INQUESTS AT THE ARROW.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 34, 26 August 1863, Page 5

INQUESTS AT THE ARROW.

An jinquest was held at the Twelve-mile Creek,' Arrow River, on the 21st instant, before J. S. Hickson, Esq., Coroner, on the body of Henry Hawkins, who was suffocated by the caving-in of the earth in a claim. Frederick Carpenter said—l am a miner, and have known the deceased seven years; he is a native of Gosport, and was 28 years of age. Deceased and my mate, Isaac Southworth, were working a piece of ground together. Isaac South worth left the claim in the afternoon on business. I was sinking a hole a little from deceased, when he came to me and asked me to wash a bit of dirt for him. I took the dish and washed it. I took the dish deceased gave me with another dish to him. He filled one dish, and I took it to the cradle, when I heard the ground fall. I heard a faint cry, and ran to the spot where deceased was working, but could not see him. I called loudly for assistance, and took up a shovel and commenced digging. Several of the miners assisted me. We worked for 40 minutes, and when we discovered him he was quite dead. Benjamin Thornton said—On the 19th of August I was in my tent, on the opposite side of the creek to where deceased was working. I heard him call out to Carpenter. About a minute after I heard Carpenter call out for assistance, and went over to help to dig deceased out of the ground. It was some time before the body was dug out -nearly an hour. It was found in a sitting posture. Deceased appeared to have been suffocated by the fall of earth. He was quite dead when found, The jury returned a veadict, "That deceased met his death accidentally by the falling of a large body of earth, by which he was suffocated." An inquest was held at the Court-house, Arrow, on the 22nd instant, before John S. Hickson, Esq., Coroner, on the body of John Donoghue, who was found dead on the Crown Range. William Naylor, sworn—l knew the deceased four weeks ago; he (deceased) was staying at the Ballarat Store, on this township, and complained of being very weak from the effects of dysentery. I was led to believe that deceased proceeded to Bracken's Gully. I saw him last about 5 a.m. on the morning he left. Richard Barrett, detective officer, said — About 1 p.m. on the 22nd instant, I received

information of a man being dead on the Crown Range. I proceeded at once with a constable and three men to the place indicated. Within 300 yards of the top of the Crown flange, I found deceased lying on his back; his left arm was under the small of his back, and the right leg bent under the left. His clothes were apparently undisturbed. I searched the body, and found a purse containing about 1 dwt. of gold and a£l note. With the assistance of the other men, I brought the body to the Camp. There were no marks on the body of any violence. James Douglas, medical practitioner, said— I have examined the body of deceased, and found it to be in a state of decomposition. It must have been exposed at least three or four weeks. There are no marks of violence. I consider death was caused by cold and exposure. The jury returned a verdict, "That deceased died from cold and exposure on the Crown Range, on or about the 28th July last."