DEATH IN A GRAVE.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10, 8 August 1911, Page 7

DEATH IN A GRAVE.

Dr Wynn Westcott held »a inquest at Stoke Newington on June 12 on William Henry Spencer, aged 57, a grave-digger at Abney Park Cemetery, who was overcome by poisonous gas in a grave. Another man who went to his help also became unconscious, but afterwards recovered. Both were taken out of the grave by means of a rope and windless. Dr Alexander McDonald said that death .was due to asphyxia, caused by breathing unhealthy gas. The ooroner observed that there was unhealthy gas at the bottom of all deep pits l which were open for some time. During the 18 years he had been coroner in the district he had not had another such case as this. Prior to 1880 deaths in graves were very common. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death, and added a rider that under no* circumstances should a man be at work alone in a grave.