The Invercargill Tragedy.

Bruce Herald, Volume IX, Issue 893, 30 March 1877, Page 7

The Invercargill Tragedy.

» The Coroner, in charging the jury that investigated into the cause of Thomas Casearly'n death, is reported to have said : —"I had previously understood, that it was the duty of publicans to give every facility to the police in the detection of a crime, but I do not think that has been done in the present instance. As to the conduct of Silke in the matter, it is, to say tbe least of it, extraordinary. A. man is severely injured in or about his house, and dies shortly afterwards, yet he (Silke) knows nothing about it, and makes no enquiries as to how these injuries were come by, or if he did make enquiries he takes care that the jury shall not possess any information. Circumstances point very strongly to the man's death being one of intent. He died not merely from, one injury produced by direct violence, but there is another injury sworn to of such a nature as to render it probable that it was also infjeted with intent. The bed on which he lay is seen to be spattered with blood, and so are the walls over his head, and so I cannot look on. these facts, and consider otherwise than that he was assaulted with a murderous intention. Attention has very properly been drawn by the police to the cut on the head of the deceased, as showing that it is not feasible that the man had died from an accident ; and other marks on the body showed that an absolute assault had been made with intent. Of the mass of evidence which has been given I am afraid there is a great deal of it unreliable, since, as I have said, the witnesses were apparently determined to see nothing and know nothing. The following deposition made by the deceased, ia of great importance :— ' Hospital. Invercargill. Thomas Cassakly. — Jack Monaghan is the only man in tbe town who had any words with me, and that was on Saturday last. 1 Some one must have struck me. I lost an awful lot of blood. I know Jack Monaghan. Yes, Jack, I know you well. I forget whether he struck me. Had a sleep on the bed. and the first thing I seen I was almost smothered in blood when I woke. The blood did not come without some cause. I won't live many hours. 1 I remember when I woke, h?a?in.g Pat Silke and the "Missus" speaking. 1 doo'fc remember anyon.9 coming before, I cannot say who it was that hurt me. Whoever hurfc me killed me. — I never had any difficulty in passing my water before this No — There's nothing else I have to say No — I had aot much of a quarrel at Silke's bar. I had just a few wo p ds with Jack Monaghan. I don't think anyone came into the room to me before Mrs ftilke and Fat Silke came in* No 1 bid no words with Tom D'Briea* I don't know how I came by these injuries. Taken before me at Invercargil^ this 19tbi day of March, 1877H. MeCtoLi.ocH» Resident Magistrate. lie cays at the first, that Monaghan had killed him. Afterwards he is kept alive by stimulants, and he Bhows, in making his statement to the Magistrate, that his intention, or his memory was utterly confused. I believe that hia whole mind was in a state of confusion ; that he was half dead, and half drunk, so you can scarcely place any great reliance on what he said. His later statement*, too, were made at long intervals, as he had strength or intelligence to make them, and I would therefore recommend you to discard them as of no great value. What he said, however, to the doctor at nine o'clock, in the presence and hearing of other people — that it was Monaghan who kicked him — is of consequence as those statements seem to have been made while he was in hjst sound senses, and, at the same time ! knowing that he had not long to lire. He had then the prospect of a speedy disco lution before him, wad his story wal no likely to be a fabrication*