The body in the Wye and the farmer who failed to return home from Builth Wells

The body was that of Joseph Gummy and murder was suspected with one Edward Watkins charged with the crime.

At the Autumn Session in Presteigne the case was heard on August 10, 1795 and described as a case ‘of a very extraordinary nature.’

On the day in question the defendant was among a party to join the 70 year old victim from his farm to Builth Wells.

Witnesses reported seeing Watkins and his master drinking for several hours in a public house with Watkins said to have been drunk when both left the inn at around 11am apparently in friendship.

Not long afterwards an apparent shout was heard from the direction the two men had headed and heard in Builth Wells.

However that night had also been one when many of the town’s friendly societies had met and as such the noise was written off as one of the members being drunk and noisy while returning home.

The The Judges Lodgings, Presteigne. Picture by Alan Murray-Rust/Geograph.

In the meantime Watkins was reported to have been witnessed in another pub on the outskirts of Builth Wells.

Watkins drank for several more hours and it had been past sunrise when he finally departed with the rest of his companions who had joined him and their master to Builth Wells the previous morning.

When asked by the rest where Mr Gummy was it was reported that Watkins had told them he had left him in Builth Wells.

Upon returning to Mr Gummy’s home he had been asked the same question by a house servant to which Watkins was claimed to have replied that he had left the master of the house with a prostitute in Builth Wells.

Mr Gummy’s body was found in the River Wye the next day.

The body was found without any wounds and in the river between the two pubs which Watkins had drunk the previous day, the first time in Mr Gummy’s company and the second Mr Gummy was missing.

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All fingers pointed to Watkins being a murderer.

However evidence would emerge during the trial which had cast doubt.

The coroner reported when the body was brought to a local church for the deceased’s widow to witness that the woman had taken silver from Mr Gummy’s pocket.

Seemingly this evidence had proved crucial as the jury acquitted Watkins of all charges.

The court was further at a loss as to why Watkins had returned home and did not attempt to flee in the hours after the event had he truly been guilty of the most heinous crime of drowning Mr Gummy.

However doubt and suspicions lingered over Watkins for many years, during which time he was reported to have made threats and sworn revenge against all those who had testified against him in court.