INQUEST.

Evening Star, Issue 5760, 25 August 1881, Page 2

INQUEST.

An Inquest was held this morning', in the Octagon Hotel, on the body of Peter Campbell, who was found dead in Ross's right-of-way on Tucsday|morning, hafora Mr Hocken, district coroner, and a jury of twelve, cf whom Mr James Glondining was chosen foreniin. The Coroner said: This is the case of an old settler named Peter C mpbcjl, well known probably to some of you, who was found dead in Ross's right-of-way. The circumstances in connection with the case were sufficiently suspicious to cause me to hold an inquest and have a post 'Mortem examination upon the body The result of the post-mortem examination will, I believe, show that death resulted from natural ciuses. I thought that it was right, however, that an inquest should he held and the matter put at rest. Archibald Campbell: lam a laborer living at the Taieri Mouth. The deceased was my father ; he also lived at the Taieri Mouth; he was sixty-eight years of age, a native of Edinburgh, a basketmaker by trade, and a Presbyterian by religions persuasion. He had been in New Zealand about thirty-two years, having arrived here in the ship Ajax. He left home about twelve o'clock on Sunday, and stayed that night at his son-in-law's house. I saw him away by the 930 a.m. train from Henley fjr Dunedin on the Monday morning. He was in good health, and had been so for years paat, He was to hive returned o 1 the Tuesday night. He had two cheques with bini,'ona for LU and one for L 5 Is, and about 10s Cd in cash. He had also two silver English lover watches, one of which was mine. He was taking it to mend. He had also a pocket-bcok belonging to my brother with him, and a meerschaum pipe. On leaving home it was his Intention to stay with Mr Honning, of Rockyside. He was not in the habit of drinkiDg. John Mitohell Lomas : I am a clerk in Hogg and Button's store. Deceased came into our Btore k etween 12 a. in. and 1 p m. on Monday to pay his account, which was L 9. He paid it with a cheque for L 5, and four Ll-notes. He gave me another order, to be sent to his place on the following day. He came in again about four o'clock of the same afternoon to inquire about somo bags. He appeared at that time to be the worse for liquor. Robert Henry Bailoy s i am a watchmaker in street ' Deoeasod came into my shop about five o'clock on Monday aftarnoon to inquire about his son's watch, which had been left with me on the Siturday. He was undor the influence of drink. He paid for the repairing of the watch, but did not take ft with him. Ho showed me an English silver hunting lever watch, which he said was a valuable one, with the name of G. and T. Young on it. I noticed that he had threo or four notes and 6ome silver iyi a leather purse. John Jackson : I am a news ajent, living in Great King street, Whilst neariiig ttoes's right-of-way, in the O.ctagou, on Monday evening, at about seven o'clock, with my papers, I observed the deceased on the ground, and thought he was intoxicated. 1 spoke to him, and he murmured something. I lifted him up, to get him out of the wot. Two men were coming up the right-of-way at the time, and they lifted him up and placed him in the passage In a sitting position with his back against the wall. We all left then; but on my getting a few yards forward I noticed the men turn baci; towards the deceased. I stopped to see what they would do. They thon came away and walked in the same direction as myself. They walked down Stuart street as ifar as Hall's dye-works. I think I could reeognlso the men if I saw them again.

The Coroner asked the witness to see If he could Identify any c? the wen outside in the yard as those who lifted the deceased into the right-of-way. Witness went out, and on returning said he thought he recognised one of those outside as one of the men. He was dressed differently now, however, and he could not swear to him. The man identified was then called in, and gave his name as Joseph Ruff. John Winefield, aged nine years: I live with my parents in the Octagon. About half-past seven on Monday night I saw the decaased in a sitting poiltion in Ross's right-of-way. He appeared to be asleap. Thero yas another boy with me, also two men, who, whenever wo went near tho deceased, moved away. When we M\ the deceased tU©y yeturued to him. I then wont for a policevoan, but before getting one returnod to make sure that the man was still there, and found that ho had gone. I asked a woman named "Irish Kate," win waß coming up the rightoj-way, where he had gone, and she replied that «Jcji« Dicks, a colored man, living at tho back, £au token him into his house. About twenty mjnutou past seven on the following morning vuy mother told me to fttch a u,c,licu.au io tako the deceased away, as ho was in tho ' right-of-way dead. Thomas Macgrogor gave evidence corroborative of that given by the last witness. Joseph Ruff: I am a seafaring man, and live in Maclagan streot. About o'clock last Monday nitht, whilst goii y dowu Ross's rijfht-of-way with * friend of mine named Anderson, I saw tha deceased lying drunk. We went down to the house of Dick, a man living down tho right-of-way, and got him to come out with us and look at the man. He did so, and we took him down to Dick's hou?e and laid htm on the floor. I noticed that his watch was gono, and that liis ohaln was hanging loose. We then searched him, and found only Is 6a on him. I did not see any pocket-book or pipe on him. Dick blamed me for having brought him down, and said that he would have nothing to do with him, as he might bo blamed for the loss of his vatch. I said I would go and get a policeman, and Diek said " Don't; for he will Uiink we have rpbbod him." Deceased was iu the house about ten minutes, after which we took him and put him back ajfai« in the right-of-way. We returned to Dick*a houoe and had some rum hot. The deceased was in tho right-of-way when 1 passed through after having the rum. Dick catno to my house on the following morning between nine and eleven, and told me that tho man was dead. The Coroner, to witness: You will no' get the jury to believe that you have acted the part of the <seou"

Simaritan In this case,' Indeed, it appears to ese M though your conduct had been extremely tuntdow and cruel. Yon profess to hare acted lor the man-* good. Witness: I walked up as far as the Queen Theatre and back to look for a policeman, but could not find one. The Coroner: Is it usual for people to take drunken "if "Jiwi^ni 0 ?* ttnd tum a** ©at ten minutes afterwards? The Jury, however, will be able to form their own opinion. Witness, in answer to the jury, said I X eaw the deceased for the first time in the right-of-wav I did not see him outside. '" John Anderson, a carpenter living at lfLeod's boarding-house, gave evidence corroborative of that given by the last witneep. John Dick (examined by Inspector Weldon): I live in Ross's right-of-way, with my wife and four children. My attention was first called to the deceased being in the right-of-way by two yeung men, who called at the house and told me of it. I went up with them, and we brought him down to the house and laid him ou the ground. I then discovered that his watch was gone, and his chain being loose I put my band in bis pocket to see what else he had, and found one shilling and two threepenny i ieces. 1 was the only one who put a hand in the deceased's pocket whilst he was in my house. Deceased was blind drank, and frothed at the mouth. He never spoke whilst in the house. I and the other two men had both rum and beer to drink. Dr De Zouche had made a post mortem examination of the deceased, and found the organs very healthy. There was, however, congestion of the brain, and a large quantity of water. He found the left luug to be affected, so as to indicate that at a past time deceased had suffered from pleurisy. There was froth coming from his mouth, which was from the stomach. There was a large quantity ef food in the stomach. The other organs were perfectly healthy. He had rarely He en them so good in a man of deceased's age. The appearances were such as led to the conclusion that death had resulted from exposure to cold. The drink itself would not account for the deaths The Immediate cause of death was effusion of water on the brain. There was nothing whatever to indicate that death had resulted from foul play. Robert Henry Bailey, recalled, said: I find that the watch in my possession was left at my shop on the Monday by the deceased. Detective Henderson: From inquiries I learnt that the cheque for LI4 3s was cashed on Monday forenoon at the Union Bank. I find that deceased paid L 9 to Hogg and Hutton, L 4 to Sabbites, LI 6s for a violin he purchased from Myers, and LI to Bailey making a total of Lls 6j paid by him, and leaving Li 14s unaccounted for.

John Dwyer, a police constable: I was informed by the lad Winefield that a body was lying in Roafa right of-way on Monday morning. On going to the place I found the deceased, who was cold and stiff. He had on him a tobacco - pouch, knife, chain, handkerchief, a watch-case, two tram tickets, and a receipt. Nathaniel Millar, a police constable: I was stationed on the beat in which the deceased was found on Monday night About ten o'clock I looked down the right-of-way, and saw nothing to attract my attention. At half-past twelve I walked down it, accompanied by Constable Sullivan, but there was nothing there then, It was impossible for a man to have been in the right-of-way without my seeing him. John Bevin, sergeant of police, said that on Tuesday the man Dick told him that the deceased was never in his house en Monday night Dick's wife also said that the deceased was not in the house. The Coroner (to the jury): Your verdict, I thln> ( will be in accordance with the medical evidence, that the deceased died from exposure and cold. The witnesses called have not, it appears, contributed to the death of the man, though there can be little doubt that they have got the money that was ou him amongst them. You will agree with me that this is a case which it was quite necessary to sift to the bottom. The Foreman of the Jury: The Jury have some i difficulty as to how to deal with the case, and if we are to believe the police evidence it would appear that the man was not exposed, and, if so, we would not be justified in finding that his death was accelerated bj exposure. Inspector Weldon said it would be his duty under any circumstances to ascertain if the constable had done his duty. He had one private witness, and if they would hear him they could afterwards hear Constable Sullivan and judge for themselves. Adam Winefield : I saw a man lying in the right-of-way on Monday night at about a quarter past eleven. as I passed through to go home. Cornelius Sallivaa, police constable: I relieved Constable Millar at about twelve o'clock, and w« together went down the right-of-way and «TMnintd it, There was no ole the: e a L , that t ; me. The jury found that the deceased died from natural causeß accelerated by expo&ure.