The Inquest of James Cooper Lamb – April 1898

I have long known the 3rd great-uncle James Cooper Lamb died on 20 April 1898, and that he was a Royal Dublin Fusilier. “Carol in Australia” was kind enough to share a newspaper clipping regarding the inquest of Sargeant Lamb. Through the clipping, I learned that he drowned. Besides learning that he was “a steady, well-conducted man,” I also learned he was a widower. I had no record of his marriage. Definitely, an area for further research.

Transcript of the newspaper clipping:

A COLOUR SERGEANT FOUND DROWNED

One the 21^st inst., Dr. P. L. O’Neill, Coroner for South Kildare, held an inquest at Pollardstown, County Kildare, on the body of James C. Lamb, a Colour Sargeant of the 4^th Batt. Royal Dublin Fusiliers, who was found drowned on the previous day in a stream in the vicinity which supplies the Grand Canal. [The] deceased had been missing from the 18^th inst. The evidence given at the inquiry did not tend to elucidate the circumstances which led to the unfortunate man’s death, but it was made clear that there was nothing like foul play or violence connected with it. A servant in the employment of Mr. John Hooney, Pollardstown, deposed to seeing a man in uniform of a soldier walking about Mr. Hooney’s land close to the river on the previous day. His arms were held across his chest and his head down. This was about noon, and in an hour afterwards she saw him in the same position. James Murphey, on his way to the Curragh races also saw a man standing by the river, and on his return in the evening with two other men, he found the body of [the] deceased lying face downwards in the river. A Colour Sergeant named Timothy Murphy, of the same corps as deceased, deposed that Lamb had 17 years service and was a steady, well conducted man. His age was about 38, and he was a widower. Colour Sergeant Morris gave evidence to the same effect. Deceased was in his usual health and spirits on the 18^th when witness last saw him. He held the position of pay sergeant of his company, and Morris by order of the adjutant checked his account and found them not alone correct, but he had a surplus of cash on hand.  Dr. Power, Kildare, proved that there were no marks of violence whatever on the body. The jury returned a verdict of death from drowning.