John Whitaker Eyewitness Account

• Place: Oldham
• Role:
• Occupation: Wool Carder

Account

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Name: John Whitaker

Occupation: Woolcarder

Home: Oldham

Date: 4 October 1819

Source: Lees Inquest 261  263

Summary: Testifies to the good health of John Lees before 16 August and of the state he was in on the night of 16 August when he returned home carrying his wounds.

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JOHN WHITAKER called in by the CONSTABLE, sworn, and examined by the CORONER.
Q. What business are you?
A. A wool-carder.
Q. State what you know respecting the death of John Lees. Did you live in the same house with him?
A. No, I did not live in the same house with him.
Q. Did you know him?
A. Yes.
Q. Were you very intimate with him?
A. I knew him very well.
Q. Were you with him at Manchester on the 16th of August last?
A. I was not.
Q. State what you know about his death?
A. I had about five minutes discourse with him the night he came home. That is all I know about it.
Q. When had you seen him last before that?
A. On the Saturday night.
Q. What did you say to him?
A. I heard that he had been wounded before I saw him.
Q. What did you see the matter with him?
A. I did not see any thing different in his person, because it was nearly dark.
Q. What time was it?
A. It was about nine o'clock at night.
Q. Did you see whether he had got hurt or not?
A. I did not.
Q. How long were you with him that night?
A. Not more than five minutes.
Q. When next did you see him?
A. On the Sunday before he died. I beg your pardon, though; I saw him on the Wednesday before he died.
Q. Where did you see him then?
A. At his own house.
Q. What situation was he in then?
A. He was very poorly then.
Q. Where was he? Was he walking about or laid down, or what?
A. Laid down.
Q. Were you never with him but these three times between the 16th of August and his death.
A. I saw him on the Monday night.
Q. Did he speak to you then?
A. I don't know that he spoke to me. I don't know that he did, and I don't know any thing more than what I have said, re¬specting his death.
Q. Don't you know what talk you had with him?
A. Is it proper for me to say what he said?
The Coroner—I do not know that it is. It has been objected to.
Mr. Ashworth (to the Witness)—Is it any thing about where he had been on the 16th of August?
A. No; not on the 16th.
Mr. Ashworth—Then it is not to be admitted, I think.
The WITNESS examined by Mr. HARMER.
Q. Was he in good health before the 16th of August?
A. I believe he was in perfect health.
Q. Did you see him in perfect health afterwards; or was he ill?
A. He was very poorly after the 16th of August.
Q. Did he get better or worse?
A. He continued to get worse as far as I saw of him.
Q. You saw him two or three times after?
A. Yes.
Q. And did he appear to get gradually worse?
A. Yes.
The WITNESS re-examined by the CORONER.
Q. You first saw him on the night that he came home, and then on the Wednesday before he died?
A. Yes.
Q. And when you saw him, you did not see that he was at all infirm?
A. No, I did not.

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