The supposed child murder at Carmarthen - A police difficulty
On Wednesday afternoon Mr. Rowlands, coroner, resumed the inquiry, at the Square and Compass Inn, Pensarn, respecting the death of the child which was last week found dead in a ditch by the side of the road between Pensarn and Carmarthen.
Captain Colquhoun, district superintendent of the county police was present and also superintendent F.D. Lewis, of the borough police force.
The Coroner asked if there was any additional evidence forthcoming, and Captain Colquhoun replied that there was not.
The Coroner then summed up, and the jury immediately returned an open verdict of "Found dead."
The Coroner said it seemed to be a slur upon them all that the matter could not be cleared up. The population of Carmarthen and the district was not so numerous, he should have thought, but that the child could have been traced.
Captain Colquhoun: there is a difficulty about the jurisdiction, the borough and the county separating just about the place where the body was found. The two forces cannot manage to work together.
Superintendent Lewis said the body was found a quarter of a mile out of the borough. The borough police had done all they could; no exertion had been spared.
The Coroner: No exertion has been spared in the borough? I am glad to hear that.
Captain Colquhoun said he did not intend to reflect upon the borough. He only mentioned that there was a difficulty about the matter of jurisdiction. The inquiry then terminated.
Source - THE WESTERN MAIL THURSDAY FEBRUARY 8, 1877.If you spot any mistakes please contact us
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