|
From the Kent and Sussex Courier, Friday 25 March 1904.
Cranbrook. Suicide of a publican. A singular sequel.
An inquest was held on Friday touching the death of Edgar Whatman, aged
49, the landlord of the "Prince Albert" beer house, whose body was found
the previous afternoon in the River Crame. Mr. John Fuggle, of
Speldhurst, identified the body as that of his brother-in-law. He last
saw deceased in July. He identified a pocketbook as in the handwriting
of the deceased.
Frederick Goble, who lodged with the deceased, deposed that on Thursday
morning he came downstairs and found the lights burning dimly, as if
they had been on all night. Finding no one in the house, he informed the
police.
William Hickmott deposed that a few days previously the deceased had
told him that he was in trouble.
P.C. Friend depose to finding the body in the river. In the pocketbook
was an entry asking that Mrs. Fuggle, of Speldhurst, might be written
to, and adding: "Please put me in wife's grave, and put up head and foot
stone. Will see Mr. Philpott and arrange with him, and let him see
Kenward and Court. Let the house. I hope Mr. Philpott will see you paid.
See my sister when she comes. Put the land up by hammer as soon as you
can. Hope they will see you paid. There is only a few bills to be paid
by the time you have sold the pigs and horse at the market. Let Jenner
do the work and arrange things and stone. I hope they will pay you well.
I know I have done wrong. It is not all me. It's all gone for beer. I
hope the money will be shared with them all. Hope all my friends will
forgive me. For I cannot do any more work."
Superintendent Fowle stated that the deceased, having made a remark
about things down a well, he had with grab hooks found some mats and
brushes, and rolls of wallpaper had been sunk in sacks. About £13 in
money was in the house.
A verdict of suicide was returned.
The funeral took place at the parish church on Monday.
Arising out of enquiries instituted by the police as to the ownership of
the articles found in the well of the "Prince Albert" beer house, kept
by deceased, Frank Parks, an upholsterer, of Cranbrook, was on Tuesday
afternoon charged on a warrant at the police station, before Mr. J. B.
Jobson, J.P., with stealing in the year 1903 a carved oak panel, of the
value of £2, the property of Elwin E. B. Paine, upholstery, of Cranbrook.
Superintendent Fowle gave formal evidence of arrest, and stated that the
panel, which had been sold to Mr. Wale, cabinetmaker, of Hawkhurst, was
received. He had also discovered 10 other panels, which had been sold to
Mr. F. Clements, of the "Queen's Hotel," Hawkhurst. He applied for a
remand.
Remanded until Thursday.
It is understood that prisoner, who is a married man with a large
family, has been in prosecutor's employment for 28 years.
|
)
