The Cotton Factory Times. — 1894-01-26 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A WEAVER.—Late last Friday afternoon the body of Elizabeth Gould, aged 16, of 40, Lord Derby-street, was found floating in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal near Highfield-road. The girl had been missing from her home since the Wednesday previous, and her death was a mystery. A inquest on the body was held before Mr. H. J. Robinson, the coroner, at the Infirmary on Monday morning.—Sarah Gould, the mother of the deceased, said her daughter was a two-loom weaver at Greenwood's mill. Witness last saw her alive on Wednesday morning, when she went out to her work. She was a very cheerful sort of a ; and there was no unpleasantness of any sort at home.—Thomas Merch, weaver, of Lord Derby-street, said deceased worked on the next pair of looms to him. She was not a very quick weaver. Was a bit slow at her work. On the day in question witness's daughter was put on three looms, and the tackler said he would put deceased on another when she had improved. Witness told deceased this in the afternoon. She said nothing, but only laugued and made fun as usual.—A Juryman here remarked that he had heard it said that the girl had been 'driven" because she was slow at her work.—The Coroner's Officer said that had been denied by the tackler, and the manager of the mill informed the coroner that, as a matter of fact, the girl had actually earned a little over the average during the past two weeks.—The jury returned a verdict that the girl had committed suicide whilst of unsound mind.  ANNUAL REPORT OF THE WEAVERS' Agsocin'loN.The report of the Committee of the Blackburn and District Power-loom Weavers' Association was issued on Tuesday morning. The report, which is signed on behalf of the committee by the President (Mr. A. H. Cottam, JP.,) and Secretary (Mr. George Barker) says :-The tune has again arrived for us to render an account of oar stewardship, which we will endeavonr to do in as lucid a manner as possible. We have received from members' contributions £7,733 10s.; rents, Blackburn £77 10s., Manchester property, £174 95.; interest on investments, £l9l 14s. 9d.; discount, 14s. 9d.; new cards, £6 7s. 3d.; from Northern Counties Amalgamation, £239 155.; guarantee fund, £B'; other souroes, t. 13 Os. 10d. ; and to meet all claims we have had drawn from the bank £10,900, making a total of £19,345 is. 7d. on the income aide. For expenses we have paid for commission, £1,028 Os. 4d.; funerals, £583; levies, per Northern Counties' Amalgamation, £1,115 10s. ; levies, per Trades Council, £3l 55.; grants, £B3 18s. 9d.; printing, £43 2s. 101 ; legal expenses, £l9 is.; repairs (Blackburn), £154 6s. 6d.; rates, &c., £34 188. 7d.; repairs (Manchester), £3O ss. lid.; rates and taxes, £4l 17s. 10d.; officers' salaries, including auditors, £3BB 9.; and we have reduced our debt at the bank, £1,443 Ba. 9d.; we have also paid for deputations, ecc., which are enumerated in the following lists, £403 13s. id.; total, £19,345 is. 7d. We do not offer to congratulate ourselves on the amount of our losses, for we feel that all of you know how they have been brought about-the determination of the classes to oppress the masses. For, at the beginning of the year, we had the limiteds, in South Lancashire, called a Federation, which thought labour should not live in a cottage rented at 4s. per week, it makes them too independent; and to maintain our supremacy we must reduce their earnings, so that any hovel we choose to supply them with shall be sufficient for their wants. How they were disappointed all of us know; and we also know with what fortitude the cardroom workers suffered, but still bore out, knowing that they were justified, and the end that they were suffering for would be triumph. For that reason they maintained the attitude of solid determination, which all connected therewith must have admired. Now, when we see our way without groping, the looms and spindles, we hope the day is distant when we have to witness any further commercial warfare, and advise all to look to the strengthening of their unions, so that if any mishap or emergency should arise we shall be prepared to meet it."