INQUEST ON THE BODY OF MR. J. HAMLIN. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1950, 16 October 1863, Page 3

INQUEST ON THE BODY OF MR. J. HAMLIN. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

An inquest was held yesteulay afternoon the 14th inct. befoie C. Melsop Esq., Coionor, on tho body of J. ETnmlin, which was lying nt his house near Papukura, wheie the inquest was held. The following gentlemen, wcie sworn hi as the jury : Captain Claio (foieman) Messrs A. J. A. Jackson, J. B. Hity,H. Greenacie, E. C. Murray, B. Willis, W. Smith, .J. Ilnlloran, G. Chaincr, J. JForeyth, P. Kermau, and W. Morgan. v ' Joshua Goulding, sworn, said: I am a settler, and live on tho Wairoa road. I have eeen the body, and identify it ns that of Mr. Ilamlin, \sho lived m thn house. Yestetday, about 2 o'clock, my wife and I left my house, and went along the road to look for some dairy cow*. In going by Mr. Hendeison's house, wo saw the body of deceased lj ing quite dead on the road. T said to my wife, '"here's Hir. Jlamhn killed.''' I Raw deceased going down tho road about 10 o'clock in the morning with a cait. That was the lnst timo I saw him alive. I said to my wife, "Come back quick." YVu returned along the road about 500 ynulfl. I told my wife to «o to Smith's and repot t the minder, and I said I would go and call Mi. Cieighton. I then went foiwnul to call Mr. Cieighton, When I first called liuu, he wtis about half a mile off. He came to me. We leturnecl to my house, and got Mr. Bell and Mr. Hyde to go with us to wheie I had seen the body of deceased. We letumed, passed tho body about twenty -in o yauls, and then saw a hoy — by name Joseph Walhs. We passed by the boy to get to tho diay which was loaded, and which Mr. Hnmlin and the boy had been driving. Wo then diew the dray to the boy and picked him up. The boy was sensible. He was \eiy badly cut about the f.ice. Mi. Croighton asked, "Who's little boy is this > ' The boy said, "I am Mr. Walhs' boy." AYe then picked up the body of Mr. Hamlin, and returned to Xiii Xiii redoubt. When I called him, Mr. Cieighlon was at the foot of the hill ascending to bib own house. I do not think the body had. been touched after deceased had fallen. His whip was lying between bis hands. Ido not recollect whether his hat was on oi ofi. I did not hear any lepoit of fireaims. 3n the morning the boy was riding a hoise, :md Mr. Hamhn was tiding in the dray. Wo took the body to .Smith's ; but Mi 3. Smith wished it to he taken lo tho camp. She lefusod to take the body into the house. lam living on my fcum ; other settleis aie dohn; the same. Louisa Colliding, sworn, said • I was with my husband yesteulay when we went to look for the cows, and found Mi. Ifamlm lying on the load, near to Mr. Hendersons house. He was quite dead. My husband said to mo, "We had better look about ; theie maybe Maw ib about " I then loturncd to my homo, and f,u\ no moio of the nff.ih. Francis C'ltiyl.ton, sworn. said : lain a settlor at the Ilunua. Yesteulay afternoon, about 3 o'clock, 1113' attention \\.ts> attiacted by loud calling, in which I heanl my own name. Having my team at wotk, T unyoked, and came at once lo where I heard the call. Y\ lien near enough, I tnw it was Mr. Gouldmg who Ik d c.illed me, and I a'-ked him what was the mnttei. He told me Mr. H.unlin was bhot, and was ljing on the load. Mr. Bell and Mr. ITvde joined us. Wo hud two caibines; wo pioceedcd further, and fouvd the body of doccpscd, I saw he was dead, and I also saw tho diay in tho distance. On my way to the d i ay, I found the bo\, Joseph Wallis, tying on his back on the load, and appaiently in gieat agony. He was dcspeiately wounded in the face. I went on to unload the duvy, assisted by Mr. Goulding, and we bionght the boy and tho deceased up to the camp. John Bell sum n, said: lam a settler, lcwiding afc Papakma. Mis. Goulding came running to me ytstswlay evening, while I was ploughing ou my faun, and said theic wcie Mnoiis on the load. I went to Goopei's and Hyde's. They weio not at home. I got their caibines, aivl took them to wheie they veie nt woik. We then joined Mr. Goulding and Mr. Cieighton, and went to where the body of Mr. Ilaiuhu was lying. I assisted in cuiying it to the camp. 1 was woi king about half-a-inile from wlicio the body was ]) ing. Between 12 and i o'clock of yesterday, J hcnid soino "-hots — first ona, then a soit of vo'ley of five or six. They seemed in the direction of wheie wo aftci wards found tho body. I had no ie:v=on to suppose theie weie any natives in the distiiet. Wo thought to ham left tho body at the Tiavclleib' Rest, but Mis. Smith ufused to take it in, and s.iid &he had no loom. We thought thu fust public house wo cume to the pioper place to leave the body. As we weio leaving, Win. Smith, the ton, said we might put the body into ft bade slud if we liked. Geoige Hamlin sworn, s..id : I am the son of the deceased. I haw my father leave home about 20 minutes to 9, to go to Wairoa with a team of bullocks. Jlo had no die aims of any kind, My father was about 55 yean old. Alexander Thompson swoin, said • lam assistantsuigeon at Kiiikiii ledoubt. I have this day examined the body of Job lEamliu. I found a, gunshot wound behind the ligli l ear, entering the cianium. I found no evifc for tho ball. I also lound two incised wound) on the light panolal bone, which hnd not lnjuioi'l the binin, being meicly ileep scalp wounds. The cause of death was the gunshot wound behind the ear, and death must lm\e been almost instantaneous. Tho scalp wounds wtie about two inches long, and must h,(\c been done by n shaip odged initiument, but nob vi ty he ivy, otheiwiae the bone would have been injuied. In this stage of enquiry the jury applied for an adjoi'innienfc, in oulci if po'.siljle to obtain tho e\ idenco of tho buy Wallis, whom they considered to ho tho only poison likely to be able to gi\e evidence ns to hoy and l>y vhoiii the doc asod was killed An adjoinnmi nt "was accoulingly giauted to Wednesday ne\t, the 21->t uibt.

CiiffWD'n Out. —Owing to the piessure on our sji.ico l>y advu tisements we .\ic compelled to lioltl over a 'leading aitiole, lejiniU of the City Board meeting, and llosident M.wjistt.ate's and Tohue Courbs, and our imlice of Engli-.li Magazines.

Navm. Movi-ursT-». — 'J'he 'Cura^oaV bluej.iokol-. will, with the exception of a detachment of them who aio to £0 on bo.ud the ' Wiukato,' le.uo tor the fiont o.iily tins morning. Wo understand that one of the Aunstionggiins has been .iccalcntlv dioppeilinlo the w.iter ub Onehunga, audit will ot coulee have to be iccovci&l.

Tun Voliinti:i:k Pktsoneus. — The three volunteer prUoncis wlio ha\e been incarcerated so lon<; on the cli.ugo of de-.ccKif.inc; Ma.oii graves weio liberated yesteid.ty morning. Tlie decision auivcl ac lvi". not been mndc pubho, but will be, it is to bo jnesumed, at the next rai .idc.

Mut, Seuvick to DtrNKDiN, &c.— The thin* table of a mail service between Dunedin, Lyttcttun, and Wellington, to be [lcrfoiincd by the steam w? of the New Zealand Stc.im jSTa\ ig.vtion Company, will be found. Dubhhlicd in our advertising coliumii.

' Mmnv and VotUNTLnn Movkmknms — Al3oaid of Survey w .is to assemble at the militia armoury, Albeit 15.v lacks, yesfceulay af tei noon, at two o'clock, to examine and lepoifc upon amis and nccontiemcnl*. — A JJo.ml of Ofliccis assembled yesteulay, afc tho volunteer oideily loom, al eleven o'clock, to mqiiiiu and xepoit as to whoUicr two men who lived fur tho cup picsontcd by Mr. Lcwi&son weie entitled Id compete under tho terms of live order regulating tho filing for that prize. Captain Claik was president. — The voluutcer jni'soneio vere iclciused ycsteid.iy morning. m TT» /I ml. _ /*1 II ..•« n

nioimng. The PnoviNCi.'i, Council.—The Council was counted out at n moderatoly early hour last evening, whilst discubsing the report of the Lands Regulations and Immigration Committee. The Sale of Bi cad Bill was farther considered in Committee, reported with amendments, and its thiul reading madeau older for to day. The debate on tho repoit of the Supeiintendency Election Committee was lesumrd for tho thiidtimo, and thciccommondatiousof theCommitteo woio agiced to. The Empoweiing Act was lead a third time, and passed. ,

Eakia- Clo.si.so Movement.—There is to bo a. sjiccial meeting of assistant grocers at Messrs. Thomas and Jager's, office on Monday iwxtj at oigU\ o'clock p,w.