Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Tuesday 03 October 1899

Curious Death at Mexborough

Eating Mussels and Ice-Cream.

Yesterday afternoon the Montagu Cottage Hospital, Mexborough, Mr. D. Wightman (district coroner), held an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Joseph Granger, aged 22 years, who died suddenly early on Sunday morning.

Dr. Scott, practising at Mexborough, said he had not attended the deceased during life, but he was called him shortly after 12 o’clock early on Sunday morning. On arriving his home he found the deceased dead. He made a casual examination, but did not find any marks of violence.

He was told the circumstances surrounding his death, and , if he had eaten excessively of ice cream and mussels that might have acted on his weak heart.

The Coroner: It doesn’t sound a very grand mixture.

Richard Granger, brother, said the deceased, who was years of age, was a fairly healthy man. He was miner by trade, but had lately followed the occupation of a labourer. He was married. Witness heard his death about half-past 12 on Sunday morning. Deceased came into witness’s shop about 10.15 on Saturday night He was sober had no reason to think there had been any foul play, He was told that had some mussels and ice cream before went to bed and this might have affected his heart. He vomited two or three times, and said he felt better. After he had got to bed he was compelled to get out again, and he exclaimed: “There’s another.”

His wife got out of bed and heard the deceased make a noise as though he was choking, and he died in a minute or two.

Jane Leake, a single woman, who had been acting as nurse for his wife, said the deceased asked her if she would like some ice cream, and she said she would. He went into the street and returned 10.55 with 3d. of ice cream. He was sober, but did not say he had had any mussels. Three of them partook of the ice cream, and later on witness fetched two more pennyworths, the deceased having one.

Witness did not know there was anything the matter with the deceased, who did not say that he had had any mussels or ice cream down the street.

Sergeant Forman said he had ascertained that the deceased had had three pennyworth of mussels.

The Coroner: They must be funny things if three pennyworth will kill him. There’s no suspicion of any foul play?

Sergeant Forman: No.

The Coroner said he thought it would be better to first decide whether there should be a post-mortem examination. There is no suspicion foul play.

A juryman: Mussels are very queer things. I was “musselled” once and know what the sensation is.

The Coroner said if it were possible for deceased to speak he would probably say mussels and ice cream had caused his death. If the jury liked they could have a post mortem. He himself did not think it necessary

Sergeant said he saw the deceased on Saturday night, and he was perfectly sober.

A juryman; The question whether he has been “musselled.”

The Coroner Musselled?

Mr. Parkes (a juryman): I think there ought to be post-mortem. None of us are decided.

The Coroner. It must be unanimous.

A juryman: I consider it unnecessary.

A vote was taken, when only one voted for post-mortem and 12 against.

The jury then returned a verdict to the effect that “The deceased died probably from failure of the action of the heart through eating of mussels and ice cream, but not from any violence whatever.”