Mr. Charles Eyre Pascoe, who was a well-known author, and lived at Penwerris, Hillside-gardens, Wallington, met with a sudden and tragic death last Saturday afternoon not many yards from his house. For a long time the barking of dogs had been his special aversion, and his feeling about it was so strong that he had written several letters of protest to the local Press. Probably the noise had more effect on him than it would have had on another because he had been in ill health for some time. Last Saturday afternoon he was lying on the couch after having had something to eat, and was trying to go to sleep when he heard the barking of a dog a few doors away. Finding where it was he got up in a state of excitement and hurried to the front door of Cabana, the residence of a lady named Mrs. Lawrence to complain and ask that the dog should be quieted. The hurry and the excitement made it difficult for him to speak, but Mrs. Lawrence understood what he meant to say and said that she was very sorry and would see what she could do about it. She noticed that he seemed ill and very kindly asked him to come inside and sit down for a little while so that be might recover. Mr. Pascoe accepted her offer, and was crossing the threshold when he stumbled and fell, and died before help could be obtained. With the assistance of her mother-in-law and a gentleman who was passing she got him in doors, and herself went for Dr. McDougall. He came at once, but could do nothing, as life was already extinct.

Mr. Pascoe, who was 70 years of age, was a journalist and author. Among the books he wrote was one concerning the associations of Charles Dickens with Yorkshire, which showed a careful study of all possible sources of information, and had a good reception on its publication. Another dealt with the history of the most famous street in the world—Downing-street. This was a very successful volume, and is regarded as an authority on the subject. Locally Mr. Pascoe was very well known, and had many friends, and among the societies to which he belonged was the ‘ House of Commons,” though he had not attended there lately.

He was the son of Major Pascoe, of the Royal Marines, who saw active service in the French and American Wars. He was educated at Christ’s Hospital and was ten years in the Admiralty. In 1869 he retired on a commuted pension, and took up journalism, and in the next year he got married and went to America, where he joined the staff of the “Boston Globe” as foreign editor. After three years he returned to England, and acted as London correspondent for several American newspapers. Among the work he did was an investigation of the English prison system for the “New York Journal.” Later he joined the staff of “The Standard,” and wrote for that paper some striking articles on canal life. During his latter years he wrote several books, including the two already mentioned.

An inquest was held on the body at Bandon Hill on Tuesday afternoon by Mr. F. J. Nightingale, Coroner for the Reigate Division.

Mrs. Pascoe, the widow, said that her husband was 70 years of age, and was not very robust, having suffered slightly from a weak heart. But he had not been seen by a doctor very recently. On Saturday afternoon a dog at Cabana was barking, and it seemed to excite him a good deal. He was on the sofa trying to sleep, but the barking made him nervous and he got up and went out, intending, as she believed, to complain about the noise to the owner of the dog. Mrs. Pascoe thought he hurried. along to the house, and she understood that he died there,

Mrs. Helen Agnes White Lawrence, of Cabana, Hillside-gardens, said that on Saturday afternoon Mr. Pascoe came to her door and complained about the dog barking. She said she was very sorry and would try to stop it. Deceased seemed excited and had great difficulty in speaking at all, which fact might have been due to the excitement of hurrying. He seemed out of breath, and, seeing that he looked rather ill, she asked him if he would like to come in and sit down. He started to cross the threshold, but had only taken a few steps when he fell down. Witness called her mother-in-law and a gentleman passing came to their assistance, and the deceased was carried indoors. Dr. McDougall also came at her request.

By the foreman of the jury—The dog was in the garden.

Dr. W. S. McDougall, of Woodcote-road, Wallington, said he had known Mr. Pascoe for many years, but did not think that he had ever attended him professionally. He was summoned on Saturday afternoon by Mrs. Lawrence, and later he made an examination of the body, when he found that heart was ruptured. Death must have been instantaneous.

Asked by the Coroner whether death was caused by hurrying to the spot and the excitement, the doctor replied that in his opinion it was.

The jury returned a verdict of “Death from natural causes.”

The funeral took place at Bandon Hill Cemetery on Wednesday. The burial rites were conducted by the Rev. R.J. Noble, and the mourners were Mrs Pascoe, Mr Wheeler, Miss Gammell, Mr and Mrs Gurdon Palin, Mr and Mrs Arthur Barnard, Mr and Mrs Denny, Mr and Mrs Leman Harem, Miss Heeley and Mrs. Poole. There were no flowers by special request.