The Quick and the Dead.
DEATH ON THE ROAD NEAR LETTERSTON.
George Morris, an elderly tramping labourer, was charged at Fishguard on Tuesday with being drunk and incapable on the road near Rhosteny, Letterston.
P.C. Morris, Letterston, stated that at noon on Monday he found him lying in the road some distance from the body of a dead man. He conveyed him to Fishguard in a trap, but he became very disorderly, and had to be held down.
Prisoner, who was unable to give any account of himself, was sent to gaol for seven days, in default of payment of 13s 6d.
The dead man, who was found face downwards, was about 45 years of age.
THE INQUEST.
The inquest was held at Rhostenny on Wednesday, the coroner being Mr Ivor Evans, of Cardigan, and the foreman of the Jury the Rev John Rees of Letterston. A post mortem examination of the body had been made by Dr Davies, locum tenems with Dr Owen, of Fishguard.
Mr Frank Miles, of Llanstinan, said that the deceased was about 40 years of age and was what was known as a tramping labourer. He had occasionally done odd jobs at Llantrisan and was paid £2 6s 5d on Saturday. That night he slept at Llantrisan, but on Sunday he left for Daventry. Witness could not say that he was of drunken habits, but had seen him slightly the worse for drink on two occasions. The man was called "John," but witness had not known his surname. He was a Yorkshireman who had been in South Africa with his regiment.
Mr E W Rees, of Fishguard, said that he saw the deceased between 9.30 and 10 on May 25th lying in the hedge. He failed to rouse him, but put him in a comfortable position. He was then helplessly drunk.
Dr Davies deposed that at about 11.15 he saw deceased, who was then dead, but warm. Death had not taken place long before. His examination showed that deceased's organs were healthy but there was an old-standing disease of the heart, and the lungs were congested. The stomach contained no food, but much fluid. Death was cause by heart failure due to the position in which deceased lay, that position being due to his drunken state.
A verdict in accordance with the medical testimony was returned.
The County Echo, Thursday 28th May 1908
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My first thought was that at 45 'John' could well have been too old to have served during the ABW, but the revised age of 40 makes it more possible. Sadly, we'll never know. He would have been buried in a pauper's grave somewhere, possibly unmarked.
His intending to walk to Daventry, Northamptonshire, is noticeable. Did he have a connection with Daventry?
