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as to whom the unfortunate gentleman could be, from whence he had come, and what was the cause of death; whether his death was accidental or suicidal or even murderous. The curiosity of the public increased during the day as it became known that the efforts of the police to obtain identification of the body were ineffectual, and many persons were induced to associate the mysterious death with one of a similar character - that of a lady at Brighton. Two days later, however, the circulation of an official notice and other means adopted by the Superintendent of the Police had the effect of discovering the deceased to be a French merchant, named Emile Alcan, carrying on business in London, and the Borough Coroner then decided to hold an inquest. This took place at the Railway Terminus hotel at Bopeep. The enquiry continued for three hours, the depositions being to the following effect; John Dockings was going from 39 Tower westward at 20 minutes to 7 on Tuesday morning, when he saw a man lying on his face close to the water's edge, with his overcoat and under-coat both buttoned up and the water just leaving him, there being a rough wind at the time from the south-east. He rolled the body over, and found it to be cold and stiff. Mr. Munday, chief officer, was called to the beach by the first witness, where he found the body of deceased, with his clothes buttoned up, his gloves on and his hands by his side. No marks of blood were about his clothes, but blood was oozing from a small cut over the left eye. He took from him his watch, the guard of which had become detached. He believed the body to have been in the water about 8 or 10 hours. He Had the body locked up, and sent for Superintendent Glenister. This witness went to 39 Tower and the deceased in a shed. He saw no signs of his having been engaged in a struggle. He took from him a double link gold chain, a bunch of charms, a breast-pin engraved with the letters E. A. two blue enamel sleeve links set with diamonds, a neck-stud, a pencil-case, two keys on a ring, a small knife, a cigar-case with 3 cigars, a comb, a white hankerchief embroidered "E.E.A.", and a portmanau containing four sovereigns, a half-sovereign, two ten-franc pieces, four half-crowns, a florin, two shillings and 1½d. in copper.
Mr. William Arthur Castle, managing clerk to the deceased, identified the body as that of Mr. Emile Alcan, carrying on business as a merchant at 28 King's street, Cheapside. He last saw him alive in his place of business at about 11 o'clock on Monday morning, when he was in his usually good state of health. He said that he had an engagement and should be back at 2 o'clock, but he did not return. He was a single man and not more than 30 years of age. There was no reason for despondency on account of business. He had a balance of £1500 at the London and Westminster Bank, besides a balance at Paris. When leaving the office he was perfectly harmless, and was believed to be quite a stanger to Hastings, and where he had no business engagement. John Bray, a coastguard, found a hat when going down to his fishing lines at half-past -