BOUND TO DROWNED MAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 May 1934, Page 2

BOUND TO DROWNED MAN

GIRL’S FIGHT FOR LIFE. LONDON, March 13. An amazing story of how a man tied his sweetheart to him and then ijumped into a lock was told at an inquest at Stratford-on-Avon yesterday on Albert Gough, 22, of Crossstreet, Bradley, near Bilston Staffs. It was stated that hearing cries at midnight from the canal lock, near the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, men found Miss Ethel Langston, 22, of Coseley. near Bilston, struggling in the water. 'When she was pulled out she was bound to the body of Gough. Miss Langston said that she begged Gough to go home, but. he said that he had no money. She told him that people would help them if they asked.

“He then took my scarf from my neck, while 1 looked at him speechless," she continued. “I was too terrified to speak. 1 did not see hi 5 face, and the next think 1 recollect was that he gave a leap and I was pulled into the water with him. “I yelled, and Albert put his hand over my mouth to stop me, but I pushed it away. The last thing I remember about him was that I looked into his face and saw he was dead.

“I felt him pulling me under, and I tried to help keep him up. Then I grabbed something; 1 did not know what it was." The Coroner: Did you wish to do anything like this? —No. I was very happy. There was no necessity. Were you very fond of him? —Yes. Dad you any idea what he was about when he started to tie you up? —No. I was afraid. Was he depressed because he was cut of work?—-Y e s; he wanted work very badly. The police said there was nothing to suggest that the girl was a consenting party, and they gave her an exce lien t. ch ara c t er. The Coroner told Miss Langston that, she had been through a terrible, experience, but he hoped her employers would take her back.