Ernest William Scutts 1872-ca 1965

[Twin]. [Bristol Mercury, Thu 15 Oct 1891. The Swindon Mystery Inquest on the body. Further particulars are now to hand concerning the body of the young woman, the discovery of whose body in a brook at Swindon was noticed in yesterday's Bristol Mercury. Inquiries made locally have elicited the information that the body, whioh had evidently been in the water some days, and was horribly decomposed, was that of Alice Spencer, a young woman of about 20. The girl had of late been residing with her sister, Mrs Henry Trueman, at Sladsal buildings, Haydon Wick, near Swindon. The inquest on the body was held yesterday afternoon, before coroner W E N Browne, at the Clifton Hotel, Clifton Street, New Swindon, The first witness examined was a lad named Ernest Scutts, of Haydon Wick, who identified the deceased as Alice Spencer. He saw her a fortnight ago at Haydon, where she lived with her sister, and whither she had come from her home at Cirencester, Robert Nash, a canal man, was next called. He stated that he was at work in the canal when he saw a bundle which looked like the body of a woman in the water. He had seen it the previous day but thought it was a bundle of rags, He at once went for the the police. The Coroner - Were there any marks of a struggle on the towing path of the canal?" "No", P.C, Haddrell said he was called to the towing path on the canal the previous afternoon, in company with P.C.'s Gregory and Smith. They found the body in the water. There was a purse upon the woman containing a small amount of money, Dr Henry Greaver, M.R,C.s, LU.CP., of Swindon, said he had been engaged upon a post mortem examination of the body. He had not found any serious marks of violence or any indication of foul play having been instrumental in causing the woman's death. The appearance of the body was consistent with that of a drowned person. It was decided to adjourn the examination until Monday, to hear the statements of Mrs Trueman, sister of the deceased, and her husband, with whom the deceased had lived. The doctor was recalled, and in reply to a juror's question, said that the body appeared to be that of an unmarried woman. The discovery has caused considerable excitement in the locality and in Swindon.] [Swindon Advertiser and North Wilts Chronicle, Tuesday 05 March 1935. Theft of a Fire Brick Back from a Yard. Swindon Builder Fined: Filled in with Ernest Albert Edward Gunning, builder, of 59 Manchester Road, was charged at the Swindon Borough police court yesterday with stealing fire-brick back, value 12s., the property of the Building and Public Works Construction Co., Ltd., on 12 February or 13 February. Gunning, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty, and was fined £5. with 12s.6d costs, and it was ordered that the fire brick back should be returned to Messrs. Colborne, from whose yard it disappeared. Supt. W T Brooks said that Gunning was engaged to put in a new grate at a house in Avening Street, and between 12 and 13 February, the Public Works and Construction Co., Ltd.. of which Messrs. Colborne were the principals, lost a fire-brick back from their yard. It was one of six supplied in November specially to Messrs. Colborne, and five had been used. The police made inquiries. A constable saw marks on a wall, and in consequence went to Gunning's, and discovered that that day he was putting a grate in Avening Street. He saw the grate and later he went there again with Mr. Colborne and he found the defendant there. A name on the grate had been chipped off since he first saw the grate. The place where the name had been was filled with plaster. Gunning said in explanation that he had clipped the back as he was using a hacksaw on other parts of the grate. He said that he got the grate at Colborne's some time ago and later said that it was the first thing he had ever taken from the yard without notifying Mr. Colborne the foreman. William Beams, l20 Cheney Manor Road, Mrs. Julia Scutts, 2 Avening Street & E W Scutts, her husband, gave evidence.] [E W S - 93yr.]