The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1888-12-07 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

SAD CASE OF DROWNING AT COWBRIDGE.  THE INQUEST.  On Saturday night the quietude of the above ancient town was disturbed by the report that the body of Edward Thomas David, the local postman, had been found in the river Thaw. The rumour proved correct, for in a short time after the deceased had been missed from his house near the bridge, his lifeless form was found in the stream near the Poplars. The deceased had been in the shop where the wife manages a beot and shoe business, and was talking about the week's takings, and left her to go to the rear of the premises, and was not seen after alive. Deceased, who was thirty-eight years of age, had acted as postman for about twenty years, and looked well and healthy. He had according to the evidence of his wife been unwell lately, although able to follow his daily avocation. He was in Bridgend on the previous Thursday.  The inquest was held on Tuesday, at the Police. court, Cowbridge, before Mr E. B. Reece, coroner. Mr T. Rees, solicitor, was present at the hearing. Catherine David, the wife of the deceased, said her husband was town postman and kept a shoe shop near the Bridge. He was 38 years of age last July. He died on Saturday night, and saw him last about nine o'clock ; he was in the shop watching me selling a pair of shoes, She went to the kitchen soon after, and asked where Tom (her husband) was; a little boy named John Trott, who looked after the pony said he had gone out to the back. She went to look after him as he had a bad cold and he was in the habit of retching. Did not find him in the back, and went to the stable at the end of the garden. She ran for her life, as she knew her husband was weak And the pony was " bright." She found the door locked and then ran back and sent down John Trott to call her husband's brother to bring a lantern and look for him. He came and looked for him, and several of the neighbours. The body of deceased was found and taken to his father's house. It was found in the river. There is a garden between our garden and the river. Deceaed very often went over that garden. There is a doorway and stile; there are stepping stones across the river, but the flood was over them. In the summer we can cross into the field on the opposite side. There was a high flood in the river on Saturday and it would be impossible to cross by the stones. Her husband was in the babit of going that way towards the Horse and Groom. She had missed him for about ten minutes before going to look for-him. He had a cold caught, he said, by sleeping in a damp bed. She ran quickly to look for him for fear the retching might cause the bursting of a blood vessel. He had burst one about twelve months previously. Had no suspicion or occasion to suppose that he had any intention of committing suicide. He had never threatened to do so. By Mr Rees (solicitor) : He had been making uP his accounts on Saturday and was quite pleased at the result of the sales and that he should be able to pay his accounts regularly up to the end of the year. He caught cold at Bristol about a fortnight previous to his death, as he said, from sleeping in a damp bed. He had been in good health since he broke a blood vessel.  Frederick David, brother of deceased, said he was a hairdresser, living in High-street. The boy Trott came and said his brother had gone out, and asking hint to look for him. He shut the shop about twenty minutes after and went with some neighbours to look for hint. Went to the field at the back to look for him ; from thence to the station, and afterwards to the river, and walked down. Saw his body by the Poplars ; there was a flood in the river. The body was taken out and carried to his father's house. There were no marks of injury on the body. He was accustomed to see his brother every day. Had no fear that deceased would do himself harm ; he had not been depressed in mind. Cross-examined : He was in the habit of crossing at the point where the body was found when the water was low. At the request of Mr Rees, the widow of the deceased was recalled, to say that her husband had no trouble in the matter of business. The Coroner said that there seemed to be something strange or eccentric about the deceased, or why should they go to look for hint in the river. One of the jurymen said that he went to look for David at some if the public,honses in the town, but •did not find hint. Another juryman said that he went to look for decaased at the river, as he was in the habit of crossing to the opposite side. The Coroner said that they would have to consider whether the deceased met his death by misadventure, or had deliberately committed the act. The jury found that the body of Edward Thomas David was found drowned, but that there was no evidence to show hew he got there.