THE MURDER OF A GERMAN. ADJOURNED INQUEST.

Otago Witness, Issue 697, 8 April 1865, Page 6

THE MURDER OF A GERMAN. ADJOURNED INQUEST.

The adjourned inquest respecting the death of " Charley," the German, was held yesterday afternoon, by Mr T. M Hocken, Coroner, at Blake's Hotel, High street. The following evidence was given : — David Thompson : I am a shipwright, and live at Primrose Hill. On Thursday morning, the 30th ult., I left home at five minntes to five, and came down to the head of High street. I there saw something lying on the footpath in the cross street, four or five feet from High s-treet. I thought it was a digger's swag, but I got nearer and saw that it was a man. I called to him to get up, and as there was no answer, I put my foot on his hip and shoved him. I then felt that he 3 was quite stiff. He was lying on his right side, a good deal doubled up. I did not put my hand to teel him. I did not notice his hat or his pocket, for it was dark and rather cloudy. I did not notice any blood. I came down High street but could see no one but the man at the coffee stall. I then went towards Rattray street and gave information to a policeman. I did not see this club against the embankment in High street.

Joseph Allan : I am a farmer, at the East Taieri. The deceased worked for me ior a short time, until Wednesday last. On that day he left nxy service, with the intention of going to the West Coast Diggings. I paid him L 2 Gs— two notes and silver. I believe that was all the money he had. He told me he had no money while with me, and I had to supply Mm with tobacco. Prior to this occasion, he "was in my employment from the 2nd February to" the 7th March. lie then left and came to town, and on the 11th he returned, saying that he had been robbed here in town. He did not give any par- * ticulars as to where he was robbed. I supposed that he spoke of it as a sort of excuse fer having so soon got rid of his money. I believe that he was a carpenter by trade, and as he did several jobs for xae, I know that he was very handy with tools. He told me that he had a wife and family in Melbourne, but I don't know "whether he ever received letters from them. I never saw anything in his possession that I could identify.

By a Juror: When he left me the first time I paid him LG ss. I think it was in a L 5 note, a Li note, and silver.

Edward Hulme : lam a legally qualified medical practitioner, practising in Dunedin In conjunction with Dr Alexander, I made post mortem examination of the deceased, on Friday last. There was a contused "wound on the left eye-brow, Hin. long, and down to the bone ; there was a contused wound l^in. long, on tlie left cheek bone ; there was a complete division, 2in long, of the upper lip : a contused wound on the upper lip, lin long, and down to the bone; lacerated wounds, %'m long, at the root of the nose. The left cheek bone was fractured into several pieces ; the upper jaw was fractured and driven in on the left side, and also fractured inwardly, on the right side ; the lower jaw was fractured in two places : the front teeth were separated from both the upper and lower jaws The nasal bones were fractured. I'here was no fracture of the skull-cap. The cribeform plate of the ethnoid bone [just above the nose] was fractured in many pieces, and the orbital plate on the right side was fractured. These fractured pieces had produced a small laceration of the right anterior lobe of the brain. There ■was great congestion of the brain, both in the vessels on the surface and in the substance. We examined ihe organs in the chest and abdomen, and they were quite healthy. I opened the stomach, and I found therein potato, and bread, and meat. He was not living four hours after he ate that food, whenever that might have been; the food was but slightly digested. There ■were marks on the cheek, which showed that they had been caused by a split stick ; and I have no doubt, from their appearance, that they "were caused by a left-hand blow from behind. They diverged from the left angle of the jaw towards the nose and the mouth. In all, there were five such marks, and eight wounds on the face. I produce a sketch showing the nature of the marks The injuries I have described were quite sufficient to cause death. There was nothing like a wound on the hands ; indeed, he does not appear to have been able to put up either of his hands to his face, for neither of them was bloody. I believe that death was almost instantaneous. There can be no doubt that the blows were struck during life. The left cavity of the heart vas filled with blood, so that death must have been all but instantaneous. In my opinion, the weapon produced would cause su<ih injuries as I saw on the face of the deceased. The weapon is a beech branch— mapu, I think, is the native name. It is an inference that the man who struck the blows was lefthanded, but it does not necessarily follow. lam right-handed, but with a stick or a bat I prefer striking a left-banded blow.

Edward William Alexander, a legally - qualified medical practitioner, practising in Dunedin : I made a post mortem examination of the deceased, in conjunction with Dr. Hulrac, and I agree with the evidence he has given. lie did not mention that we noticed an echymosis of the scrotum, which was quite recent, and was caused before death. The blows given with crushing violence on the face were the cause of death, and that speedily. I think that the blows were delivered from behind ; they look as if left-handed blows, but they might very well be eiven by a right-handed man ; and I am inclined to the opinion that they were so struck. I examined the scene of the supposed murder. Prom the spattering of the blood on the bank, I infer that the blows were given horizontally, and in a slightly upward direction. All the spots of blood were directed upwards ; the apex of eaGh being below. There were spots from about 2ft. to about sft. up the bank. I noticed a depressed mark in the soft clay of the path, having the appearance of the impression of a man's knee. I picked a small piece of bark from the pool of blood on the path ; I produce the piece. It fits exactly into a bare place on this weapon, beside the split in it. David Auld : I drive a cab. I remember that on Wednesday evening, about nine o'clock, I drove this man [Krull], and the deceased, to Krull's store, in Great King street, near the Water of Leith. I waited about twenty minutes and brought the deceased back. I took him to the Queen's Arms, had a drink with him, and left him talking to the barmaid. I did not see him again alive. He was much intoxicated. He did not speak to me on the way into town. He told me to drive him to the Queen's Arms, and I did so. He had on a monkey-jacket when I left him. I charged him 3s for what I had done ; and he gave me two half-crowns and I gave him two shillings back. I did not see any other money in his possession. The Coroner said that there was no more evidence that was reliable, to be offered to the jury at present. There were two courses open — to return an open verdict, or to adjourn for a week. He would adopt the latter course, if it was wished ; but he thought that there was abundant evidence on which to return a verdict of " Wilful murder by some person or persons unknown," and if the jury were satisfied on that point, it seemed to him that it would be only a waste of time, or a matter of curiosity, for them to try to ascertain by whom the murder was committed.

The jury at once returned a verdict, that the deceased had been wilfully murdered, by some person or persons unknown.