The Express.
London, England, 1868-04-21 00:00:00

SUDDEN DEATH OF A CLISROLV4E.

On Saturday much consternation was felt
Bible liedingham in consequence of the dixoYerY Of t:.
dead body of the Rev. Thomas NaiA in a ditch c..
Monk's Farm. The deceased gentleman hi, othci,:.l
for the last three years its curate to the Rey. H. u%..
burton, rector of bible Hedinglimu, and on Friday
noon read prayers in the parish tlanch. It appex
that he afterwards dined at Toppesiel.l rectory, at
set out to walk home between 7 and it o'clock
night. He, however, never reached home alive. Mrs.
Naish, alarmed at his absence, cmuied a u•errh to be
stituted the same night, but wit►out avail, and her
husband's body wu not di+covered until 10 o'clock it,.
following day. Deceased was between 4) and XI yesrs

beGoooforsh,l‘rec. eWtorfdtwOciTgo:tnoripestipe..ostme.kewficiret.eo.l,(l.l..fi7;l..:
On Monday (yesterday) an inquest was held at the tell
as
is
ords
I"TheSibßisevii.ediniCharlhesamJ..
that deceased dined with him at the rectory on
ridgy
anj
usdtcrrational,
uttileeao arn
avalt;: he ciaboutllreaitt 7h. o'clock,
is usual
andhHsade
ae h
health.
to
will if I can." He declined to stay all night, as he had so
much to do when he got home.
Henry Barker, miller, Toppeafield, stated that he ove.
took deceased on Friday evening about 8.45 near the lilt
Farm; witness did not know him, but incited Firsis
rids ; deceased said " Where are you going! " Winn,
replied, "To Toppaikell ;" he said " I've just come inn
Toppesfield and am going to Hedingham, and have nit
the wrong road ;" witness then took him up, and be no
as far as Cust Hall ; this was about two miles from .see
he was found ; he appeared very well, and bade rims
" Good night" as he left; it was not very dark at 9 o'rloti.
Superintendent Hussy, Cattle Hedingham, said i
searched for the deceased on Saturday morning, and At
9.15 found him lying in • ditch opposite Mr. Hale'. lain
Bible Hedingham ; his face was lying downwards io n•
water, which was about 20 inches deep and thick so
weeds • the hands were clenched and holding weeds
umbrella laid on the left aids of him, and his wide aft.
just under his head ; the ditch, which is very close ton
road, is 6feet wide at the tap, and 4 feet deep ; the rend .
about 15 feet wide, with ditches on either side • it von:.
take deceased more than half an hour to walk from vito
the last witness put him down to this spot ; it would pr •
bably be half-put 9 when he reached there ; his vote.
which was in the waistcoat pocket, where the water oron•I
not readily get at it, stopped at 10.12 ; his pencLok.
pooket.book, Sic., were found upon him, but no moo,.
there was no appearance of any struggle, and the weeds
were not disturbed • it was not, in witness's opinion. at
all extraordinary that anyone should fall into the ditch Li
a dark night.
Mr. BMus, Thorpe, M.R.C.S., Bible Hedingham, staid
he examined deceased on Saturday morning ; the clothes
were saturated with wet, but not disarranged ; there were
no marks of violence; the face was much smolt and
congested • there was no frothy mucus from the mouth
or nose; the hands were clenched ; the proximate acre
of death (in witnees's opinion) was suffocation from fill•
lug into the water • was not aware that he was subject to
Ate, but bad heard • report to that effect ;it ma
quite possible that the sudden shock of falling alien
have so confused deceased that he did not know what Si.
was doing, especially if he fell upon his head • decruel
was very nervous from indisposition, for which winos
was attending him.
The coroner said there could be no doubt that rieceunl
Game to his death by accident, but he suggested that 4
the &beano) of direct evidenee to that effect. the jury
should return a verdict of " Found dead in a ditch, ism
which the jury believed he had accidentally fallen.-
Verdict accordingly.