Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, etc. — 1915-01-02 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

FOUND DROWNED."  Mr. J. Kenyon Parker, District Coroner, held an inquest at the Town Hall, Wath-onDearne, on Tuesday, on Herbert Winder. aged 32. carting contractor. of 95. Wath road, Broomhill. whose drowned body was recovered from the renal near Broombill Bridge. in the Wath police district on Sunday. after deceased had been missing since Dec. Ist. Mary Ann Winder, widow, said she last saw her husband alive on the Ist or December. when he left home shortly before noon. She did not see him or hear of him after that, except on one occasion. when Mr. Bush. by. the registrar at Wombwell. told her he bad seen him alive at the Great Central Station, Wombwell. a week or a fortnight after he left home Witness had no idea where her husband bad been to during that time. He had never before left home, nor been away all night He had been very unfortunate in his business* having had many losses. Shortly before he disappeared he lost three horses in ten days and that made him desperate and turned his brain completely. Be was a healthy man, but not very temperate. He had often threatened to commit suicide. and said that when he was miming slue used not make any great trouble of it, but must tell the police to drag the canal at Broombill Bridge, and there they would find his body. On Wednesday, Dec. 2nd, when he did not return home, he informed the police, and they had dragged the canal. The Coroner: Your opinion is that be had gone out of his mind through business troubles and has drowned himself P—Yes. Mr. John Bushhy, a The Laurels. Wombwell, said he knew deceased very well, and he last saw hire alive on Dec. 9th. at Wombwell Great Central railway station, at about 3-43 in the afternoon. He did not speak to deceased, who appeared to be intending to travel in the direction of Mexboro'. He noticed the deceased more particularly because he had heard that lie had been missing, and also be had heard a report that a man had been taken out of the canal. May Bounce, domestic servant at the Junction Inn. Wombwell, said deceased came into the Junction Inn on Dec. let, about 2-30 in the afternoon, and the next morning she heard be was missing. While he was in the inn. deceased had a drink, and said "This is the last drink I shall have." Witness thought he meant it would be the lest drink that day. Deceased stayed there until close upon 11 o'clock at night, and b. loft sober. The Coroner: They never go out drunk, do they?—Sometimes. (Laughter.) Did he say where he was going toP—No, he bid us all:Good:night."  P.c. T. H. Coldwell. stationed at Concret& Mid he teceived information that the body was in the water about 1241 noon on Sunday last, and assio-ecl in its recovery. It was about a quarter of a mile from the Junction Inn, and about 400 yards from the Broomhill Bridge. Deceased was fully dressed, and his watch had stopped at 11-31. The police had no uspiricai of foul play in connection with the death  George Woffinden, of 89, Melton road. Wombwell. tramtber. said he knew deceased well. On Sunday he was walking along the easel bank when he saw a pan's head showing above the water. He got a boat-hook and bro,:ftht the body to the side. He then sent for the police. . . _  Addressing the jury, the COroner remarked that if Mr. Bushhy had seen deceased on the day mentioned by hint, it was a mystery as to what had happened to him in the interval between his disappearance and the time when Mr. Bushhy haW him. for no one appeared to have seen or heard anythiag of him during that time.  The jury returned a verdiet of "Found drowned "