INQUEST.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1353, 15 June 1878, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held this afternoon by Dr. Coward, at the Hospital, on the body of John Gordon, which was found in the Avon on Friday morning. Mr P. Rentoul was chosen foreman of the jury, who, after viewing the body, heard the following evidence; Elizabeth Gordon, wife of the deceased, deposed—My husband’s age was thirty-six. I saw him last alive between thiee and four o’clock on the afternoon of Friday, the 31st May. He left home after dinner. He did not say where he was going. He had a glass in, but was sober. I could see that he had a little in, but nothing worth speaking about. We had no intoxicating liquor in the house. I heard nothing of him until yesterday morning. I have seen and recognized the body, which is in the dead house. It is that of my husband. To the Jury—l never saw him drunk. I did not report his absence to the police. He was in the habit of drinking, but always knew what he was doing. I thought he was driving cattle, or with his friends. He never stopped away so long before. Deceased paid 32s for rent that day, but gave me no money. James Gordon, brother of deceased, deposed that he had last seen deceased between five and six on the 31st ult. He was slightly intoxicated, and witness recommended him to go home and offered to go part of the way with him. Witness went as far as Manchester street, but left him then, as he (witness) had to keep an appointment. Deceased said he would get home all right. Witness had not seen him since. Previous to meeting deceased in the evening witness had given him a fivepound note about noon, when he was quite sober. William Walls deposed to deceased having been in his company on the 31st May, and drinking a glass of beer and of spirits, but they did not seem to have had an effect upon him. Witness had known deceased for four years, and could not say that he was in the habit of drinking. John Leader deposed to being informed that there was a man in the river, and to having taken the body out. Sergeant Beck deposed to having, from information received, gone to the river, a little beyond Ward’s Brewery, and having brought deceased to the Morgue. On the body witness found nothing but a pipe and a strap buckle. William Pitcairn deposed that he had last seen deceased at the Rotherfield Hotel on the 31st May. Deceased and witness had a glass of beer there, about twelve o’clock, Deceased was sober, and changed a£l note. On leaving, deceased said he |had to go to Mr Goss about a house he was putting up. The jury returned a verdict of “ Found drowned.”