The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-01-22 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY AFFAIR AT OLD BILL.

An adjourned inquest was held at the Yew Tree
Inn, Blackheath, yesterday, before Mr. E. Hooper,
Coroner, touching the death of William Darby,
aged 35, a bricklayer, whose body was found in the
canal at Waterfall Lane, on the 9th inst.

The Coroner asked the Police-sergeant if he had
evidence of foul play in the case.
Police-sergeant Walters said he had no evidence
as to foul play.
Mr. J. G. Beasley, surgeon, Rowley, said he was
called to see Mrs. Darby, and he saw deceased at
half-past two in the morning of Monday, the 10th
inst. He had been dead a few hours. Witness
had made a post mortem examination of the body
on Sunday last. He found a bruise on the right
forehead over the orbit. There were also three
bruiFes over the eye. Those injuries would not in
any way account for death. There were no other
external marks of injury on the body. The marks
would be made shortly before or immediately after
death. The result of his post mortem examination
was that deceased died from suffocation by drown-
ing.
Police-constable Riman said he was stationed at
Blackheath. On Sunday night, the 9th instant,
at 11.30, Mrs. Millard, Emma Darby, and a man
he did not know, passed him at Ross. He wished
them "Good night," and they returned the com-
pliment. They went down the road about 200
yards, and Mrs. Millard stopped, and he heard one
of the women say, "Oh dear, oh dear; it is a bad
job." He asked what was the matter, and went a
little way down the road with them. Darby said
she had seen a man in the water, and she was sure
he was drowning. Darby was a sister to deceased.
Witnnss then went down to the canal, and saw
something on the top of the water that appeared
liko a man's jacket. He got some poles, and found
that it was the body of deceased. He got deceased
out, and had him conveyed to his home, No. 1,
Yew Tree Lane. When defendant saw deceased
his head and feet were nearly together. He got
his arms up and found a piece of clothing in his
hand. Witness threw it behind her, when Mr.
Darby said it was a piece of Myra's sleeve.
Police-sergeant Walters said he had made in-
quries in the case, but he could not find out that
there had been any foul play. Myra Darby, the
wife of deceased, was called and said she went to
Mrs. Millard about six o'clock on the evening of
the 9th inst. Mr. Hooper and Round were there
when she went. About a quarter-past 10 o'clock
deceased came to Millards. She asked him if the
child had been crying and he said it had. Mrs.
Millard asked him to have some drink and he burst
out crying. He said" Myra, you know I love my
children, and before I will stop to see them put on
I will go and drown myself in the b--- canal."
He ran away and jumped into the canal. Witness
jumped in after him. Mrs. Millard and Mr.
Round were there and got her out. She had never
been in the water before. She shouted when one
was in the water. She asked deceased to help her
but he never spoke. Her sleeve was pulled from
her dress by her husband whilst he was in the
water.
By a juryman: I left my husband in the water.
I heard Mrs. Millard say she thought he had got
out on the other side of the canal. I had had some-
thing to drink. My arm was bruised and my
chemise torn by deceased pulling my sleeve off.
Emma Millard, Soloman Adams, and James
Round, grocer, Rowley gave evidence, after which
the coronae summed up, and the jury returned an
open verdict of" Found Drowned."