Henry Ould

Henry Ould died from a fractured skull.

He was found injured and alone in his house on 24 March 1915. He was taken to hospital where he later died on 2 April 1915.

His brother said that he saw Henry Ould on Saturday 20 March 1915 at the Springfield Road allotments at about 6pm when he said that he was in good health, and then later saw him the next day at Henry Ould's house.

He said that he was called the next day, 22 March 1915 after a neighbour said that they saw blood outside in the back way whilst hanging out linen. It was heard that there was blood on the post beside the door and blood on the ground. However, the brother said that he couldn't see any blood on the ground and said that when he got there he could not get in as the door was locked but said that he had heard movement from within. He said that he then knocked on the neighbour’s door and said, 'I should not trouble now, because I don't think there is anything amiss', and added that he had heard Henry Ould moving about.

He said that he went back to work but that on the Wednesday, 24 March he sent a little boy round to see if he could get in by the front door and when he found that the little boy could not get in he went round later that evening and got in through a window at the back.

He said that when he got in he pulled the blind to one side and then very nearly put his foot on Henry Ould's head where he was lying on the floor in front of the fireplace. He said that Henry Ould didn't speak at first and that he then put him on the couch and rubbed his hands and said that Henry Ould then mumbled one or two words. He said that Henry Ould then said, 'It's my poor head and all through this', and that he then tapped his leg.

He was taken to the hospital where he later died.

It was heard that on 23 March 1915 that Henry Ould had gone to the Carpenter's Arms Inn in Short Brackland, Bury St. Edmunds where he was seen by the landlord at about 8pm. He said that Henry Ould appeared to be limping on one side as though he had had a fall. The landlord said that he spoke to Henry Ould but said that all he could gather was that there was a hare and that he could not get it ready for his dinner and that he then ordered a pint of beer which he took away with him, having nothing to drink in the inn.

The landlord said that he saw Henry Ould again the following day, 24 March 1915 between 8pm and 8.30pm. He said that he had his right arm in a sling under his coat and said that he had broken his collar bone and was waiting for a cab to take him to the hospital suggesting that he had fallen down. The landlord said that he asked him about the hare but said that Henry Ould said that the nippers had either been to see him or were going to come and see him, and that that was the last that he saw of him. The landlord said that Henry Ould had not told him that he had fallen down, but that he gathered from what Henry Ould had been saying that he had fallen down.

The surgeon that examined him on 25 March at the hospital said that he found that Henry Ould had a broken collar bone and a large bruise on his right side just below his ribs, and that he was in a dazed condition. The doctor said that he tried to ask Henry Ould how long he had had a broken collar bone and said that as far as he could tell, Henry Ould had said Saturday.

The doctor said that they found no other injuries on Henry Ould but said that Henry Ould complained about his head and that a day or two before his death he had convulsions on his left side which pointed to pressure on his brain.

However, when he died, the doctor said that it was due to pressure on the brain. He said that it might have been caused by a blood clot or from pressure of bone. However, the doctor said that he thought that it was caused by a fractured skull. He said that his head injuries could have been caused by a fall but added that there were no external signs.

It was also heard that it was thought that Henry Ould had told one of the nurses that he had had a fall.

When the Coroner summed up he said that the evidence was not altogether satisfactory. He said that it was clear that Henry Ould had died from pressure on the brain, probably due to a skull fracture, but noted that there was no direct evidence as to how it was caused.

It was also heard that there had been one or two rumours about, but the Coroner said that the police had followed them up and found that there was absolutely nothing in them.

The foreman of the jury asked how the blood on the post could be accounted for, and the Coroner said that the brother had seen the blood on the post and noted that there was also blood inside the WC and also blood on a towel and that there was also blood about downstairs. The Coroner then asked the doctor if it were possible that the skull fracture might have caused Henry Ould to have a nose bleed and the doctor said that it was possible but that there was no evidence for it.

The Coroner repeated that the evidence was unsatisfactory, and an open verdict was returned.