Another unusual annotation found today. Some bizarre circumstances surrounding this man's death...
Some more details about William's death.
Hertford Mercury and Reformer
08 May 1852
Singular Death By Suffocation
A melancholy death of this description occurred last week at Purleigh, to a young man of the name William Carter, 18 years of age, a labourer, in the employ of Mr G. S. Auger, farmer. It appears that the deceased, with two fellow labourers, Charles Ward and William Cable, were engaged in the granary of the employer, when the two men, after some play with the lad, in a joke put him in a sack, which contained about a bushel of pollard, and tied the mouth of it. On releasing him shortly after they found him in a state of insensibility, and, although every exertion for his restoration was made, it was ineffectual. At the inquest the two men were committed for trial on the charge of manslaughter. -- Essex Herald
Essex Standard
16 Jul 1852
Essex Summer Assize
Manslaughter At Purleigh
Charles Ward and William Cable, labourers, were charged with the manslaughter of William Carter, at Purleigh, by tying him in a sack. Mr Rodwell conducted the prosecution, and Mr T. Chambers appeared for the defence. The prisoners, at the suggestion of the Judge, withdrew their plea of not guilty for on of guilty; and in consideration their having been in prison three months, he only sentenced them to one week's imprisonment.
Essex Standard
23 Jul 1852
Essex Summer Assize
Manslaughter At Purleigh
Charles Ward, 20, and William Cable, 25, labourers, were indicted for the manslaughter of William Carter, at Purleigh. Mr Rodwell conducted the prosecution; Mr T Chambers defended the prisoners. Mr Rodwell had opened the case for the prosecution, when Mr Chambers intimated that he had no defence to the facts, but he should submit that the prisoners were at the time they tied the unfortunate deceased up in a sack at play with him, and that the melancholy result which had followed could not involve them in any criminal liability. His Honour said he did not see any escape for the prisoners in law from the charge of manslaughter, and, at his suggestion, they withdrew their former plea for one of Guilty. In passing sentence his Lordship told the prisoners he had no doubt they both lamented having been the unintending cause of the death of a fellow subject, and he should have been glad if he could, consistently with his duty, have seen any mode in which they could have been acquitted of this charge; but the law (and very properly) so respected the lives of subjects of this kingdom as to hold every person who had been guilty of destroying the life of a fellow subject, unless under very special circumstances, guilty of felony. He hoped they would, by the quiet demeanour of the rest of their lives, endeavour to atone for what they had done; and, as they had already been in prison three months, perhaps the justice of the case would, under all circumstances, be met by a very lenient sentence, viz., that they be each subjected to a further imprisonment of one week.