JACOB EVERETT – DIED IN GAOL

A NOTED CHARACTER’S BAD ENDING-

DEATH OF JACOB EVERETT IN THE

COUNTY GAOL-THE CORONER’S INQUEST

[Welland Tribune, 24 September 1880]

WELLAND Sept. 18

In our gaol items last week we noticed that Jacob Everett lay in gaol apparently at the point of death, and on Saturday he died. Better known as “old Jake,” he was a noted character in his line. He was an American by birth but for many years past during his decadence he has been living in Canada, for the past three or four years in this town. Possessed of considerable ability and a ready fund of wit, Jake was a general favorite until he sunk altogether under the control of the fiend of intemperance, and he might have left quite a different record had he not thrown himself away. He has a brother living down in York State, and a wife and family in this country, who would have seen him properly cared for, but as they would not give him whiskey, Jake would not stay with them. As he made his bed, so he had to lie on it-and a hard one it was. We believe Jake was at one time connected with a circus; he had travelled all over America and knew every place and almost every traveller. He came here with Mr. Elias Fitch of the City Hotel, as a hotel “touter,” and was the familiar of every commercial traveller. After Mr. Fitch left he remained in Mr. Brown’s employ, but had become worse than worthless through his excesses, and soon lost his place. A collection was taken up and he was sent to his friends a couple of times, but invariably drifted back to Welland, where he knocked around from post to pillar in a miserable condition, penniless, broken in health and the victim of an insatiable craving for drink that at last he had no means of supplying. The Mayor refused to commit him as a vagrant, contending as he was physically unable to work he did not come within the scope of the act. On the other hand the indigent committee considered his condition was the result of his own criminal vices, that he could not be classed among the deserving poor of the town, and that it would be unjust to tax industrious, hardworking people, who were barely able to make both ends meet, to keep him under the circumstances. In this condition, it is said at the advice of friends, he tried to get into gaol by breaking a fruit jar belonging to one of the stores, but some of the gaol officials, who did not want him on their hands, threatened to make it hot for those who put up the job, and the prosecution was not pressed. Finally Justices Hellems and Teskey disposed of the matter by committing him to gaol as a vagrant, where he remained until called to answer at a higher bar for the deeds done in the body.

There has been some report that the deceased was not properly cared for in gaol. Not that he was treated harshly or in any way to accelerate his death, but that he did not receive the care and attention a sick person should have. The inquest does not seem to bear out the report. It seems hard that a dying man should be given a bed on the floor without a bedstead, or that he should have been fed on prison fare, as appears from the evidence. Probably the gaol regulations do not allow bedsteads to be put up in the day room but surely in cases of serious illness the gaol surgeon has power to order means and measures proper and necessary under the circumstances. The treatment he received, proper or not, appears to have been more the result of circumstances than of willful neglect of the officials in the gaol, as the rebuilding of the south wing leaves them short of room, and the prison bedsteads are iron and put to stay. As the principal parts of the enquiry related to the treatment deceased received in gaol, we had expected the verdict of the coroner’s jury to state whether in their opinion the deceased received proper care and attention, or otherwise, but they made no mention either way. As the case is one that has attracted considerable attention locally, we give the evidence taken at the inquest in full:-

The Jury was composed as follows:

-Robert A. Campbell, foreman, T.F. Brown, Thos, Teskey, John Appleyard, Wm. Early, Jacob Griffiths, David McEwing, W.N. Current, Douglas Cook, John Valley, Joseph Kirkland and Egerton Ellsworth. The last four are prisoners in the gaol, placed on the jury in accordance with law governing gaol inquests.

Before J.B. Kennedy, M.D., coroner, Sept. 18^th 1880, on the body of Jacob Everett, who died in gaol on the day mentioned. Evidence of witnesses:

JAMES A. GILCHRIESE, sworn, said: I received the deceased Jacob Everett in my charge as acting gaoler on Sept. 8^th. Have seen him each day during his confinement. He was in a very filthy state when committed-did not seem to have any control over his bowels. Since the second day of his confinement he has been helpless, requiring to be fed either by myself or some of the prisoners. He has had professional attendance of the gaol physician. There were two prisoners watching with him each night. Mr. Baxter and myself were present about the time of his death. Prisoners Fitzsimmons and Henderson waited on the deceased. I have known deceased for three or four years. He has been in gaol once before,-on the second of September. He was in a filthy condition at that time. He was discharged on the 3^rd of September, no one appearing against him.

DR. S.H. GLASGOW, sworn, said: On view of the body of the deceased Jacob Everett, in my opinion the cause of death was paralysis, caused by exposure and intemperate habits. Further I would be of opinion that his liver, judging from the jaundiced appearance of his skin, was in so bad a condition as to cause his death.

EDWARD FITZSIMMONS, sworn, said: I am a prisoner in the gaol. Knew the deceased Jacob Everett; have been with him since he has been here; was with him this morning when he died. In my opinion he has had good treatment. I would be satisfied with the same treatment had it been my case while in gaol. He was washed in a bath to my knowledge once. He seemed to have no control over his bowels. He was kept clean. His clothes were changed twice since he was here. He had frequent passages through his bowels during the day. We sat him on the bucket three or four times during the day, perhaps oftener. In reply to question by juror, witness said: He might have eaten had he had other than prison fare. He has said that if he had a cup of tea he could have drunk it. His pants were taken off each night but one. Question-Was he taken out in the morning after he was unlocked and sat in a chair in his bare feet? Ans.: He was. Question-Was he sat in the prison yard in the sun? Ans.: He was taken out partly on account of the smell arising from him. He did not complain on being taken out. He did object to walking so far. I tried to get his shoes on one morning but could not. He had no socks. He could walk a very little when he was committed. Three or four days afterwards he got useless in his limbs. Question: Did you hear anybody say they would like to give him a dose of strychnine? Ans.: I have heard the subject talked of among the prisoners, that it had been remarked by one of the officials of the prison that it would be a kindness to give him a dose of strychnine. I cannot say I heard any of the gaol officials say they would like to give him strychnine. His bed was carried out in the yard and left on the wood pile in the sun all day-every day till the last three or four days. He has been two or three laying on the tick all the time. The prison is not provided with a regular bathtub. I know of two new beds supplied for the deceased since his confinement. He was kept on a bed on the floor in the day room since he has been confined.

MR. GILCHRIESE recalled, said: The gaol committee have never supplied us with any bath tubs, &c. The gaol is not supplied with any hospital appliances whatever. When the deceased was committed he was in a very filthy condition. He was washed once or twice a day during the first week of his confinement. His clothing was all taken off and he was thoroughly washed in warm water. There is no room in the prison for sick prisoners.

JAMES HENDERSON sworn, said: I can corroborate the evidence of Mr. Fitzsimmons. The beds appeared clean each evening when they were brought in. The excrement was scraped off. I got a pair of prunella shoes and put on him; was not present when he died. By Mr. Baxter-About 11 I went into the room where Jake was and Henderson and Fitzsimmons had arranged to watch each one half the night from that time out. We were expecting him to die at any time for the past two days. Wondered how he could last so long. He had good gaol treatment. The officials were kind and friendly towards him.

THE VERDICT

of the jury was as follows:-We, the jurors of Her Majesty, empanelled to enquire into the causes of the death of Jacob Everett, deceased, do find that he came to his death this 18^th day of September 1880, in the common gaol of the county of Welland, where he was confined as a vagrant, from natural causes, accelerated by intemperance and exposure.

Signed by R.A. Campbell, foreman, and all the jurors.