. Rose – She called me out of the room into the Bar – She said – “Mr. Moore, why do you want to see him tonight particularly – you can see him in the morning” – I replied – “I came on purpose to see him and see him I must” – Then she opened the chamber door and walked up and I followed her – as soon as we had got to the top of the stairs and to the door of the room in which he was lying so that he could hear there was someone come up into the room – He shouted – “Mary don’t hurt me” – She walked up to him immediately and said – “Here is Mr. Moore” – He was in a frightful state – The corners of his mouth were dried and parched and the front of his shirt was stiff with something that made it brown, and which looked as if it were something he had spilled over himself or had thrown up after taking it – He was sensible – He said – “Well Mr. Moore, I am very glad to see you” – he then said – “Mary give me a drink” – I said – “Mr. Rose, you should not ought to drink” – Mrs. Rose gave him a drink – What she gave him was in a tumbler by the side of the bed – After he had drunk if it, I smelled it and from the smell of it, struck me it was Sherry – I asked Mrs. rose too if it were not Sherry [wine] and she said “Yes” to me – I asked Mrs. Rose if it would not be better for him to take some nourishment – he said – “Yes if I could get it – she will not give me anything but drink and that she will pour down my throat” – I turned to Mrs. Rose who was present and said – “I am very sorry to see Mr. Rose as he is– I would not use a dog as you have been using him” – Her reply was – “Do you think I have been doing anything wrong towards him” – I said – “I don’t want to think, I am quite sure in my own opinion” – She made no reply. (ABJ) She said – “Mr. Rose is telling stories” – The I asked Mr. Rose if he would not wish some medical attendance – He said – “She will not let anyone come” – She said – “It is an untruth” – Then I asked Mr. Rose who he would wish for, I would soon fetch some one – He said – “I would like to see Doctor Smart” – I then said – “I will go for Mr. Smart” – and I left the house with Mr. Vickers and we both went straight to Mr. Smart’s house – I saw Mr. Smart and told him the case, and that Mr. Rose wished him to go and see him and that I did so too – Mr. Smart said he would go and that he had attended Mr. Rose before – This was about eight months ago – Vickers did not go upstairs with me – I had previously to this asked Mrs. Rose if any medical man were attending on Mr. Rose and she said – “No, there is no occasion – It is only through drink – he will be up in a day or two” – She said too – “He will not have any one” – When I saw him in bed eight months ago – He had not strength to raise himself in bed, and was all trembling like – He he had not the use of his arms – I think – but I am not certain of this – I had left an account, a bill at the Brown Bear – I collect accounts for Mr. Pascoe the Brewer – to whom the Brown Bear belongs – Mrs. Rose dealt with Mr. Pascoe for Beer – Mrs. Rose was in arrears for two months Rent eight months ago– He had paid this before he was last taken ill – Mrs. Rose paid it the day after I had sent Mr. Smart to the house, but she did [not] do so till after Mr. Pascoe had sent up Mr. Robb – I did not insist on seeing Mrs. Rose on account of the Rent being due but because I thought there was something wrong as to the treatment he was receiving from Mrs. Rose – There was money due for her too and that account is standing unpaid now – After I had sent Doctor Smart to see Mr. Rose – I went the day after with Mr. Pascoe to the Brown Bear, and was present there when I heard Mr. Pascoe ask Mrs. Rose for the Rent – he said to her – “You must pay the two months Rent and I will let the Beer account stand” – She said – “I cannot pay it, I have not sufficient money” – Mr. Pascoe said – “What do you do with all the money you sell the beer – you are murdering Mr. Rose” – She said – “How dare you say such a thing as that” – His reply was – “There is proof enough of it and if he die, I shall try and see [unto] it all I know” – She said no more – Mr. Pascoe told her that if she did not pay the rent he would send the bailiffs and he went away – He sent Mr. Robb and Mrs. Rose paid paid the rent – Mr. Pascoe did not ask to see Mr. Rose – He could not have done so with my hearing him – I heard him say to Mrs. Rose – “You want to get all the money then bolt” – She replied – “You are talking too fast”– or something to that effect – At the time Mrs. Rose denied me seeing Mr. Rose the first time, I might have given [in] the account for a months Rent – I cannot say whether I gave it in before Mr. Rose was taken ill or not – but I believe I gave it to Mrs. Rose – I remember Mr. Rose before he went to England the last time – That is between two or three years ago – He has not kept the Royal Oak since he came back – The “Brown Bear” is the only Public House he has kept since he has returned from England – Mr. Pascoe has served him with beer ever since he has been there and I have been in the habit of calling there for Orders and for Cash – I have seen Charles Young in the house – I saw him there constantly while Mr. Rose was first ill – then after Mr. Rose got well, I did not see Young there too often until Mr. Rose fell ill again – I know of my own knowledge that Charles Young lived at the Royal Oak while Mr. Rose was in England the first time – That is about five years ago – Mr. Rose was absent then about twelve months – Mr. Pascoe served the house with beer during that time and I called for orders – Young acted as Master of the house – He never paid me any money – but he gave orders – Had I not known Mr. Rose I should have considered Young to have been the Master of the house – I cannot say there was any improper intimacy between Young and Mrs. Rose After Mr. Rose got well about eight months ago, he thanked me for what I had done and said he was satisfied he would not have been alive had I not looked after him and sent Doctor Smart to him – Mr. Pascoe was present then – Mrs. Rose was not – He said too – “I do not know how I came to be in bed or that I have been drinking” – Joshua Moore

Sworn before me
this Third day of
August 1857
A B Jones
Coroner

The Information on oath of Sarah Rose who saith I am the daughter of George Rose and Mary Ann Rose.

This witness not examined in consequence of the Jury expressing themselves satisfied.
A B Jones
Coroner
3rd August 1857

The Information on oath of Elizabeth Thompson who saith I am a House Servant and live at Mrs. “Rose” of the “Brown Bear” Public House in Harrington street at Hobart Town. I have this day at the same as the Coroner, Doctor Smart, the Jury and witnesses Joshua Moore, Charles Young, Mary Ann Rose, and Sarah Rose, seen the body of a man lying dead in a room at the Brown Bear Public House. I know it to be the body of George Rose, he was the late Landlord of the “Brown Bear” Public House. I have been living there for the last four months. The deceased was in good health at that time, and was to until about a month afterwards until he took ill and was confined to his bed for a fortnight, and was then attended by Doctor Smart, the deceased afterwards recovered and seemed to be in his usual state of health for three weeks, when he took a relapse of his former illness. I don't know what he complained of, I did not hear the deceased say what his complaint was nor did I hear any other person say so. The deceased was confined to his bed for four weeks previous to his death which took place on Thursday last the thirtieth of last month, during which time the deceased was unable to leave his bed. Doctor Smart attended the deceased daily for about ten days before he died. I attended the deceased occasionally when he was ill with a little porter and brandy at the request of the deceased. I am not aware that Doctor Smart ever or declined the deceased any Brandy, Mrs. Rose was in the habit of attending her late husband, I know her to have given the deceased some porter and brandy as I did. He was unable to leave his bed. He was able to sit up in the bed or to get out of the bed and go to the table and help himself to anything he wanted till within the last fortnight or three weeks – When Mrs. Rose was busy at the Bar, I had to attend on him – When I was busy at the kitchen, Mrs. Rose had to do so – He had been about a fortnight in bed when Mr. Smart was sent for the last time – It was against his will that Mr. Smart was sent for – Mrs. Rose slept in a room adjoining the one he was in with her daughter – There was a door between the two – I have known Mrs. Rose refuse to let him have any liquors after the Doctor had refused (ABJ) ordered him not to have them – but I never heard her refuse him anything else – He had plenty of bedding – Three pair of blankets and a counterpane – He had beef tea and mutton broth – He had hot bricks and a can of hot water to his feet – Mrs. Rose attended on him cheerfully – His flannels were changed – Elizabeth Thompson.

Sworn before me this Third
day of August 1857
A B Jones
Coroner

The Information on oath of Thomas Christie Smart – Who saith I am a legally qualified Medical Practitioner and live in McQuarie Street at Hobart Town – I have this day at the same time as the Jury and Coroner and Joshua Moore – Eliza Thompson & Mary Ann Rose – Sarah Rose – and Charles Young – seen the body of George Rose lying dead at the Brown Bear Public House in Hobart Town. I have this day seen the body of a man which I know to be that of the late George Rose who kept the public house known as the Brown Bear – I have attended the late George Rose and his family professionally for the last four or five years – within the last two years he became very intemperate in his habits – and suffered from delirium tremens to a great extent on several occasions. He was under my care for a period of a month or five weeks – about eight or ten months ago when I did not expect that he would recover, he was so ill. He had subsequent attacks of delirium tremens for which I also attended him – I was called to see the late Mr. Rose on or about the 26 of last month or about four days previous to his death – I found him upstairs in bed in the same room whence the body is now lying – He was powerless and almost speechless and appeared to be dying from the long continued effects of drink – his pulse was nearly gone and his extremities were cold and and he was constantly calling for drink. I gave very particular directions to Mrs. Rose for his treatment and also ordered a small allowance of stimulants for him but gave no hope of his recovery – I visited him daily up to the time of his death which took place about ten o’clock on the morning of the 30th of July last. I have this day made a post–mortem examination of the body of the late George Rose – I saw no marks of violence on the body – the stomach contained a little fluid which had a strong smell of alcoholic drink – the stomach appeared to have been the seat of chronic inflammation but there was no ulceration of the [coats] of the stomach – The liner was a cinnamon colour and much hardened in structure, the other viscera were healthy. The internal appearances I have described are such as are usually found in drunkards – I cannot say how long a course of hard drinking would produce them – I cannot say that the deceased was addicted to excessive drinking of alcoholic drinks previous to two years ago – When I say that I gave Mrs. Rose very particular orders as to his treatment, I mean as to his having proper nourishment such as beef tea also the application of external heat to his extremities, and that he should have cleaned, warm flannels put on – I have no reason to believe that my directions were not attended to – In fact I know that part of them were done viz that he had fresh flannels and clothing – I know also that the stimulants I ordered for him were given to him – He never complained to me of any ill treatment from his wife but once about eight months ago while while he was labouring under delirium tremens, he stated that everything they gave him was poison and he would not then take anything from her – He was not then in his right senses – He subsequently after he had quite recovered, contradicted all that he had said respecting his wife’s bad treatment and said he did not know what could have made him say so – He told me so once in presence of his wife and once when he and I were alone – He seemed to do so quite freely of his own accord – It was Mrs. Rose sent for me on subsequent occasions – I have attended him once if not twice during the period of his being ill eight or ten months ago and his last illness – He acknowledged to me on the last occasions that he had taken the drink of his own accord. He said he knew he was doing wrong and said he would never do it again – I cannot say that I ever saw Mrs. Rose treat him with any harshness – Her attention was divide between the business and her husband and I advised her to get someone to attend on him – She did so on one occasion to the best of my recollections – That was eight months ago – On all subsequent occasions she attended on him herself – His death was the result of exhaustion from delirium tremens and the long continued use of alcoholic liquors – He had been ill some time before I saw him this last time – I judge so from the exhausted state in which I found him. He knew me when I went in, called me by name and begged hard for a drink – He was certainly not intoxicated then – I have no reason to believe that more stimulants than necessary were given to him while under my treatment – He was helpless while ill and required assisting like an infant – Everything had to be put to his mouth for him – I asked Mrs. Rose how long he had been confined to his bed this last time before she sent for me – She said, I think to the best of my recollections, about three or four weeks – To the best of my recollection, I asked her how long he had been drinking – She said he had been upstairs three or four weeks – I cannot say that I should have saved him had I been called in sooner – I should have had a better chance of doing so – I think a medical man ought to have been called in sooner – Mr. C. Smart – Surgeon

Sworn before me this
Third day of August 1857
A B Jones
Coroner

TASMANIA (4065) 3 Aug 1857 (TO WIT.)

An Inquisition indented taken for our Sovereign Lady the Queen at the house of Thomas Aherne known by the sign of the Queen’s Arms in Harrington Street Hobart Town in the County of Buckingham within the Island of Tasmania this Third day of August in the Twenty First year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Victoria by the Grace of GOD of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland defender of the Faith before me Algernon Burdett Jones Esquire one of the Coroners of our said Lady the Queen for the said Island and its Dependencies on view of the Body of George Rose then and there lying dead upon the Oaths of - Thomas Brown - Josiah Hand - Ezra Willicombe – George Tennent – William Webb – Thomas Weare – Saul Solomons - good and lawful men of the said Island and duly chosen and who being then and there duly sworn and charged to enquire for our said Lady the Queen when where and after what manner the said George Rose came to his death do upon their Oath sat THAT the said George Rose on the Thirtieth day of July in the year aforesaid at Hobart Town in the Island aforesaid of Exhaustion caused by Delirium Tremens from continued excessive drinking did die. IN WITNESS where of as well the said Coroner as the Jurors aforesaid have to this Inquisition set their Hands and Seals the day and year and place above mentioned. A B Jones Coroner. - Thomas Brown Foreman. - William Webb - Josiah Hand - Thomas Weare - Ezra Willicombe - Saul Solomons - George Tennent 1

Locations
Hobart