Western Mail Tuesday April 15th 1924.
The daring raid on the premises of Messrs. T.W. LONG and Co. (Limited). the Cardiff
Jewellers, on March 20, was recalled by an interesting ceremony which took place at the
offices of the Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Company Limited, 10 Windsor-place,
Cardiff, on Monday, when Miss Doris DALLY, of 107, Porthkerry-road, Barry, who pluckily
held the robber, causing him to drop his booty on the pavement was presented on behalf of
the insurance with a ?
(sorry the last few words unreadable).
The story of the fire at the Closissaf Farm, Pontyberem, which resulted in the death of
John JONES (55),a labourer on the farm, was unfolded at the inquest conducted by the
Llanelly coroner (Mr.W.W. BRODIE) at the farm on Monday. Griffith JONES, Brodawel,
Pontyberem, a carpenter, said that between one and two o'clock on the morning of the
11th he was aroused by shouts of "Fire" He found the stables of the Closissaf
Farm, which were about 200 or 300 yards away, ablaze, and the three women occupiers, the
Misses MICHEL, endeavouring to extinguish the flames. He immediately set about carrying
water from a nearby brook with the intention of saving the rest of the house buildings.
The coroner: And you succeeded ? Witness: Yes. The Coroner: Very fortunate , too, I think.
When the fire subsided witness went into the stables and found the body of JONES which was
burnt and black, lying on the back of one of the two horses, which had also been burnt. He
thought
that the body had got to that posistion through the hay-loft above falling in on to the
stalls where the horses are kept. Police-constable John MORGAN, Pontyberem, stated that
JONES was addicted to drink, and was in the habit occaisionally, when in drink, of
sleeping in the hay-loft above the stables. The Coroner returned a verdict of
"Accidental Death."
Thomas ROSEN (55) of 9, Rutland-street, Cardiff, ship's donkeyman, collapsed near the
Junction Dry Dock, Cardiff, on Saturday morning, and died before assistance could be
summoned. At the inquest held on Monday evidence was given that when ROSEN left his home
on Saturday morning to go to work he was in good health. Thomas WHITE, 16,
Coedcare-street, coal foreman, said that at 8.a.m. he saw the deceased near the Junction
Dry Dock leaning against an iron ladder attatched to a signal post. He had a newspaper in
his hand. Witness saw the paper fall to the ground and then ROSEN collapsed. Dr. MITCHELL,
who was called to examine ROSEN, said death was due to a rupture of the aortic valve of
the heart and disease of the arteries. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence
was returned.
Dorothy Jessie Catherine HOBBS, a sixteen year-old Grangetown girl, was sweeping the
kitchen when the bottom of her dress caught fire. She rushed into the street where a
neighbour wrapped a rug around her and succeeded in extinguishing the flames. Her death at
the Cardiff Royal Infirmary was the subject of an inquest held by the Acting Cardiff City
Coroner (Mr. Gerald TUDOR) at the Law Courts on Monday. Mrs Elizabeth HAINES, of
Somerset-street, Grangetown, with whom the deceased had lived for some years, said that
while she was sitting in the middle room of her house on Tuesday last she was startled by
a call from the deceased, who she saw standing in the doorway of the kitchen in a mass of
flames. Replying to the Coroner, witness said that her sister was subject to fits. Death
was attributed to Toxaemia, following burns. A verdict of "Accidental Death" was
returned.
Evan EVANS (57) of Zoar-avenue, Maesteg, was found drowned in Bryant's Pond, Maesteg,
on Monday morning. It is stated he left home Saturday evening, and when he did not return
his son searched for him, finding his cap on the bank of the pond. Efforts were made to
recover the body on Sunday, but the dragging operations then failed. EVANS had been
unemployed for about 12 months.
An exciting incident in the Talbot Hotel, Newport, on Friday afternoon last, when a man
was seen breaking out of one the bars at the hotel and was caught by Mr. David Charles
JONES, the licensee, but broke away again, went down the cellar, and disappeared, was
described at the local police-court on Monday, wehen Frederick Walter SWAIN (50), an
electrician employed at the Empire Music-Hall, and lodging in Colne-street, was brought up
in custody and charged with having stolen £2 15s. from a till and having done damage to a
window at the Talbot Hotel to the extent of 2s. Mr. H. PETTY (from the office of Mr. John
MOXON), who appeared for the defence , alleged that it was clearly a case of mistaken
edentity. He applied for a short remand on reasonable bail. SWAIN was remanded in custody
until today (Tuesday).
Frederick POMERY (17) of incline-road , Ton Pentre, was sent for trial at the assizes from
the Ystrad Police-court on Monday on a charge of perjury. Defendant pleaded not guilty and
was released on bail. For the prosecution it was stated that following an attack on a Miss
GRIFFITHS in Canning-street, Ton Pentre, on October 24, with intent to rob her, POMEROY
and two other boys were charged at the Glamorgan Assizes at Cardiff. The two other boys
were found guilty . but POMEROY was acquitted. It was now alledged that his evidence given
at the trial, was a tissue of falsehoods. He denied being near the scene at the time of
the assault, when in fact, he was its instigator and was within a few yards from the girl
when she was attacked. Finally he denied having said to the police in answer to the charge
, "I own up to it" when, in fact, he made that statement in the presence of
three police-officers other than the police-sergeant who gave evidence at the
trial. The police had not thought it necessary to call all four officers to give evidence
at the trial , having regard for the boy's admission.
John Patrick