The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-02-22 00:00:00

1,.

THE STRANGE DEATII OF A GOVERNMENT
CLERK.

On Friday afternoon Mr. Payne resumed the inquiry at
the Board-rootu, St. John's, llocsleyolown, resperting the
death of Mr. George Brown. 21, • clerk in the Education
Department, who was found drowned in the Thames on
Tuesday week last. The evidence given last week showed
that the deceased left the Education Department on
Christmas-eve last with a number of his fellow clerks,
one of whom was named Guiver. They drank at various
taverns, and went to the Oxford Music-hall. After being
In conversation with some unknown woman the deceased
proceeded to the Princess's Theatre with Guiver, and, no
far &A could be ascertained, was never again seen alive.
Mr. Montagu Williams appeared for the proprietor of the
Oxford Music-hall, and Mr. Straight for Mr. Guiver.
Henrietta Erlwerols, whose name was mentioned at the
previous hearing, was shown a portrait of the deceased,
but said that to her knowledge she never saw the original
in her life. Thomas Henry Jeffery, of le, Melton-street.
Euston-square, sail he was employed at the Admiralty
during the day and at the Princess's Theatre during the
evening. On the night of the 21t1, of December last he
was at the Princess's Theatre (run 6.15 until 10 o'clock.
He met Mr. Guiver at the theatre that night, but could
not say at what time. Ile left the theatre with Mr.
Guiver awl supped with bun. Ile did not go to the
Wheatshed. To his knowledge lie had never seen the
deceased. Gel,/ n. was not quite sober that night Wit-
ness did not give him a pass to the theatre. Ile left him
at the door of the Horse Shoe and bade him good night.
Guiver was sontetitnes employed at the Princess's Theatre
as chocktaker and moneytaker. Inspector Shore, of the
detective police, said that Information was sent to bins by
a lady with • request that be would make inquiries into
the matter. He did so, but could glean no tidings of the
deceased. Ile had not been able to trace the deceased
front the time he parted with Guiver. He received an
anonymous letter that some one had jumped from West-
minster-bridge on the 2fith of December last at 0.45,
which would be about two mined,: before the watch of
the deceased stopped. Mr. Frederick Guiver, recalled,
said that Edwards was the young girl he mentioned as
having been "chaffing" with the deceased. Ile got the
passel mentioned for the Princess's from Mr. Bower, and
he was at the theatre all the evening. Ile had heard
nothing in connexion with the matter since the owning
of the inquiry. Ile saw the stage doorkeeper and the
treasurer at the theatre. The pass produced was the one
obtained from Mr. Bower and he took it to Mr. Russell,
the proprietor of the Wheataheaf, and asked him to give it
to the deceased if he should call. After he left the Horse
Shoe he went to Ludgate-hill, and joined his father at
Brixton, and remained with his father over Christmas.
The tale he told his fellow clerks of his journey to Birming-
ham MY false. At the Oxford he asked for a pass from the
door-keeper. Ile did not say "Let them in; they will drink
like devils." There was no necessity to use such an ex-
pression. Ile had no difficulty in getting In. Mr. Russell,
the landlord of the Wheatsheaf, proved that the pass was
left for the deceased by Mr. Guiver, and he identified the
photograph of deceased as that of • person who came with
Guiver to the Wheatsheaf. Mr. henry Bower, assistant
treasurer at the Princess's Theatre, proved giving instruc-
tions for the pass to Mr. Guiver for the admission of the
deceased. Mr. Henry fly.-.... de11.10,1 to writing tho pav
for the admission of the deceased to the theatre, and
proved seeing Guiver several times between 6 and O on the
night of the 2lth of December. Jamas Phelps, stage door-
keeper, said that Mr. Leatherway came to him at the
theatre, but it is untrue that he stated that "Guiver had
asked hint to tell a falsellesl." Mr. Juni Guiver, the
father of !the lyoung man above mentioned, said he saw
his son from a quarter to 7 until a ptarter-past 8 on the
21th. and as he was a little the worse for drink he walked
bin, about. His son spent Christmas with the family. Dr.
James Goodheart, demonstrator of morbid asuatoruy at
Guy's Hospital, said he had a post mortal' examination of
the body. It was much decomposed, but he was able to
say that there were no marks of violence upon it. The
right side of the heart was distended, which is • condition
consistent with death from drowning. All the organ's
were healthy. There was no appearance of a struggle.
There were no sign m of any drugs in the stomach. The
Coroner, in summing up, said the whole of the evidence
had not been brought forward which could throw any
light on the matter. The conduct of (Wirer hail, no doubt,
left a strange impression on the minds oof the jury, from
the fact that he was the last person seen with the deceased,
that he had expressed his belief that the deceased would
never be seen again, and that he had prevaricated in giving
his evidence. The evidence now given, however, seemed
to clear tin thoo matter somewhat, witnesses having
accounte.l for Cioiser'• whereaboota on the night in
question. The young girl F,lwarols had also cleared her-
self. There wax, however, no direct evidence to show how
the deceased got into the water, and the duty of the jury
would, therefore, loe to return an open verdict. The jury
• verdict of "Found Drowned," thus leaving the matter
in the hands of the police.