Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1883-02-03 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

DEATH ON THE THAMES.  Mr. Samuel F. L-Ingman, deputy-coroner for Westmilliner, London, has held an inquiry at the St. Martin's Vmtry Hall, as to the death of Mr. Henry James Ayson, an independent gentleman, secretary of the Yorkshire Society Schools, Westminster Bridge-road, and lately residing at 103, Shadwell- road, Hornseymoad, who was found dead in the Thames. There were various suspicious circumstances in the cam, inter cilia, the fact that the medical evidence point- d to the theory that the deceased had been thrown into the water from the Embankment, and also that there was no money on the Ibody' while the probabilities were that Mr. Ayson had about £35 in his possemion when he left his residence on the day previous to his body ben,: discovered. Mr. Francis Ayson, of Belmont, Holly Park, Crouchend, was the first witnem examined. He identified the deceased an his brmher, whom he had not seen for two ymrs. Hie age was fifty-two. Ile was a bachelor, and was in receipt of a suostantial income from property. Hearing of his death, WitTleSS made inquiries respecting him at the salmis, and was informed that his accounts were perfectly correct. Did not believe his brother had committed suicide. Mrs. Jane Berlin, of " " '  103, Shadwell-road, Hornsey-road, said the deceased had lodged in her house for eleven years. She last saw him alive the day previous to the finding of his borly,when he appeared the same 18 usual. It was not customary for the deceased to stay out all night. He was of a very cheerful dispo,ition, and had never spoken of suicide. Mr. T. E. J. Spence, head master of the Yorkshire Society's Sehools,deposed that he last saw the deceased three days before, when he attended the monthly meeting, and appeared in his usual health and spirits. His accounts were i erfeetly correct, and he was the last person in the world witness would have suspected of destroying himself. Be was of temperate habits. Mr. Charles W. Redin stated that he had known Mr. Aron thirty years. On December 22 he had £5O in his possession; of this he had probably spent £25. Police•constable Covill, 274 A, said he was on duty at seven o'clock in the morning on the Victoria Embankment, when he saw the body of the deceased lying face downwards in the mud near the Whitehall Stairs. He searched it, and found a lair of spectacles and a cambric handkerchief. There seoa no money or letters on the body, which WWI fully dressed, except a hat. Did not perceive any marks of violence. Dr. Robert Satin eso, M.R.C.S., senior physician at Westminster Ha-pilaf, stated that he saw the body on Monday morning. There were no external marks of violence upon it. From the po.t-mortem examination he had made he was of opinion that death was due to cardiac syncope, caused by fatty degentration of the muscular tissues of the heart. There were no appearances of drowning, but there were of asphyxia. Ile could not tell how the asphyxia was caused. There was no water, mud, or grit in the stonutch. In his opinion there was a short period of suffocation before the cessation of the heart. Deceased might have fainted and fallen into the water, or be might have been pitehed in. In the latter case the shock would have killed him. There was a large cancerous mass in his stomach of about three months' duration, which must have seriously interfered with his comfort. He might have died at any moment. The coroner proceeded to address the jury. Ile said the case was a most mysterious one, and bad been rendered more so by the medical evidence. There was nothing to show whether the deceased had been robbed or otherw;se. Their verdict would have lobe on the evidence adduced. The jury return d the following verdict "That the deceased died from heart disease, but whether accelerated by immersion there is not sufficient evidence to show, and how he came into the water there is no evidence to : show."