Strange Affair at Hackney

STRANGE AFFAIR AT HACKNEY.

Yesterday Mr. Baxter held an inquiry at the Manor rooms, Mare-street, Hackney, respecting the death of Sidney Charles Melrose, aged five years and six months (whose parents reside at 521, Cambridge-road, E.), whose body was found in the Regent's canal, near Cambridge-heath-bridge. The evidence showed that on Friday afternoon the deceased came home from school without his hat and was sent back for it by his mother. Whether he went or not was not known, but later in the afternoon he was seen climbing the railings near the refuge on the side of the canal. He was in company with two strange boys, who have not since been seen. About one o'clock in the afternoon, Mr. John Spark, of Swaine's-lane, Highgate, was passing near the spot, when he saw the lad in the water and jumped in after him. When brought ashore he was dead. No one appeared to have seen the lad get into the water. The father denied that the child was dead when taken out of the water, and said that the child was sacrificed for want of attention, as it was clear that the boy was alive and well three minutes before Mr. Spark saw him in the water. The inquiry was adjourned.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper, May 20, 1888, Page 12