The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

SINGULAR BRECON FATALITY j | Baby Accidentally Strangled j by a Strap. A very singular fatality at Brecon, z, y marked by distressing circumstances, was the subject of an inquiry by Dr. W. R. Jones (district coroner), and a jury with Mr W. Morgan as foreman, at the Grey- hound Coffee Tavern, Llanfaes, on Friday evening last. The inquest was on the body of Elvie Phyllis Thomas, aged 17 months, daughter of Mr Thomas D. Thomas, blacksmith, of Whitchurch, near Blandford, Dorset. Mrs Annie Thomas, the mother, stated that she and her husband and baby had been staying with Mrs Xorbury at 12, Orchard street. They came to Brecon a fortnight ago for a holiday, because it was her husband's native place. The baby, their only child, had been able to walk about six weeks. On Wednesday evening, at 7-15, witness put the deceased to bed and stayed with her till she was fast asleep, going downstairs at about 8-15. Deceased was lying on her back, and witness had used two portmanteau straps to prevent her falling out of bed. She never did such a thing before she came to Brecon, but the previous week deceased fell out of bed and she was frightened lest this should happen again. She put one of the straps round deceased's body under the arms, leaving plenty of room for movement, and passed the other strap under it at the back and fastened that to the head of the bed. After going downstairs she listened several times, but heard nothing. The Coroner: This is a very unusual thing I never heard of its being done before. Witness We slep at the very .top of the house and she had fallen out of bed the week before and I found her lying behind the door, and it worried me. Continuing, Mrs Thomas said that Mrs Xorbury went to see deceased when she put her own little girl to bed about 9 o'clock, and would state how she found her. They did not think then that the baby was dead, and they got brandy, put her in a hot water bath, and sent for a .doctor at once. They fancied she opened her eyes once. Deceased was not in- sured. The strap round the body was quite loose. The Coroner I am obliged to ask you, there was no drink in the question ? Witness: No, we are all staunch teetotallers. Dr. Rees's evidence was next taken, his services being required elsewhere. He stated that he was called to see deceased, and was on his way at 9-45. He found her in the kitchen dead. He tried artificial respiration and different things, but it was utterly hopeless. He saw the mark of a strap running from behind the ear across the larynx, with a well-marked indentation. He went up- stairs and saw the straps. Undoubtedly the child struggled, and the strap around the body slipped up the waist the child was hanging over the side of the bed and the strap caught it by the neck, and it was strangled. Both father and mother were terribly distressed. The Coroner You never heard of a child dying like this before ? Dr. Rees No, I cannot say I have but I have often seen children strapped down in perambulators. You don't think there is any blame ? -No, it was done with every good in- tention because the child had been in the habit of get tiny out of bed. Mrs Emily Xorbury, wife of Mr Harold Xorbury (who is in the Army), of 38, Church street, stated that for the last fortnight she had been keeping house at 12, Orchard street for relatives who were away. She went to look at deceased soon after 9 o'clock on Wednesday night and found her with her face over the side of the bed and the strap under her chin. She unfastened the strap and took the deceased downstairs. She worked her arms and legs, called in a. neighbour, and got a hot bath, afterwards putting the deceased in a blanket. Dr. Rees was also sent for. The Coroner You did the right thing. It is a very distressing occurrence alto- gether. It is very usual, as Dr. Rees has told us, for a child to be strapped in a perambulator and the same thing might. happen there. It could scarcely be ex- pected that the mother or anyone else could calcnlate that the child would get into such a position that the strap would slip up and strangle it. itness Deceased was all right the other two nights it was put on. The Coroner I don't like the idea of strapping and this is a very serious warn- ing against it but we cannot expect that the mother would foresee anything of the sort. If she had put the strap tighter round the waist it would not have gone up, particularly being under the arms. Summing up to the jury, the Coroner repeated that this was a very distressing occurrence, but no one could be blamed. It was very hard for the parents, to lose their only child when it was at an inter- esting stage, just beginning to walk. The jury found that death was due to accidental strangulation, and the Fore- man expressed their sympathy with the parents, remarking that Mr Thomas belonged to a family well known in the neighbourhood. The strapping was un- usual, but it was done in the infant's interest, to keep it in bed, and they found no fault with anyone.

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TALGARTH LAW CASE. Judge's Comment on Welsh Family Disputes. In the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice, on Friday, Mr Justice Younger heard a motion for a writ of attachment in the action of James v. James, as against the defendants, two brothers farming in Breconshire. Mr Swords, who appeared for the. plaintiff, said this was a partnership action between his client and the defen- dants, her brothers. She was plaintiff in an action tried by Mr Justice Sargent, in which accounts were asked for, ard she got judgment in April of this year, as her brothers failed to put in a defence. The brothers having failed to bring in their accounts, au order was made for them to pay by June 12, but they had done nothing in the matter. The property was Wholehouse Farm, Talgarth. His Lordship thought it was hardly desirable to put two farmers into prison in the middle of the hay harvest. Counsel said the brothers were con- tumacious. They had taken no notice of the order of the Court, and it was a serious matter for the plaintiff, whose financial position had been adversely affected by the action of the defendants. The property was a good one, and was left the parties by their mother. His Lordship said he would make the order, but it must lie in the office for over three weeks, and he fixed July 18. He suggested. counsel should see his pro- fessional clients to let all the parties know what had taken place. Mr Justice Younger added, "I do not want this family quarrel to be carried on on the usual Welsh family lines."

UPROAR AT YSTSAOGMAiS Lively Scenes at Counc I Meeting. There were some lively scenes at the monthly meeting of the Ystradgynlais Rural District .Council on Thursday last. A deputation of discharged soldiers I 'd and sailors appealed -to the Council to reverse their decision not to accept war trophies offered by the War Office, and also asked the Council to take ste to organise peace celebrations. Mr Joseph Treharne, who introduced the deputation, said the discharged soldier- meant to celebrate peace, and Mr Thomas Williams moved that the Council devote i let. rate to the purpose of providing the poor with coal and giv- ing the children a treat. Mr W. D. Walters, who opposed the resolution, amidst considerable interrup- tion, said he was dealing with the matter j according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mr W illianis The:1 I am sorry for your Chrisft Mr Walters You shut up. Mr John Howells then interrupted, and Mr Walters remarked I know you are ignorant, but I did not think that Mr Williams was." Mr W. Thomas said the Trades and Labour Council had been backing up the conscientious objectors for years, and asked, Where would the public have been if they had had to depend on them ? For some minutes following the meet- ing was in uproar, but in the end the motion was defeated, and Messrs Walters and Williams then shook hands across the table. Subsequently, however, the Council decided to reverse the decision with re- < gard to war trophies, which will now be accepted.

The Royal Show. MORE LOCAL WINNERS. The following local awards were made at the Royal Agricultural Show at Cardiff, in addition to those announced in our last issue Ryelandram, two shear and upwards- 3, MrE. Jones, Penybont, Sennybridge. Welsh pony stallion, foaled in or before 1915, over 12 and not exceeding 12-2 hds—2, Mr W. S. Miller, Forest Lodge. Welsh pony filly, foaled in 1916, not exceeding 12 lids., or in 1917 not-exceed- ing 11-2 hds.—2, Mr T. B. Lewis, Bronallt, Llanwrtyd Wells. Plantations, Class 3, Stage A-2, Capt. H. A. Christy, Llangoed Castle, Llyswen. Plantations, Class 4, Stage B-2, Col. Lord Glanusk, C.B., D.S.O., Glanusk Park, Crickhowell. Plantations, Class II. not less than two acres of Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, Japanese larch, Corsican pine, or any other rarer conifer, pure or mixed, of not less than five or more than 30 years' growth—1, Major J. M. Gibson Watt, Doldowlod, Rhayader. Plantations, Class 7, woodland estate, not less than 1,000 acres in area—1, Col. Lord Glanusk 2, Major J. M. Gibson Watt. Mr D. J. Thomas, of Talachddu Farm, Brecon, sold his first-prize winning Rye- land lamb ram for 80 gns. cl

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AFTER THE EISTEDDFOD. Midnight Cycling Without Lights I Sequel at Devynock Police C6urt. A number of people living in the Devynock district of Breconshire at- tended an eisteddfod held at CwmdwiT, Halfway, Carmarthenshire, on May 22nd, and not a few of them made the journey on bicycles. Lamps, apparently, were scarce amongst the party, for P.c. Owen Jones, of Trecastle, whilst patrolling the road at Llywel, stopped no less than eleven cyclists, also two drivers of carts, between about 10.30 on the night of May 22nd and 1.45 on the morning of May 23rd, and as the result thirteen summonses had to be disposed of at ¡ Devynock Police Court on Thursday last. The magistrates on the Bench 1 were Col. Stuart Morgan (chairman), Mr Brychan Jeffreys, Mr Owen Price, and Mr Jenkin Williams. Nine of the cyclists admitted the charge of riding without lights or did not appear to answer and were fined as follows :—William Roderick, Nanthordy. Cray, absent, 7/0 Blanche Evans, Ty- mawr Farm, Trallong, absent, 7/6 ¡ Henry Bennett, Brynmain Farm, Tre- castle, 5/- Caradog Bennett, Caerllwyn Farm, Trecastle (represented by Henry Bennett), Gr-; Theophilus Davies, Bailiegleision, Trecastle, 5/ Jno H. Evans, Rhydybriw, Sennybridge, 5/- David Williams, Bishopstown, Trecastle, 5/- David Lewis, Cwmpadest, Craj% absent (but sent a letter in which he admitted the offence), 71C) Arthur Gough, Pantglas Farm, Trecastle (who had a front but not a rear light), 5/- One of these defendants tendered a j;i& note to pay the fine, whereupon the Clerk (Mr Cambridge Phillips) remarked We are not millionaires, you know. (Laughter). SHARP COMMENT ON LADlKs' EVIDENCE. Gertie Jenkins, of Allt View, Senny- bridge, and Mary Evans, of Usk Stores, Sennybridge. pleaded not guilty to the charges against them of riding without lights. P.c. Owen Jones stated that he saw the defendants riding bicycles on the I road at Llywel at 12.20 a.m. on May 23rd. They had no lamps and asked him to say nothing about it. Thomas Pritchard, of Brynmerched, Trecastle, called for the defence, said he was driving home and saw the defendants at about 12-20 below Llywel, walking their bicycles. Immediately afterwards he saw the policemen. Cross-examined, witness said he did not know whether the policeman had taken the ladies' names before he saw them. He only passed them, and they were standing on the road. Gertie Jenkins next gave evidence. She said that Miss Evans and herself walked their bicycles all the way from Cwmdwr. They had company up to Llywel, and their friends had only just left them when the policemen saw them, and they were then standing on the road. They walked all the way home. P.C. Jones came out of the hedge, and if they 11 y had been ridiug their bicycles they would have fallen with fright. She did not know what he said, but she knew that at the time she thought they were not en- titled even to push their bicycles without lights, and they asked him to overlook it with a warning. They found afterwards it was permissible to walk a bicycle with- out lights. Mary Evans also gave her account of the affair on oath, agreeing with the other defendant. There was some discussion as to the distance from Cwmdwr to Sennybridge, but 72 miles was accepted as a sort of minimum." P.c. Jones, recalled, said he told de- fendant at the time they would be re- ported for riding bicycles without lights, and they asked him to overlook it. The Chairman announced that each defendant would be fined 10/ including costs. Miss Jenkins We should like to know what you are fining us for, because we were not riding. The Chairman The magistrates don't believe a word you have said, and we are very much surprised that you should come into the Court and tell these lies. ON A DIFFERENT FOOTING. Thomas Pritchard, Brynmerched Farm. Trecastle (witness in the last case) and Wm. James, Cwmhydfer Farm, Trecastle. each charged with driving a horse and trap without sufficient lights, pleaded not guilty. P.c. Jones said defendants had one { front light and a rear light under the Defence of the Realm regulations two I' lights in front were required Oil vehicles. He had warned many farmers in the dis- trict during the past winter. Defendants both pleaded that they did not know two lights in front were necessary, and the Bench fined them 5s. each.

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