A sad incident occurred during a journey on the Great Western Railway Company’s mail boat, “Great Western of Waterford,” on a Sunday morning. The steward made a grim discovery when he found a deceased passenger named Dutly in the steerage area. Mr Dutly was a commercial traveller from Limerick.

Upon further examination of his belongings, it was revealed that he had been on a trip to visit his employers, a boot-making firm in Bristol. Unfortunately, he passed away during his return journey to Limerick.

The body of Mr Dutly was taken to the morgue in Waterford, where an inquest was subsequently held to determine the cause of his untimely death. The incident marked a tragic end to the commercial traveller’s journey, leaving behind a sense of sorrow and loss for those who knew him.

Limerick Echo – Tuesday 13 June 1905