Walter Gould

Walter Gould was found dead in the River Thames.

His family were certain that he would not have taken his own life.

He was a coal traffic supervisor and had lived in Reform Street in Battersea.

Papers found on his body showed that he had got into the hands of moneylenders and had signed papers to repay borrowed money at the rate of 48 per cent. The loan was for £20 and the repayment rate was 48% per annum. His family said that that was a great surprise to them as they didn't know that he was financially embarrassed. A doctor said that the agreement regarding the loan obviously had some bearing on the matter.

A representative from his employers said that he had been in their employment for 29 years and received a salary of £300 a year and that everything in his office was in order.

The coroner said that it was difficult to decide whether he had committed suicide or met with an accident and in the circumstances recorded a verdict of Found Drowned.