Widnes Examiner. — 1895-11-16 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

ANOTHER RESULT OF INFLUENZA.  Last Friday afternoon, at the " Dug and Dart " Inn Grappenhall, Mr. Yee, coroner, held an inquest on the body of John Boyd, Aiken-st., Warrington, who was drowned in the Ship Canal on Thursday noon. John Frown, 571, Kuutsford-road,was riding along the road on the canal side on the day in question in order to cross by the ferry, when he saw the deceased on the opposite side of the canal take off his jacket and cap and lay them on the bank. Witness remarked to a friend that deceased was perhaps going to have a wash, when he rushed straight into toe water and disappeared. Witness at once went to the ferry man and reported what he had seen. There was no one on the bank at the time.  Mr. Marshall, lock-master, said that at noon on Thuraday a youth named John Brown in the employ of the Ship Canal Company, brought word to the Locks that a man had taken some of his clothes off and put them on the bank, walked down the slope, and plunged into the canal. Witness immediately went to tne place in a boat and commenced to grapple, and afterwards resorting to a boat hook, in a short time succeeded in bringing the body to the surface, and conveying it to the Locks. Previous to recovering the body witness informed the police and on their arrival the body was conveyed to the "Dog and Dart "Inn. On searching the coat, which was found on the bank, a watch was found in the pocket, and engraved in the case was the name and address of deceased. From this witness was enabled to inform the deceased's relatives of the occurrence. . _ _  P.C. Brew said that at 2 p.m.he went to the Latchford Lock and brought the body to the Inn. On searching the clothes he found 2s. 101 in money and a pipe, keys,and knife.  Mrs. Boyd said her husband was a wiredrawer,and 57 years of age. He had been, ill for some time in consequence of having influenza. He had been off work for about 13 weeks, and for some time he had been strange in his manner. She had contemplated placing him in an asylum. Deceased never attempted or said he would commit suicide. This last week he had been much better, and Dr.Braide said he thought he was all right. Witness last saw deceased about ten on Thursday morning taking the dog for a walk. He said he would not he long, but at about two o'clock she heard ef the occurrence. She identified the body as that of her husband. He had no money troubles. The Coroner said they were all very sorry for Mrs. Boyd. The case was apparently only another result of that dread disease, influenza which had rendered deceased nervous and brought him under the influence of a kind of melancholia.  The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst temporarily insane."  In a letter in which Mr. Chamberlain explains to the Rev. M. Willoughby his decision in the dispute between Batheon, and Sebele, the Bechuana chiefs, and the Chartered Company. Ile determines the amount of had ta be taken from the chiefs for the railway to Matabeleland, and intimates that the chiefs will in future rule their own people much as at present. In regard to the drink traffic, Mr. Chamberlain decides thlt " white man's strong drink " shall not be brought for sale into the ccunt,y now resigned to the chiefs, and those who attempt to deal in it will be punished.