The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-10-04 00:00:00

SUPPOSED CASE OF SUICIDE BY

DROWNING.

I On Monday evening last, great excitement pre-
vailed in the neighbourhood of Diglis by the news
that the dead body of a WO/11W well dressed, and ap-
parently about 40 years old, had been found floating
in the river in the Diglis lock. The report proved to
be true. The body was removed to the Anchor Inn,
Diglis, and it was subsequently ascertained that the
deceased was Joanna Griffin, wife of Mr. John Griffin,
maltster, of Oldswinford. It is believed that the
deceased committed the crime while in a At of mental
aberration, occasioned by habitual drunkenness. De-
ceased is the same woman who, on the 30th August,
1872, was found suspended by the left leg with a
horse's headstall and chain, her head and shoulders
only resting on the ground, in a stable on her hus-
band's premises at Oldswinford. From this perilous
position she was released (moans having been heard
by a policeman) in a most exhausted and critical
state. At that time she made a statement implica-
ting her husband, and on the strength of that accusa-
tion Mr. Griffin was taken into custody and brought
before the magistrates at Stourbridge, who, after in-
quiries, committed him for trial. The evidence
taken at the magisterial inquiry, however, tended to
exculpate the husband from all complicity, and at the
Sessions the Grand Jury ignored the bill.
At an inquest held on the body at the Anchor Inn,
on Tuesday afternoon, before Mr. W. S. P. Hughes,
coroner, the following evidence was adduced :
John Griffin :I live at Oldswinford, and am a
meltster. The deceased was my wife ; she was 42
yeins of age. She left home last Monday week.
The cause of her leaving home was drunkenness.
She had been in a state of intoxication for ten weeks.
She was an habitual dvunkard. I did what I could
to keep the drink from her. When she went away
she said she was going to Worcester to her brother-
in-law's, where she occasionally visited. I made no
objection to her going to her brother-in-law's. She
used to leave my house for weeks together. She had
been an habitual drunkard for nine or ten years. I
had been married about twenty years. I last saw her
alive on Monday week, the day on which she left
home. She had no bundle with her when she started
that I am aware of. I don't know whether she made ,
any preparation for going to Worcester. Except ,
that deceased told a neighbour named Mrs. Chance,
who lives in a cottage belonging to me, that she was
going away. I did not know where she was going.
I had not been in the habit of quarrelling with her;
it was her drunken habits that were BO objectionable.
I have endeavoured in every way to keep her from

drink, and have had medical advice for her. There
is no doubt of the deceased's identity, and I have no
reason to think that she died otherwise than lty
drowning.
John Jenkins, fisherman, Severn-ntreet, deposed: I
saw the deceased sitting on a rail by the aide of the
tow-path about 100 yards above the anal task,
about four o'clock in the afternoon, on Monday
week, I saw her Bitting in the same place about a
quarter past six o'clock the same evening. There
WRB nothing unusual about her appearance or manner.
I did not see the deceased afterwards till I saw her
last evening. She had on a veil when I saw her sit.
ling on the rail, and ware the Mine dress then that
she had on when taken from the river. She woe
picked up about 350 yards from the rail tin which I
saw her sitting. . . .

John Bradley : lam look-keeper at Diglia. I did
not see anything of deceased before she was found is
the river. I first saw bar on Tuesday afternoon
about five o'clock. A. barge vrsa passing through the
lock, and, looking down, I saw something floating is
the lock. I afterwards found it to be the body of *
woman. I secured assistance and got the bod 7 out
of the water. Her dress was in a natural windition,
and there was no appearance oj disorder either in the
dress or body. I did not perceive any mark* of
violence. I did not see her searched. lam of
Opinion that the deceased had been in the water
about a week. The body was not in a Hate of de-
composition. The body was floating in an erect
position when I saw it. The top of her head and a
portion of her face were visible.
Police-constable Smith I am a member of the
county constabulary. I was called to the spot and
assisted to get the body out of the water. I searched
the body, and found 3s 81d in money in her pocket.
She had two gold earrings in her ears, and wore a
black brooch, kid gloves, and two sings on her fingers.
The Coroner, addressing the jury, said there was
no doubt that deceased died from drowning, and
there was no reason to suppose any violence or rob-
bery was committed upon her before she went into
the water. There was no direct evidence to prove
that she threw herself into the river, but the pro-
probability was that she destroyed herself, her mind
being reduced to a state of imbecility through con-
tinued drunkenness. Her habits were of that nature
that probably they affected her mind. They would
draw their own conclusions; the evidence showed
very clearly that she must have drowned herself, and
that she was in an infirm state of mind owing to her
drunken habits.

The jury returned a verdict of." Found drowstiod."