By Vanessa Braithwaite

THE Linden police are trying to ascertain the death of a newspaper vendor who was on Friday evening discovered unconscious in front of his shop. The elderly man, Albert Ashby, known as “Finny” of Half Mile, Wismar, Linden, was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was pronounced dead.
While there is speculation about foul play, Commander of ‘E’ Division Calvin Brutus told the media that since they were no visual marks of violence on his body, a post-mortem will have to be conducted to ascertain the cause of death.
When residents spotted Ashby’s lifeless body, the Rastafarian was sitting leaning against the shop. There was no blood visible nor was any weapon seen close by.
The man who lived alone was disabled and residents expressed their anger upon hearing that he might have been murdered. There were reports that he was robbed earlier of a shoulder bag and persons speculated that he might have been knocked unconscious with a blunt object by the perpetrator, rendering him unconscious.
A pair of slippers was found near the scene and persons revealed that it belonged to the youth who had tried to rob Ashby. One resident said, “How can anyone in their right senses rob somebody like “Finny”? This man could hardly talk, had a problem walking and had a finny hand – that’s how he get the name.”
He was last seen alive earlier in the day walking about selling his newspapers as he had done over the past decades.
“Finny was a humble man just walking and selling his newspapers to make a living, how can people be so cruel?,” said another resident who was on the scene. The man, who once shared the business with his wife, took it over completely after she had passed away some years ago. He was described as a quiet and humble individual.