Detective and mystery stories, English; Private investigators -- Fiction
"Dr. McCulloch held an inquest yesterday on the body of Mr. Henry
Lawrence, whose body was found on Tuesday morning last in the river
near Vauxhall Bridge. The deceased was well known in certain sporting
circles. Sophia Lawrence, the widow, said that deceased had left home
on Monday afternoon at about five, in his usual health, saying that he
was to dine at a friend's, and she saw nothing more of him till called
upon to identify the body. He had no reason for suicide, and so far as
witness knew, was free from pecuniary embarrassments. He had, indeed,
been very successful in betting recently. He habitually carried a
large pocket-book, with papers in it. Mr. Robert Naylor, commission
agent, said that deceased dined with him that evening at his house in
Gold Street, Chelsea, and left for home at about half-past eleven. He
had at the time a sum of nearly four hundred pounds upon him, chiefly
in notes, which had been paid him by witness in settlement of a bet.
It was a fine night, and deceased walked in the direction of Chelsea
Embankment. That was the last witness saw of him. He might not have
been perfectly sober, but he was not drunk, and was capable of taking
care of himself. The evidence of the Thames police went to show that
no money was on the body when found, except a few coppers, and no
pocket-book. Dr. William Hodgetts said that death was due to drowning.
There were some bruises on the arms and head which might have been
caused before death. The body was a very healthy one. The coroner said
that there seemed to be a very strong suspicion of foul play, unless
the pocket-book of the deceased had got out of his pocket in the water;
but the evidence was very meagre, although the police appeared to have
made every possible inquiry. The jury returned a verdict of 'Found
Drowned, though how the deceased came into the water there was no
evidence to show.'"
I know no more of the unfortunate man Lawrence than this, and I have
only printed the cutting here because it probably induced Dorrington to
take certain steps in the case I am dealing with. With that case the
fate of the man Lawrence has nothing whatever to do. He passes out of
the story entirely.
II
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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