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THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF DROWNING…

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THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF DROWNING AT THE DENBIGHSHIRE ELECTION. The adjourned inquest on the body of Edward Roberts, wheelwright, of Acrefair, who disappeared so strangely on the night of the county election, was brought to a termination on Wednesday last, by Mr Coro-ier Thelwell, in the Court-house, at Ruabon. Deceased was a widower, and 64 years of age. The first witness called was Tamar, wife of Thos. Roberts, collier, Acrefair, who said deceased was her father, and lodged with her. She recollected the 27th NoTembi-r. Deceased left home about half-past one to go to Llangollen, where polling was going on. She asked him what train he should return by, and he re- plied, I'll be home soon, my girl." The only money she knew him to have was 2s. She saw no more of him after that. He was perfectly sober when she parted with him, and appeared in good spirits. She had no reason to think he committed suicide none of the family had done so. He was not a quarrelsome man. She had heard that he was abused at Llangollen, but did net know whether there was any truth in the statement. She believed, however, that he was murdered. He was in the habit of partaking rather freely of drink, but was not quarrelsome when m- toxicited. John Hughes, blacksmith, Acrefair, who was next examined, and gave his evidence in Welsh, stated that he knew deceased intimately. He last saw him alive about six o'clock in the evening of the day of the election, at the Bridge End, Llangollen, where he sat smoking and drinking. There were a goo i many people in the house, but theie was no quarreling going on. Deceased was talking to Richard Bowen, of the Cefn, but he could not say what about. Deceased was wear- ing bis coat at the time. Witness had some conversa- tion with him about returning home, and he said he was going back by the next train. Witness left him in -x; the house, while he went into the backyard, telling him to wait and he would return with him, bat when witness got back he was gone, and he did not see any more of him. Witness returned home bv the six o'clock train. He worked at the same place as de- ceased, and in the morning they had arranged to go to Llangollen, because the works were to be e'osed. Whey they arrived at Lhmgollpn, they went to the Bridge Ead, but as there was no room for them there they went to the Batcher's Arms, where they had a pint of ale between them. They next went to the Cross Foxes, where they had some bread and cheese, and then to the Bull, where they had a quart of ale. After that they returned to the Brilge End, where they had another pint each, There was no quarreling at any of the places they visited, and deceased was quite sober. Witness could only account for his death by supposing that he was thrown into the river. David Roberts, a quarryman at the Cefn, said he had known deceased for some years. He was at Llan- gollen on the election day. iI. had no vote, but he went to see what was going on. He saw deceased about nine o'clock at a public-house close by the toll- gate called Penybont [Bridge-end.] There were a lot of men from the Cefn there, and deceased was among them, sitting down. Witness did not see de- ceased have any drink. Deceased was in liquor, but was not very drunk. Witness stayed at the house about a quarter of an hour. He left because of a row which took place about a man named Geo. Edwards. He could not say whether deceased was concerned in the row. He asked deceased if he would go home along with him, but he made no answer. As he was leaving the house, he heard deceased call out, Sir Wa'kin for ever." George E hvards was on Sir Wat- kin's side. Witness went straight home, and he heard nothing about deceased until Sunday morning, when he was told that be was missing. Deceased would have no occasion to go near the rivt-r, on bis way home, and to get into the river, he must have gone very much out of his way. Richard Williams, collier, New Bridge, near Chirk, deposed that he knew deceased. He was at Llan- gollen on the 27ch November, but he did not see de- ceased there. On the lltti December he was walking down the river side, where he lived, and form i a coat [oroduced], which had caught in somo bushes. Knowing that deceased Wll missing, he went to see one of his sons, who identifiel the coat. Ttie place where he found it was about a mile beyond New Bridge on the Chirk side of the river. George Roberts, pud ller, a son of deceased, was called and swore to the coat. He last saw bis father alive on the night before the election, when they had some conversation, but deceased sHd nothing to him aboutgoingtoLlangollen. Ha CDUldnot think hisfather committed suicide. Charles Parry, labourer, 0 veron, said he went down the river side on Sunday, the 20:h inst, to look for de- ceased, and there he found his body, which had be- come entangled in a bush. Oa finding it, he went for assistance, and the body was then remivei. D3- ceased was fully dressed, with the exception of his coat and neckerchief, which were missing. P.C. Lockwood, a Flintshire officer, stated that he was present when the body was recovered, and he afterwards searched deceased's pockets, which were empty. MBllrton, surgeon, Ruabon, gave evidence as to the results of a post mortem examination mile on the 31st December. He lescribed a number of wounds ani bruises on different pirts of the body, but he was unable to say whether they were iufl. cied before or after death, though he thought the prob tbility was that they were produced while the b dy was sub- merged. He had no doubt deClS I vent into the water alive, and that death was caus?d by drowning. From the appearances presented, he inferred that de- ceased lived but a very short time after he got into the river, and that there was no struggling, or auy- thing of that kind. This concluded the evi lence, and the Coroner asked the Deputy Chief Constable (Mr B-adshaw|, who was present during the inq iiry, wtiether he thought any good would arise from a further adjournment. If Mr Bradshaw thought there was really no occisian to egaiu adjourn the inquiry, the case might as well be closed. Mr Bradshaw said he did not think there was any need for another adjournment. He himself was per- fectly satisfied about the case. The Coroner, in summing up, observed that juries were sometimes called upon to make inquiries under circumstances which rendered the duty they had to perform as difflcalt as it was melancholy and painful, ani he thought this was an occasion of that kind, for the circumstances under which deceased met his death were involved in mystery. He then went through the various facts brought out in the evidence, and pointed out their relation to the three hypotheses which pre- sented themselves, viz., accident, suicide, and homicide. He said it was clear that the coat was taken off before deceased got into the water, and it was hardly likely that he would take it off himself, if he contemplated committing suicide. There was no evidence to show that he received foul play, or that he was molested in any way. There was some proof of a little rowing, and that deceased shouted out, Sir Watkin for ever," but still it did not appear that he was in the row. It was for the jury to deciie upon the case, and perhaps he himself ought not to suggest any particular thing; but yet, under all the circum- stances, he thought the only course thy could take was to leturn an open verdict. If any further inform- ation, of a criminal nature, should come to the know. ledge of the police, of course proper steps would be taken, and it was to be hoped the guilty parties would be brought to justice. If, on the other hand, nothing further could be elicited than what the jury had be- fore them, it seemed to him that, so far as the public was concerned, the fate of deceased must remain a mystery. The room was then cleared, and the jury, after a brief deliberation, agreed to a verdict to the following effect:—" That deceased was found dead in the Dee, at Overton, with marks of violence upon his body, but what caused his death the evidence was insufficient to show."

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