The Cotton Factory Times. — 1911-08-11 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

DROWNED IN 16 INCHES QF WATER.  An inquest was held at the Oldham Town Hall. on Monday, by Mr. A. E. Smith (Deputy Borough Coroner) touching the death, under tragic eircum'stances, of Mr. Hamlet Cocker, managing director and salesman for the Woodstock Spinning COM, pany, Boron Junction. Maud Cocker, daughter of the deceased, of Glenthorn Villa, Royton, said that her father was 55 years of age. He left home at eleven o'clock on Sunday morning to go to the mill. It was very wet on Sunday morning, and they were not alarmed when he did not return to dinner, as they thought he was sheltering until it was fine, and they thought he had gone for a wad: at night when it cleared up. Iler father had a dizzy attack about two years ago, but apart front that he had enjoyed good health. James Whittaker, 21, Anchor-street, Oldham, yardman at the Woodstock Mill, mid that he was on duty at the mill on Sunda, but diti not me Mr. Cocker there. Be. however. saw his umbrella at the mill entrance at noon, and ten minutes later it had gone. Mr. Cocker was in the habit of visiting the mill on Sundays. Granville Tither, of 75, Acre-lane, Oldham, secretary and cashier at the mill, said he wa., at, the mill about 10-30 on Sunday, and put the letters in the office. He returned shortly after noon, and found that the letters had been disturbed, and a private letter for Mr. Cocker had gone. He con• eluded that Mr. Cocker had been to the mill. There were building extensions being carried on at the mill, and after the heavy rains of Saturday and Sunday morning he concluded that deceased had been down to see if any damage had been done. There was no need for the deceased to go up the mill steps to get to the extensions. At 9-10 on Monday morning witness went to look at the new extensions. There was a hole three yardi square and one or two yards deep, which was being made to put a pillar for a stancheon. It would be necessary for Mr. Cocker to go near the hole to see if there was any water lodged in it. The ground would be loose with clay and lime. Witness found deceased at 9-30 in the hole, in which there were about 16 inches of water. He Wag lying face downwards near the pillar. The body wail completely covered except for a part of the deceased's overcoat. The edge of the hole seemed to have crumbled away near the top. Witness at once sent for the police, but did not take the body out. He had men Mr. Cocker attacked by dizziness some two years ago. On that occasion, when talking to a gentleman on the mill steps, he fainted and fell into the arms of a gentleman. _ _  A verdict of "Found drowned !" was returned, there being no evidence to show how deceased got into the hole.  The Coroner said that there was no suggestion of suicide or foul play.  Deceased was the chairman of the Royton Spinning Company, Royton, and the Cairo Spinning Company, Waterhead. He was also on the directorates of the Henshaw-etreet Spinning Company. Oldham; Doris Mill, Oldham; Coral Mill, Newhey; and the Ridings Mill, Rochdale. He was also on the board of the Woodstock Mill, of which he was the manager. He was a brotherin-law of Mr. John Brown Tattersall, the cotton leader.  Mr. John Lane, the well-known publisher, raid at a literary dinner in New York: "At an editor I find nobody so persistent as the amateur contributor. If the amateur were half as ingenious in writing his material as in trying to land it., 1,63 would become a Dickenn in no time. An amateur raid the other day to an editor I know, Allow ine to submit. this bear story." My readers don't care for bear stories,' mid the elliter. 'They want something spicy,' 'But 'maid Line amateur. 'is a *story about.leinnainon beam, •