The Atherstone, Nuneaton, and Warwickshire Times. — 1888-06-09 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

THE INQUEST : VERDICT OF FOUND DROWNED.  v On Saturday morning the body of Alfred Metcalf, aseistant ovemeer and rate collector. of Smiths., was found in a well in his own garden. The deceased was on Saturday :nerving engaged in watering his garden, and it is surmised that he j must have fallen into the well. There are rumours that deceased wan at the tirne in pecuniary dieiculties, and that this fact preyed upon hi. I mind. The manner in which begot into the well is shrouded ill ouch uncertainity, that the jury felt thertmelles unable to return any other verdict , than that of "Found Drowned.. The body of : dome/ma was conveyed to the Craven Ileml, where an nag.. was held on Monday morning, by Dr. R. Wynter district coroner. Mr. A. Coles orm foreman of the Jury. Mrs. Metcalf, widow of deceased, said, My nal. is Martha Alice Metcalf, and deceased tree my husband. He was a gardener, and was 43 years of age. On Satarday morning he went down to the garden. He started shout half.pant seven o'clock. I saw him before he went. He took a watering can with him. lie said nothing before going out of the common way. He only I alluded ton maxi who works for as. I never ease I my husband again alive. I was not alarmed at his absence. I sent my little girl about 9 o'clock to see after him. She could not find 11411, but tag his coat thrown into an open Cart. She came buck and told me, and I Cent another child to look for him. She went all mend the garden. sad I after raising an alarm came back and told me she ' had seen her father's shirt sleeve in the old well. I never heard him say he would commit suicide. I He seemed in very good spirim when he left home. ' Inspector Welch said lam a police inspector ' atationed at Southans. On Saturday morning I was in my garden, which is about • hundred yard:, from that of Mr. Metcalf, when I heard a cry from his daughter, "Oh Mr. Welch, my dad to in the pit.. lat once ran up the road to the garden and went to the old well, and saw hit body in the I water. The well is about seven feet acre., and the water is about three feet deep. His shoulder anti one arm were neer the surface. I took , hold of a stick and turned the body over, and suspended the head above the water. Froth came from his mouth. Assistance soon came, and we got tbe body out of the water. I felt certain from the first that life was gone. tint we did all we could to restore annimation. Dr. rattey, Dr. Holmes, and Mr Stoker, his assistant, sten arrived, but all efforts were unavailing. Hie hand was up as though it had caught hold of the stonework, and this prevented the body quite sinking. Ilia hat was on the surface of the water. I saw a can 1 bottom upwards also in the water. I found a small abrmion on the left temple. His death might , have been caused by striking his head against the brickwork. There were other wounds on each side of the nose. There we.. quantity of rotten wood lying about. The bank down to the water was I about If I. 9ins. The right way was blocked by old wood, and he had been in the habit of leaning over the brickwork to get the 'MI,. Them was considerable discoloration of the face. His neckerchief was not tied tightly. Deceased had been planting and svaMring young plants. This waa all the evidence. The Coroner, in addressing the jury, said that there was nothing to show that it was a case of suicide. Of roarer there were all aorta of rumours about, but he thought the verdict should be that Ithe deceased was "Fond Drowned. • The Jury held a short consultation,everal of then: remarking that to their own knowledge the deceased had been subject to fita, and they thought it visite likely that in hie disturbed state of mind, he had a fit, and on reaching over fell into the well. The Jury then returned a verdict "that Mr Metcalf was found drowned, but how the body got into the water there was no evidence to show." The lateral of deceased took place the same evening, the body being followed to the grate by niensbers of the family and members of the Forester's Court, to which deceased belonged.