The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1866-12-14 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

SUPPOSED MURDER AT ROMFORD.  Early on Thuraday morning, the town of Romford and its neighbourhood were startled by a rumour that a man had been brutally murdered on the path leading along the side of the railway embankment. It appears that at an early hour the eignalman' going to the factory, when passing over the bridge leading to the station, discovered an umbrella and also a hat, dirty and much battered, with a quantity of blood on the inside, a portion of it appearing to have been spattered about from some dreadful blow. Inside the hat was written "S. Godfrey, 209, City.road, Lsudon." These were quickly conveyed to the Police-etation, and a search was inetituted. Leading to the bridge was found a quantity of blood, much of it in a coagulated state. It was conjectured that the body would be found in the river, which was much swollen at the time through the late heavy nine and the drags were brought into requisition. Whilet the poliox were thus engsged, some boys, at a considerable dietenee down tne river oalled their attention to what was apparently a dead body and, upon proceeding thither, they found the corpse of a midcloaged min, with his throat ant in a fearful manner. The body of the man wee conveyed to the Sun Inn. He was dresstd in plaid troweers (the pockets of which were turned insbie out), and a black coat. There wee a black band round the hat. _  Crowds have visited the le :slay of the supposed murder, and the preatest excitement prevails. The spot is so much trodden that it precludes the penal. bility of perceiving any indications as to whether a struggle had taken place. Everything ie involved in the greatest mystery. A medical gentleman examined the body, and was of opinion that brie wound wee selfinflicted. Later report, respeoliog the body found in the Rom, near Rumford, have been received. On Thersday afternoon a member of the Eseex constabulary fore, was despatobed to make inquiries at the address which was written in the hat diaoovered near the bridge. He found a Miss Godfrey residing in apartments there, and learned that her father had been absent ainoe about seven o'olook on Wednesday evening. He was in the habit of stating where he was going, and the time he expected to return, when leaving the house, but did not do ei• on Wednesday. Mies Godfrey and her landlady's son returned to Romford with the constable, and at once identified the body. It is rather strange that a brother of the deceased, who resides at Rumford, and holds there the position of high bailiff of the County Court, seeing the crowd who gatherei about the doors of the place in which the body had been laid, looked in, but had no notion of how nearly related he vas to the object which wee then interesting so many. Those who have examined the body state that they see nothing inconsistent with the supposition that death was self-inflicted. The first attempt at stioide doee not seem to have been very suorieesful, inaerunek is the wounds in the throat are not deep, or such as would cause death in a very abort time. It hi probable that the deceased walked some little distance after he had out his throat, and then leaped over the bridge into the swollen river. No cause can be assigned tor the commission ef the act. hdthough the po ice have made a vigilant south, they have been unable to find any knife or other instrument with which the throat had been cut.