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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Berkshire => Topic started by: Dave26 on Saturday 24 March 18 12:59 GMT (UK)
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The body of a distant relative, Charles Thomas Hopping, was found beside the railway line between Reading and Twyford on the morning of 29th August 1910.
Does anybody know if anyone was charged with his murder?
Regards
Dave
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There were no further newspaper reports concerning this death after the report of the inquest (verdict: "found dead" per the Illustrated Police News of 10 September 1910) so presumably no-one was charged.
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many thanks ShaunJ
Regards
dave
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Police investigated and found no evidence of foul play.
See Reading Observer - Saturday 03 September 1910
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Seems a bit fishy to me as all his money and rings were missing. That wouldn't have happened if he had just accidently fallen out of a carriage door.
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I read in one of the reports that a woman had returned the rings to the family.
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Perhaps she was the wife of the train driver who found his body. She may have got cold feet when the police got involved. Rings can be easily traced but not money.
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Derby Daily Telegraph 02 September 1910 states that the deceased had handed the rings to a woman under somewhat singular circumstances. It also reported that he committed suicide and he had financial troubles.
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Still doesn't make sense. Money troubles? The original report stated that he was carrying a large amount of money. Also there are easier ways of commiting suicide than handing all your jewellery to a strange women before jumping from a moving train. I don't buy it.
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Maybe he was paying the strange woman for 'something' by giving her his valuables. You will probably never know what happened and should not assume that it had anything to do with the train driver or his wife.
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Call me an old cynic but I still think he was either robbed on the train and then thrown out the door, or he fell and was robbed afterwards.
The idea that he payed the woman with jewellery doesn't seem right when he was carrying all that cash.
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What does his death certificate say :-\
ADDED How do we know that the woman was a stranger to him
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Still waiting for the certificate.
That's a valid point about the woman not being a stranger. Perhaps they were meeting on the train and running away to-gether. That could explain why she later returned the rings to the family.
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What is sad is that you will probably never know the truth. It does make you wonder why the police did not pursue it.
Let us know if the death certificate gives any more information
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I will put a post on here as soon as I receive it.
Regards
Dave26
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Thank you, that would be interesting :)
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Hi Rosie
I have now received his death certificate but it doesn't give anymore info than we already know.
viz. When and where died______30th August 1910 GWR near Sonning
Cause of death_______Found dead on Railway 30th instant (The words "Found dead on Railway
are underlined)
Informant_______Certificate received from Wm. Weedon Coroner for East Berks. Inquest held
31st. Aug. 1910
Perhaps someone more directly descended from Charles will read this and hopefully let us know more.
Dave26
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It is a shame that you have no more information from the certificate. Hope that someone related does see this post :)