Mexborough and Swinton Times, April 22nd, 1932

Found Drowned

Swinton Miner’s Fate

An open verdict was returned by Col. A. Connell at an inquest on Saturday in the Library, Swinton on Fred Law, miner of Fitzwilliam Street, Swinton, whose body was recovered from the canal near Green Lane Bridge, Swinton on Thursday morning.

Annie Law, the widow, said her husband was employed at Manvers Main, but had been off work since April 4th, when he got a knock over the left eye. He said it gave him great pain and he could not see. He was medically attended for the injury. He could not sleep and on Wednesday evening, after retiring to bed about 9 o’clock, she asked him why he was tossing about so much. He said “I can’t help it.” He got up shortly after midnight saying he was going out into the garden. He did not return and she went down a quarter of an hour later and called into the garden. Getting no reply, she called her son-in-law George Russell. They searched for him but could not find him, and she then sent for her son, Walter. She had never heard her husband threaten to take his life.

Walter Law, son of deceased, a road labourer employed by the West Riding County Council and living at 90 Station Street, Swinton, said he was called by Russell at about 1 a.m. on Thursday to search for his father who had disappeared from home. They went down the fields, in the direction, his father often took. They found his father’s hat and coat on the canal bank near Green Lane Bridge. They went for the police and searched for a while, but had to abandon the search till daylight. Next morning the police commenced dragging operations and witness was present when the body was recovered from about fifty yards on the Swinton side of Green Lane Bridge, at 9.30 a.m. Since he got the knock over the eye on April 4th, his father had not been his usual self. He was quiet, and every morning when witness was going to work complained of the pain. He said if he did not get any ease, he should go mad.

The coroner, addressing Mrs. Law, said “In cases where people come to their end by drowning it is the custom in this court to have a post mortem examination. That has been done in this case, and the result of it is that your husband died from drowning. Col. Connell recorded a verdict of “Found drowned, with no evidence as to how he got into the water.”