This evening, at three o'clock, William Davidson, Esq, the Coroner for the Northern Division of the County Down, and a respectable jury (Mr John Cairns, foreman), held an inquiry at the Crescent into the death of a man named James Montgomery, who was found dead in a drain oppositie his own house on the Newtownards Road, on Wednesday morning, at half past eight.
After the jury had viewed the body, the following witnesses were sworn and examined:
John Todd (a railway porter):-
I am in the employment of the Belfast and County Down Railway Company, and knew James Montgomery, who was also an employé of the same company. I last saw him alive between five and six o'clock on Tuesday evening, when he had left off work. He was then perfectly sober. I never saw him the worse for liquor, and he was always ready to do his duty. He was a widower, and was about forty-nine years of age. I have seen the body which has been viewed by the jury, and it is that of James Montgomery. He was a very quiet and peaceable man.
Miss Agnes Patton, who was next examined, deposed:-
I knew the deceased, James Montgomery, and saw him on Tuesday evening last, a few mintues before five o'clock. He was then perfectly sober. He got one half-glass of punch in my mother's house. There were three other parties in the shop when he came in, but he left by himself a few minutes after five o'clock. He was in our house pretty often, but I never saw him drunk in my life.
Patrick M'Keag, sworn:-
I saw James Montgomery on Tuesday evening last between five and six o'clock. He was going home, and called in my house to give directions about a pair of shoes I was making for him. He had got a little drink, but was not "out of order" at all, and quite capable of taking care of himself. I never saw him again alive. He was alone at that time.
Coroner (to Constable Parker):- Did no one see him after that?
Constable Parker:- No, Sir; I cannot find out anyone who saw him.
Miss Patton (to Constable Parker):- He was very feeble, and used a stick for some time past.
Eliza Jane Montgomery, sworn:-
I am sister to the deceased, and lived in the same house with him at Comber. I last saw him alive on Monday night. He went to his work at his usual hour- four o'clock- on Tuesday morning. He did not return on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday morning at half past eight, when I was going to the well for water, I saw him at the foot of the garden opposite our door. He was in the drain, bent, and with his head up against the "brew". He was dead, cold and stiff. I heard no noise on Tuesday evening. When he did not come home on Tuesday evening we made no search. He was in the habit of coming home regularly about half-past five. I never him so drunk as to prevent him from doing his work.
William Graham, deposed:-
I saw James Montgomery on Wednesday morning, when a neighbour girl called me, at half-past eight o'clock. He was lying across the sewer at the foot of the garden. His face was next the house, just as if he had walked over the "brew" into it. I helped his father to lift him out. He always came home about half past five o'clock. I have noticed drink on him frequently. He was growing feeble for the last twelve months, and could not walk so well as he used to do.
The Coroner, in addressing the jury, reviewed the evidence closely, and remarked that there were several marks on the front of the body, but none on the back, which would correspond exactly with the evidence to the effect that the late James Montgomery was coming home, and, in doing so, had tripped, fell into the drain, and was killed on the spot.
The Jury returned a verdict to the effect that "That James Montgomery was accidentally killed, by falling into a drain opposite his own house". Constable Parker had charge of the case.
It is but right to remark that the drain into which the unfortunate man fell is about as dangerous a place for pedestrians as could be imagined. There is no hedge or fence of any kind to prevent a wayfarer unacquainted with the road from walking into the ditch and being killed, as Montgomery was, and whoever has charge of the place should make an attempt to prevent the occurrence of further accidents by the erection of suitable palings.
[Taken from the Belfast Newsletter: 19 December1873]
After reviewing the evidence: What do you think happened to James Montgomery?
0%Accidental Death (James was drunk)
0%Accidental Death (James was ill and lost his footing)
0%Murder (James was pushed by person/s unknown)
0%Murder (The ditch did it!)
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