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Deganwy Drowning Sensation.

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Deganwy Drowning Sensation. Lady Mistakes the River for Her Bed. A Dramatic Career. The Inquest. ON Friday afternoon Mr Pentir Williams con- ducted an inquest at Fellside, Deganwy,touch- ing the death of Mrs Barbara Gill, of that address, whose body was found on the Deganwy shore early on Thursday morning. Supt. Rees watched the case on behalf of the police, and Mr T. J. Smith was appointed fore- man of the jury. Sworn in Scotch Fashion. The Coroner said that if the jury desired, thev could be all sworn in the Scotch fashion, which meant that instead of taking the oath and being sworn in batches, they could all take the oath together by merely lifting up the right hand. The Coroner's suggestion was adopted. The Result of Drinking Bouts The first witness was the husband of the de- ceased, Mr Thomas Toward Gill, of Xewry Lodge, Hoole-road, Chester, who said he was the manager of a chemical works. He identi- fied the body as that of his wife, who was 46 years of age, and from whom he had been separated for five years. She had been addict- ed to drink for some years. He had done all he could to cure her. He had sent her to an inebriates' home, but nothing availed. Even- tually he allowed her B100 a year to live apart upon. The Coroner: When did you see her last ? Witness: About two years ago. After drink- ing she was subject to delusions, which were not suicidal. -She always imagined there were people about the house. The Coroner: Not while she was drunk? Witness: No, after a drinking bout. She imagined oil sorts of things. The Coroner Was she quite rational between the drinking bouts? Witness: Oh, yes, certainly. The Coroner: How long were the periods be- tween these bouts? Witness: They were very short periods lat- terly, but my son had a letter from her on Wednesday, which was quite rational. My son used to come down to see her occasionally. The Finding of the Body. William Jones, Woodlands, Conway, was the next witness. He said he was a boatman. In company with Wm. Koland Roberts, he dis- covered the body. He did not know whose it was, as he had never seen deceased before. It was about 7.30 on Thursday morning when they found the body on the shore opposite Marine-crescent. The water had receded about 2 yards from the body, which lay about twenty yards from the high water mark. The Coroner: How deep would the water be when it was at high water mark? Witness: About 20 feet. The Coroner: Had she any clothing on at the time? Witness: Some of her clothing were on the promenade, and she had some on, but no hat. The Coroner: What did you do with the body? Witness: We carried it to this house. Thought she was Going to Bed. P.C. Evan Roberts was then called, and said he was stationed at Deganwy. He was called up about 7.35 on Thursday morning, and saw the body on the sand where it was found at the Deganwy point. It was partly dressed with an underskirt and another skirt, a bodice, boots, and stockings. The other arti- cles of her clothing on the promenade were quite dry. There was a gold watch in the pocket, and 3d in copper had been placed on top of the clothes. These consisted of a coat and skirt, a hat, and umbrella, and had been placed tidily as if the deceased thought she was going to bed. The body was lying on the side quite cold, and' the arms were stiff. There was some froth coming out of the mouth, but nothing from the nose. There were no marks -of violence on the body, and he (the constable) was quite satisfied that there had been no foul Play. The Talking Wires. Continuing, P.C. Roberts said that he had known Mrs Gill well for some years. She was addicted to drink, and had been much more recently. When she was on a drinking bout -she always remained in the house, and after- wards came out, suffering from delusions. He occasionally met her on the road after she had drinking, when she appeared strange,and on such occasions she said some people were calling her on the telegraph wires. She would a quite sensibly for a while. Then she would suddenly call out, "Listen again; can't you hear them on the wires?" She had been to the Conway Workhouee Infirmary upon sev- eral occasions. She strayed there, the authori- ties taking her in. A Juror: Was the body cold when you saw it? Witness: Yes, and stiff. Mr Gill: I used every endeavour to get her tto live with someone, and not to live in a house by herself, but it was useless. She would remain alone. Talks to Herself All Night. I ena Hughes, Sefton Cottage, Deganwy, said l^Vr'cn ^y "if'VjO ,h,rinB r Bight ,h. complui.i«l of felt very weak. She remained awake all night talking to herself. Deceased AW. and rational the previous Sundaj. -had been drinking she used to tlunk that people wanted to do something to her. Supt. Rees said he had known the deceased for the past four years. She had been to the Workhouse Infirmary, and was taken there by the order of the justices twice. Upon one occasion she fell into the water from the quay at Conway. She was in the habit of wander- ing about aimlessly. It was, however, only fair to state that whatever expense the de- ceased incurred at the Workhouse Infirmary had all been well repaid. Climbing the frocks in a Nude State. A Juror: I seen her climbing the rocks at the back ox ler house perfectly naked, and when called out to, she replied that she must go, as someone wanted ,to burn her. Another Juror: liyed next door to her, and have been unable to sleep properly for the last six weeks.. The Coroner was a very sad 6tory. There was n° 10 n of foul plav. It was quite.evident that sue went into the water of her own accord, but there was nothing in the evidence to suggest suicide. He suggested that she met her death by misadventure. The Foreman: Shall we return a verdict of "Found drowned" ? The Coroner: That would be an open verdict. If you are satisfied that there has been no foul play-upon which the police are satisfied —and if there is no evidence of suicide, "Death by misadventure" would be the proper ver- dict, but if you are not quite clear on those points you can return a verdict of "Found drowned." It is, of course, in your nands, but I think you can take my guidance. A verdict of "Death by misadventure" was eventually agreed upon. «

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