Hitchin Tales: Death of a Superintendent

[anthony.brown]

FATAL ACCIDENT
Great excitement was caused in this town on Wednesday morning, by the announcement that Superintendent Pangbourne, of the Herts Constabulary, an excellent and able officer, had been killed during the night. On enquiry it appeared that on Tuesday night Mr Pangbourne with a police officer named Mitchell, and Mr James Mills the cattle inspector for this district, visited Mangrove farm, near Lilley, to inspect some stock - it was thought 3 cows had been poisoned.
On the return journey they called at the Green Man Inn, Offley, where deceased had some brandy and water; on starting from there Mr Mills elected to walk down Offley Hill, which is very steep, and by no means a good road; especially for driving at night; therefore he walked on, and, when near the bottom of the hill, the cart overtook him and passed on towards Hitchin. Mr Mills walked on, and when within a mile of Hitchin, near the Willows, he found Mr Pangbourne lying on the road, the cart upset, and the policeman standing at the back of the cart in a stupefied state, and covered with blood. Mr Mills immediately went to Mr Pangbourne, and found that he was quite dead.
Mr Mills then took the horse from the cart, came on to Hitchin, called upon Mr Shillitoe, surgeon, and then went back for a cab from the Sun Hotel. On reaching the spot where the body laid, they found that the cause of the accident was the horse running up a bank and throwing them over the back of the cart. They then returned to Hitchin, and Dr Shillitoe's assistant and Mr Mills went back to the dead body; it was removed in a fly to the police station; and on Wednesday an inquest was held at the Crown Inn.
Herts Guardian Saturday 9th March 1867