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Germain Buxton

Age: 60

Sex: male

Date: 21 Jul 1914

Place: Old Bar House, Netherton

Ebenezer Angus was found dead at the foot of some stairs with a broken neck. Germain Buxton was found dead in the canal.

Ebenezer Angus's sister said that Ebenezer Angus had slipped on a dangerous stair. However, they were unable to find any bruises on his side.

A blacksmith said that he had heard a man shouting from the canal at about 1.20am and went to get a policeman. They then searched around and found Germain Buxton dead in the canal in about three feet of water with a muddy bottom. It was said that the muddy bottom was of such a nature that it would have been impossible for anyone once in to extricate themselves.

When Ebenezer Angus was found they also found his sister fully dressed at the foot of the stairs dazed drunk. When they carried her up to bed and told her that her brother was dead she said 'I know nothing about it. I have been asleep in bed'. She said that she didn't know where her brother was.

When the sister was found she appeared to be recovering from a drunken bout but later recovered and said that Ebenezer Angus had slipped on the stairs and fallen to the bottom and that she and her brother had then lifted him to the living room. She said that he was very bad, but they could not get whisky into him. She said then that her husband, Germain Buxton, went out for someone or something but that she didn't know where.

The Coroner noted that it was not clear whether the sister was speaking the truth as she had changed her story and certain items were clearly untrue. He went on to say that he would not like to return a verdict of either innocence or guilt on the woman noting that there was a great mystery about it and the strong possibility of a crime.

An open verdict was returned.

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Yorkshire Evening Post - Tuesday 21 July 1914