Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1889-03-06 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

ARREST OF THE SUPPOSED HUH:DEREK. _ _ _ . _ .  Detective Inspector Caminada, of the Mau-1 cheater Prlice, on Friday night arte4ted Charles Parton, who is believed to be the young man concerned in the robbery and suspected murder of John Fletcher, a Southport gentleman in cab. Parton was brought before the stipendiary on Saturday he denied the onarge but he has been identified by several witnessea, and is said to have been seen in possession of the decans d gentleman'e gold watch.  An inquest has been opened in Manchester on the body of John Fletcher, aged 50. of Southport, who died mysteriously in a cab on Tuesday night, and who was robbed of a valuable watch and chain and a sum of money, and who, it is su.qiccted, has been murdered. The young man who entered the cab with him is still miseing. The analyist's report on the contents of the stomach not being ready, the inquest was adjourned. . . .  At the adjourned inquest on the body of Mr Fletcher, Mr. Estcourt, F.C.F., city analyst, deposed that he had tested the contents of the stomach and intestines, and found a very slight  trace of chloroform under such °auditions as proved its derivation from chloral hydrate. Bath this witness and the infirmary physicians had perceived a strong smell of alcohol. Mr Barber, the house surgeon, said he examined  the deceased as soon es he was brought in dead on Tuesday night. On the following day a post-mortem was made by Dr Reynolds, resident medical officer of the infirmary, who found no trace of drugs and nothing to account for , death except syncope or failure of the heart, and that was not due to disease. The liver was very large, weighing 71b., and in a fairly advanced stale of chronic alcoholic inflammation. The non-observance of a smell of chloral might be due to its being overborne by that of the aleohoi. The ' witness, after hearing the chemical evidence, considered .he two assignable causes of death were alcohol or alcohol vim the chloral. A safe dose of chloral for a sober man would be very dangerous to one under the influence of drink. Other evidence was given tending to identify the prisoner as the man who was in the cab with the deceased man, and the inquiry was then ai,journed. The inquest on the body cf the deceased was resumed at 2.30 on Tuesday afternoon. Patton' solicitor, in answer to an inquiry, was told that if a fresh analysis of the contents of the stomach and intestines of the deceased were desired he should apply to the ci y analyst. Medical testimony was adduced that the fluid condition of deceased's blood was consistent with chloral poisoning. The landlord of a public house in the neighbourhood where Fletcher's companion disappeared from the cab was called, and expressed the belief that Parton was the young man who entered his house abon ten minutes pact seven on the evening of deceased's death, and dbmlayed a handful of coin and a watch. Tae last witness's daughter positively identified Parton as the man. The inquiry was again adjourned.  Charles Parton, charged with causing the death of Mr Fieteher, in a cab in Manchester, wan brought up again on Monday morning at Manchester. The detective in charge of the case said a new phase had been given to the case. Prisoner had been identified by a Livsr- ' pool chemist as having, on Monday last, stolen a bottle of chloral, containing a pound, and also by the man whom he drugged and robbed of a watch in a public-house in December. He was remanded.  On Tuesday Charles Parton charged with robbing and causing the death Of John Fletcher, of Southport, in a cab, was brought before the Manchester magistrates and further remanded.