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Source: Bell's Weekly Messenger, No.1828, Sunday, April 10, 1831

On Wednesday an inquest was holden at the Black Horse Tavern, Kingsland road, on the body of George Thomas Baynes, aged 42 years, which was picked out of the Regent's Canal on the previous Saturday morning. Mr. George Baynes, a respectable looking old gentleman, residing in the neighbourhood of Walworth, stated that the deceased was his son, but that he had not seen him for nearly two years. During the greater part of that time he resided with his aunt and brother, at Hampstead, but about six months since he left them abruptly, and nothing was heard of him until about ten days since, when his two brothers met him by accident in the street. From that time none of his family neither saw nor heard of him until the day before, when the beadle brought to witness's house a piece of paper, on which was inscribed, in the hand-writing of the deceased "George Thomas Baynes, at the house of his father, Mr. George Baynes, Walworth, deaf and dumb;" and informed him that the body of a man taken out of the Regent's Canal, in whose pocket the paper alluded to was found. He had seen the body on that day and he felt satisfied that it was that of his son George. He had three other sons living, all of whom, as well as the deceased, had been deaf and dumb from their infancy, though his daughters were free from any such impediment. His sons were all educated at the Deaf and Dumb asylum, and they all evinced considerable talent, and conveyed their ideas and answers by writing. The deceased was formerly a seal-stone engraver, but latterly turned his mind to painting. In reply to a juror, the witness, who was considerably affected during the whole of his examination, admitted that the deceased was of a violent temper, and had on one occasion attempted to cut his throat. The person who took the body out of the canal deposed to that fact as well as there being no marks of violence on it. The coroner observed that, though there were reasons to suppose that the unfortunate deceased had thrown himself into the canal, yet, as there was no evidence to that fact before the jury, ho thought their most proper verdict would be that of—"Found Drowned." The jury agreed in this opinion, and returned a verdict accordingly.