| A Higham Man Found Drowned at Northampton—About 8.30 on Friday morning a labourer employed at the Northampton Sewage Works, discovered the body of a man in that part of the river Nene which flows through Midsummer Meadow. On being brought to the bank the body exhibited signs of having been in the water for some little time. West called for assistance, and P.S. Dunkley, of the Borough force, having been called, the body was conveyed to the Northampton Mortuary. Whilst there the body was identified as that of Thomas Vaughan, aged 42, riveter, of Higham Ferrers. An inquest was held on Saturday at the Town Hall by the Deputy Borough Coroner (Mr. William Tomalin), when Martha Bailey, of Higham Ferrers, stated that deceased had lodged at her house for five years, and was a shoe riveter by trade. He was about 40 years old, and a single man. She last saw him alive on the morning of the 10th inst., when he left home apparently to go to work. Noticing a description of the deceased in the paper she came to Northampton that morning, and had no difficulty in identifying Vaughan by his clothes. She could not recognise his face, but spoke with certainty to mending a hole in the coat deceased was wearing. Deceased had frequently told her that his father hung himself. Witness had insured deceased in the Prudential Office, and she had also paid his doctor's bills.—Geo. West, a labourer employed at the Sewage Works on the Houghton Road said he saw the body of deceased in the river near the works on Friday morning. He got the body out and there was every appearance it had been in the water for some days. P.S. Dunkley of the Borough Police, spoke to seeing the body after it had been taken out of the water. He failed to discover any marks of violence. In one of the pockets was a tobacco pouch and two penny pieces. There was nothing to establish the man’s identity.—The jury returned an open verdict of “Found Drowned.” |
