The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1896-08-22 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE DOCK QUAY.  An inquest was held on Monday afternoon at the Victoria Hotel, Cleveland-street, by Mr. C. W. Tibbite, the deputy coroner for West Cheshire, on the body of Thomas Evans, carter, 51 ears of age, who had lived at 25, Gordon-street. Ijeceased has been miming from home since the 9th inst. His dead body was on Saturday afternoon seen floating in the Vico Float dock, and was recovered and removed to the dead-house by P.C. Ellwood. The deceased's wife, Mary Evans, stated that on August let she went away for a holiday, and her husband accompanied her to the railway station. He was to have met her on Saturday last, at Woodside. On Tuesday last week she heard that he was missing, and on Saturday she returned to Birkenhead. • Replying to the Coroner, witness said abs did not return on Tuesday, because it was no use of her coming here when the deceased was not at home. Her mother would not let her come. A neighbour had written her informing her of her husband's disappearance. She had teen married four years. and had three little children. She and the deceased had lived very happily together, and they had had no quarrel. He took some drink, hut "did not get drunk so often." She was not aware that he took a deal of drink during her absence. Her holiday had been spent in a district near to Mold. Deceased was a perfectly healthy man, and was not subject to' giddiness or fits. Elizabeth Owens, 27, Gordon-street, gave evidence as to hearing the deceased about hie house for a week alter his wife went away. Another neighbour wrote to Mrs. Evans.  George Stoning, 17, Sun-street, chief foreman for the L. and N.W. Railway Company, by whom deceased was employed, deposed that the deceased left his horse and lorry on Tuesday, On, 4th instant, during the forenoon, and went awaylrom his work, returning late in the evening. Next morning at 6 o'clock witness accused him of drinking, and deceased admitted that he had been taking drink. Witness told him to go home and come back at 10 o'clock, and deceased went off, but did not return till 10 o'clock on Thursday morning. Witness then suspended him until the following Monday. On the Friday deceased drew the wages owing to him, and he had, in witnees's opinion, the appearance of having been drinking. As he did not turn up on the Monday morning witnee had inquiries made concerning biro, and ascertained that he was missing from home. Inspector Glass produced a man's hat which had been found on the dock quay, and inside which was discovered a email piece of paper, on which was written "T. Evana, 55, Gordon-street." Above this was what appeared to te the beginning of an unfinished sentence. the words apparently being "Have got," or "Have gone. i " The witness identified the handwriting as that of the deceased,  P.O. Rilvrood gave evidence 1114 to the finding of the body on which he found various articles, including four pawnticketa, dated August 4th, 1896, July 20th, 1895, July 21st, 1895, and December 9th, 1895. The ticket dated August referred to a pair of troll-WM which were placed in pledge for 2s. Addressing the jury the coroner said: I must say from the evidence it looks very suspicious, very much as if the man had committed suicide; but I don't think the evidence la at all conclusive, and it seams to me we can hardly go further than to say the man was found drowned. The jury concurred, and returned a verdict accordingly,