“The Press” In 1866

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31112, 15 July 1966, Page 12

“The Press” In 1866

July 16 DOBSON INQUEST. The Inquest on the body of Mr George Dobson was finished on Tuesday, and the jury returned a verdict of murder against some person or persons unknown. During the proceedings the prisoner James Wilson, alias James Murray, who is accused of the mudrer, was present. At first he did not appear to take much interest in the evidence given, but towards the end, when the witnesses began to speak positively as to the men they met on the track where Mr Dobson was murdered on the day of the murder, and on the following day, he became greatly interested, and twice he asked permission to put a

question to the witness. The Magistrate refused to allow him, telling him that he was not on his trial then, and that the jury had nothing whatever to do with him, but had simply to determine how, where, when, and by what means, the deceased came by his death. When the room was cleared for the jury to consider their verdict, it appeared evident the prisoner fully believed that he was then on his trial, for he shouted out that “they were swearing away an innocent man’s blood, without giving him an opportunity to speak,* and that ‘if they would allow him he could tell them where he slept on the night of the 28th.' ...” (From the “Grey River Argus.”)