The Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder. — 1885-06-13 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

INQUEST AND VERDICT. . _  Mr. 'faYou—rd Sirick, 'deputy &Wei-coroner, held an inquest on Saturday afternoon, at the Beaufort Arms, Forest Foch, near Swansea, on the body of Enoch Bowen, 41 years of age, a miller, who reeided at Cadle Mill, and whose unusual death called such a sensation in Cadle on Friday. Thomas Bowen, a miller, the elder brother of the deceased, said that they had lived together in the mill since childhood. They were both bachelors. He last saw deceased alive at two o'oloek on Friday afternoon. He then went out for coal, dee, ased remaining at limn. Deceased appeared to be in his usual health at the time. Shortly after four, when he reached home, he did not see the deceased. A boy came to the mill with some grist and he, after patting • little of it to run, festered the hauling chain to the remainder. He proceeded to an upper loft for the purpose of raising the corn to the mill, and there saw the deceased hanging tea crosspiece under the roof. A handkerchief was ar3und his neck, and hi a feet were merely six inches off the ground. Witness could not bear the sight. Terror stricken he rushed down and told the boy who had brought th • grit to go up above with him. He told what he had seen to Margaret, the servant girl, and she ran out and fetched some neighbours. P.C. (142) Davies was also sent for. When the neighbours descended from the loft they said "it was a great sight." When he saw the body and touched it he knew from ite coldness that his broth, r was dead. Be was too much affected to rut the body down. Some of the neighbours mid they must not cut tha body down without authority. The Coroner—Then, suppose you saw a man hanging who was alive would you cut him down  A Juror—He'd probably send for a policeman.  Witness—l don't think I should have the heart to cut him down. The Coroner sold it WAS an extraordinary thing that people should see a body hanging and leave it there. Margaret Lawrence, v. ho lived with the brothers in 'the capacity t-1 domestic servant, said that the deceased did not seen to hays anything the matter with him. Daniel Rees, a stone mason, living at Cadle Lodge, said that about half-past six in the evening he was called to the mill. On going thither he found the deceased hanging to a crosspiece in the upper loft. A doubled rope had been thrice tweitscl roundthe crosspiece, and to this the handkerchief had been fastened. The handkerchief was made into a slip knot. Witness cut the body down. There was warmth under the at ms. Several people were up there looking at the body. A seed box was near the spot; upon this the deceased might have stood. Police-constable (142) Titus Davies deposed that he arrived at the house immediately after the last witness had cut the body down. That Iwas at twenty-four minutes past six o'clock. Deceased was quite dead then. Dr. T. Sidd ill Jones, at Gower road, said that the deceased was a delidate man. Last Tuesday the deceased, on meeting witness, turned his back upon him in a strange manner. Witness thought him demented. At eight o'clock he arrived at the house of the deceased and found him dead. He was black in the face, and had I probably been dead three hours. Around the throat there was a red ring indented into the flesh, extending almost f rom ear to ear—a wound consistent with hanging. The spine was neither dislocated nor bioken. The cause of death was strangulation. The Coroner commented strongly upon the ignorance displayed in allowing the body to hang so long, after which the jury returned a verdict of "Suicide during temporary insanity."