Tragic Death of an Aberdarian at Cardiff.
On Friday great alarm was prevalent in Aberdare upon the receipt of the news that John Davies Lloyd had shot himself at a Cardiff Hotel. The deceased young man was well-known in Aberdare, being a nephew of Mrs Davies, Commerce House.
It seems that about 11 o'clock on Friday morning the servants heard the report of firearms, and at once rushed into Lloyd's room, where they found him lying prostrate with a revolver in his hand. Medical aid was summoned at once and also the police. It was found that the bullet had gone right through his head and against the wall, then rebounding to the opposite wall.
The young man died from his injuries in the afternoon. His relatives at Aberdare had been communicated with and reached the hotel just before he expired. They are the objects of universal sympathy in their bereavement.
Deceased had lost his parents when very young and had been fostered by his grandmother, the late Mrs Davies, Commercial street, Aberdare. He was apprenticed to the drapery business with his uncle, Mr J. Davies, Commerce House. A few years ago he embarked for South Africa and served during the war. Recently he returned to this country, and was employed at Aberavon, and subsequently at Swansea.
THE INQUEST.
The inquest was held at Cardiff on Saturday.
William Jones, Aberavon, deceased's uncle, gave evidence of identification. He said that Lloyd being of an excitable nature had been utterly upset by the war. During the time he stayed with him he was not addicted to heavy drinking, but a small drop would have a disastrous effect on his body and mind. When he saw him last Lloyd was in a dissatisfied mood and talked of returning to South Africa.
The servants at the hotel, the inspector of police, and the doctors gave further evidence.
A verdict of "Suicide whilst temporary insane" was returned by the jury.
The Aberdare Leader, Saturday 9th May 1903
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The death was covered in other South Wales newspapers, giving us the flowing additional information: - he was aged 26, and had served in the Natal Mounted Rifles throughout the war.
newspapers.library.wales/view/4133582/4133585/65/
A letter home was printed in the
South Wales Daily News, Tuesday 20th February 1900: -
ON THE ZULU BORDER.
Mr James Davies, draper, Commerce House, Aberdare, has received a letter from Mr John Davies Lloyd, a nephew, of which the following is an extract - "I am in the Zulu Border Rifle Corps. I signed on for six months, before the end of which period the trouble, it was thought, would be over. I am fully sorry I entered it. We thought we should be sent to the front, but no such luck. The Government feared a native rising or a raid by the Boers through Zululand, but neither has occurred and here we are stuck, and shall be without even firing a shot. I spoke to the colonel in charge of the Colonial Scouts to get me transferred to Murray's Scouts, but after a deal of trouble and worry I received a line that Murray's Corps had been ordered back to Maritzburg to be disbanded."
