CORONER'S INQUEST.

Press, Volume XV, Issue 2084, 20 December 1869, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held on Saturday afternoon at the Hospital before Dr Coward, coroner, on view of the body of Edward Hamilton, who was found on Thursday last on the beach at Sumner. Mr Frauk Slee was chosen foreman of the jury. The following witnesses were examined :— Ethelbert Howell deposed that on Thursday last he was at Sumner in company with two others; went round the beach to the further part of the rocks, and saw the body of a man lying out of the water with his feet over a atone higher than the body ; the head was directed towards the eea; the body was lying below high water mark, and Beemed to have been washed up by the sea. The body was dressed, and there was a triangular wound in the forehead. Gave information at Day's hotel, and stopped until the police came. Alfred Day deposed that he saw deceased at Sumner on Tuesday afternoon going down to the beach in the direction where the body was found. Richard Clark deposed that deceased was in business as a gunsmith next door to witness' shop in Colombo street. Had lately seen deceased sitting with his hands to his head very frequently; he was very low spirited, and said in reply to witness " I have never been the same man since that affair of Raphael's." Deceased said he was in difficulties. Last saw deceased on Tuesday morning ; he was dressed and going out. Henry Johnstone deposed that he saw deceased on Monday afternoon. Deceased complained of the dulness of trade and the difficulty he had in getting money to pay his creditors. About three weeks or a month ago deceased told witness that he (deceased) had serious thoughts of destroying himself. Detective Feast deposed to searching the , body and finding on it a £1 note, the key of deceased's shop door, and also a powder flask, : with powder, damaged by water, in it. On i Thursday night witness went to the deceased's ' bouse, and lying in the bedroom was a < card, in deceased's handwriting, as follows— 1 "Tired of life; £2 10s in the book on the J table." There was £2 10s in that book, i Witness also found letters in deceased's hand- 1 writing, the tone of which bore testimony to t deceased being in a desponding frame of mind, x Dr Patrick, who had made a post mortem a examination of the body, deposed—-There a were no marks of violence except on the head, a There was a triangular flesh wound in the t centre of the forehead, and a round hole in t the bone corresponding to the external wound' I The bones of the skull were greatly fractured, o The brain was much decomposed. Witness li

' found a piece of bone from thTivZi 77"*"-* , into the brain, and a $ J fere* ' impacted m tho b-ck of the B _ ull t )*? J;**! ! had to gouge it out. Decease „v ?!^ • >n August last that he waa stron v*""** ■ to commit suicide. "rongiy te mp{ed ; Tho jury found "That deep<wo,l *i- » self in a fit of temporary i n , nni ?v » hot hnh