The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1894-01-06 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

ANDROID/BT. Mr. Church, ooroner, resumed the inquiry at Colchester into the oirOamstauces attending the death of Mr. Alfred Welch. It may be remembered that • fire reoently occurred at the shop of Mr. A. Welch, tailor, Colchester, and when the flames were estiniaisbed the body of the proprietor was found. A cord was twisted round Mr. Welch's nook, and his skull was fractured. Money and postal orders were missed, and the original theory of suicide gave place to ths. belief that murder, robbery, and arson had been committed. There are several complications in the case, but the point engaging most atuinilon is that on the night of the fire Mr. Welch told three persons that a discharged workman was about to call upon him. This person cannot now be found, although his description Las been circulated all over the country, and the police have been making an exhaustive search for him. On the night of the fire • man arrived at Witham junoHon Station just too late to catch the last train, and said he would rather have lost • sovereign than have missed it. He was seen counting gold while goading on the platform, and, proceeding to London by the first morning train, has not since been seen. A mail-cart driver who saw this limn has been shown a portrait of the discharged employe, and is said to have assured the police that the photograph is that of the stranger whom he saw. Plane of the burned premises where the body was found were produced, and Mr. Short, accountant, spoke to having examined Mr. Weloh's books, and found there should be a Wan°e of £iks in hand. Only Is. wee found in the cash-box. Henry Sizzey, manager to Welch, spAe to leaving his master on the premises on the nigh; of the fire, and to locking the doors lead lag upstart' to the floor where the body was found. The cash-box was kept under * desk in the shop, and a heavy black ruler was on the desk when he lett. Witness thee described his movements after he left business on the night of the lire, and Mr. Jones, solicitor, representing the police, said all Sizsey's statement* had been carefully inquired into, and he might say that not a particle of suspicion attached to him. This statement was received with applause in calla.— Dr. Thomas Maid, who made the post-mortem examination, said he found extensive fractures of the skull, also a deep groove round the neck of deceased, showing the indentation of a rope. There were also two small punctures in the jugular vein. Witness was of opinion that the fractures had been sustained during life, and he believed deceased had met with his death from violent blows, inflicted on the head with a heavy instrument. Neither a fall after—death, nor anything ordinary falling on the head, would clause such injuries. Deceased had probably been struck from behind.—Drs. Maybury and Beckon corroborated. The latter said that traces of blood had been found on • carpet of Welch's offioe. Witness concluded that the alleged murder took place there, and that the body had been afterwards dragged upstairs.— The inquest was adjourned for a fortnight.