The Herald of Wales. — 1887-07-16 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

INQUEST .ON THE BODY.  _ On Monday evening, Mr. Edward Striek, coroner, held an inquiey at the Morriston Police Station, into the circumstances attending the death 1 an old man named David George, formerly a furnaceman at the Doffryn Tin-Plate Works, but latterly of no occupation, whose body it will be remembered was found in the Great Weitern Canal, at Morriston, on Monday morning, by a mtn named Evan Evans. The jury having been duly empanelled, and the body viewed.  Edward Benjamin who was the first witness called said he Lad known the eeeeased , for many years. Deceased was in the Workhouse I when he went there about five months ago, and be was also there when he left, about five weeks ago. When in the workhouse, deceased often talked about his troubles with his wife, but this witness did not believe, as his wife, who had been dead about twelve months, was ' of a very quiet disposition, and bore an excellent character. Deceased had not been doing anything lately besides" loafing about." Ie went out to Australia about thirty years ago, and on his return was of a very violent temper, and blamed his wife for not having more of the money left which he declared he sent her whilst abroad. lie had attempted to commit suicide once before, about eight years age, by cutting his throat. Witness had been out of the workhouse about five weeks, whilst deceased came out .tbout three weeks ago. Ho could not Bay whether deceased really did have any quarrels with his wife.  'John Reps, Bush Row, Llangefelach Road, said he was a night foreman at the Darya Tin Works, and had known the deceased eight or Inine years. He came to witness about 10.30 lon Sunday night, and asked if Ihe could sleep at the works. Witness told him he was not allowed to let anyone stay about the works. He than asked witness if he would show him the way out. Witness, who had a lamp, accordingly showed deceased as far as the gate, which leads from the works to the turn-pike road. He did mot !notice anything about him to create suspicion. Deceased was quite sober at the time. Where he left him ww.ld be about 150 yards from the , place wln re the body was found. Deceased was about 73 years of age. Evan Evans, Morriston, a rollerman, deposed to finding the body on Monday morning whilst returning from his work. He had worked with deceased about six years ago deceased being a , bundler at the Dutiryn Works. Deceased was of intemperate hoWts. Witness had not seen much of him since he left the works. On Monday morning he met a man named Damiel Jones about six o'clock, who told him there Nati, a coat, hat, stick and ' pipe on the bank of the canal, and identified them as belonging to deceased. He immediately procured the millstone° of Sergt. [Williams, at the police station, and on going back found some men looking for the body. He procured a boat book, and after seareking for about three quarters of au hour recovend the body. He identified it as that of David George. There were no marks of any violence, except a small mark on the right side of the face, which, no doubt, was caused by the hook. Deceased, whelk recovered, was wearing his tronsus, shirt, shoes, and stockings, and his legs were tied tightly, whilst his -hands were also tied about teu inches sport. He was, generally, a strong, ' able-bodied man.  The Coroner was of opinion that deceased moat have divested himself of the Mothes found on the bank, and then tted his legs and hstuls, and thrown himself in : as !f &ceased had met his death by foul play, he was in a place where he would have been heard, and thme would have al.° been marks of a straggle, which there were not.  The jury accordingly returned a verdict, "That deceased committed suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity."