INQUEST ON THE BODY OF JAMES BATTLE.

West Coast Times, Issue 253, 14 July 1866, Page 3

INQUEST ON THE BODY OF JAMES BATTLE.

On Tuesday evening, after tho body of James Battle was brought into town, an inquest was held on it by the Coroner, Dr Squires, and a Jury, of which Mr Nathaniel Edwards was foreman. After viewing the body, which was considerably altered and discolored, the following evidence was taken :—: — James Barton affirmed — I am hospital attendant at Nelson Hospital. I have seen the body now lying dead in the engine-house. To the best of my belief and recollection, so far as the appearances allow me to judge, the body is that of a person who was in the Nelson Hospital in 1860, and who then gave his names as James Battle, forty-eight years of age, by trade a sawyer, and a native of England. He would now be about fifty-four years of age. He was received into the Hospital in February, 1860. I last saw him about eighteen months ago, near Blenheim. He was fencing on the main road between tho Tua Marina and Blenheim. Q-eorge Jervis sworn, deponed — I am a storekeeper at Canvastown. I have seen the body now lying dead in the engine-house. It is that of a man whom I have known aB " Old Jamie," who has for some time been working

at Wilson's Accomodation House, at the Pelorus (half a mile from Canvastown), clearing flax. Ido not know his other name. I last Baw deceased this day three weeks, the 12th of June, a little before eight o'clock. I saw him crossing the river with his swag, which was very large, and I believe he had two longhandled shovels. lam not positive if he had two long-handled shovels. I know he had one, and might have two. On the foll6wing Sunday, when I came into«town to give information regarding tho other missing men, I made enquiry about him at the Pelorus Bridge Accommodation House, and found that he had passed thero on Wednesday for Nelson. I also enquired &t Dwyer's and Smith's Accommodation Houses, and found that no man answering to his description had passed that day. By Mr Akersten — I did not ask what time Battle passed the Pelorus Bridge. The Coroner — What made you enquire" about this man ? ! Witness — I knew he had come along the road to Nelson, and hearing of the loss of Mathieu, Dudley, Kempthorno, and Pontius, I made enquiry about him too. I found out that he had not arrived in Nelson ; and I knew him to have been on the road the same day as these four men. I never saw him since that day he passed the river, until I saw his dead body to-night in the engine-house. By Mr Powell — I can't say I have ever seen him in Nelson.

Greorge James Bake* deposed — I havo seen the body now lying dead in the engine-house ; I never, to my knowledge, saw the body before death. I never saw it before to-day. I was in the searching party made up to look for the »an who was supposed to be missing. About half-past nine this morning, about a mile from Franklyn's Flat, on the other 'side towards tho Heringa, and about one hundred yards from the road on the left hand going from Nelson, my attention was drawn to a fern lying above ground with its root upwards, and beside it a log of about three feet long, which appeared to have been recently placed there. I went and examined the place. I first found the dead body a little above the hips at the back ; the body was lying on its face. I came to this part of the body after removing about half an inch of earth and leaves with which it was covered ; there was no more over this portion of the body than half-an-inch of soil. I scratched off the soil with my finger, and came on the body ; I hai done no more when constable Martens came up with the party. We then uncovered the body by removing all the rubbish ; the man was lying on his face. On turning him over, I considered he had been strangled, because his chest and neck were all discolored under the skin. I did not see any other marks on the body. My trade is a tailor ; I don't follow it ; I nan a dealer — a general dealer; I deal in everything. The body is the one now lying in the engine-house. His left boot was lying under him, near to his head, and his hat was towards his feet. The inquest at this stage was adjourned until next day at ten o'clock.