CORONER'S INQUEST.

West Coast Times, Issue 603, 30 August 1867, Page 3

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held yesterday, at the Hospital, at noon, before Dr Beswick, coroner, on view of the body of John Smith, who died on Tuesday morning. Mr Inspector Brougham was present, and.examined the witnesses ; and Griffiths Jones, who had been apprehended on suspicion, was also present. The following gentlemen were sworn on the jury: — Messrs T. Gibson (foreman), J. Sibley, W. Rutherford, H. Miller, C. Edwards, E. Taylor, C. Hansen, J. Munro, J. Roscoe, B. Rout, G. Adams, R. Russel, W. Grey, B. Fraser, J. King, J,Childs. b

Sarah King deposed — I reside in Park street, about a hundred yards from Griffiths Jones' house ; there is a small house at the back of Jones' house, between my, house and Jones. I knew deceased. On Saturday, the 17th of this month, the deceased came to the door of my house between six and seven o'clock in the evening. He asked me where Mrs Jones was. I told him that I did not know. Deceased then went over to Griffith Jones', aud knocked at the door. He then came back to me, saying that he could not make any person hear. He then went away, aud I never saw him again until after eleven o'clocic that night, when he and Mrs Jones came together to my house. Whilst they were at my door, I heard Griffith Jones rush out of his own house, and he took his wife away home. Mrs Jones said, " That is sharp work." Smith then pushed open my door, and came in. He pulled something off his neck, and said "I wonder if he is beating that little won&n." He said " I wonder if any one is there.'' I said, " You had better leave, and go and see." Deceased then left, and afterwards I heard Jones tell him to leave his door. I heard both deceased's and Jones' voices, as if they were quarrelling. I heard deceased say, "I will, I will." In about ten minutes, deceased came back to my house, and sat on a chair, and I heard something dripping from him. I said, "What is the matter?" He said, " Oh, I'm cut, I'm cut." I got out of bed and pushed him out. He said "Wont you let me lie on the floor ?" I said, " No." He then left, and I heard him washing himself outside the door. I heard no blows struck. Deceased did not say who had cut him. Jones and deceased had had a quarrel three weeks before. Richard Hughes deposed — I am a miner, residing on the North Beach, about a mile and a half from Hokitika. I remember Sunday morning, the 18th of tliis month. I was awakened on that morning by hearing Griffith Jones sing out " Dick/ I told him to come in, and said, "What do you want here at this time in the morning ?" It was then halfpast two o'clock. Jones said, "I have hammered a man in town, who has been stopping with my wife." Jones said, " I think I have hurt him." He had a piece of iron — I think the head of an axe — in his hand ; but I took it from him, and made use of it myself. Jones said that the man was a Dutchman. Jones said that the man seemed to be giddy when he (Jones) left him. Jones asked if he might stop in. our tent until daylight. We said yes, and he did remain there until he was arrested, the same day. By the Coroner — There were a few spots of blood on Jones' hand. He said " There is blood on my hand, I think it is his blood. I said " Oh ! no, it is from your own hands." By the Prisoner — You told nic^iat you would give yourself up on Monday morning. By the Jury — The sores on Jones' hands looked as if they had been bleeding a few hours before.

Detective Browne deposed — On Sunday, the 18th of this month, I arrested Griffith Jones in a tent, iv the bush near the Three Mile Creek. I told him that I arrested him for an assault on John Smith, and I duly cautioned him. Jones said "it is an unfortunate job, is Jack dead ? " I then asked prisoner where he was when I was at the tent before ?—? — Be said " I was in the bush, and hearing from my friends that you were looking for me, and had advised that I should give myself up, I came out of the bush to write a letter to you, stating that I would give myself up on Monday." He said that he did not wish to be locked-up all day on Sunday. He then commenced of his own accord to tell me the affair. He stated that he went to his wife's house about 5 p.m. on the 17th instant, being then the worse for drink. He said "I laid down and went to sleep, at this time my wife was in tho house ; on wakiug about 11 o'clock I found that my wife was gone. I waited for her to return, and at midnight I saw her returning, and going towards Mrs King's house. I ran across, took hold of her, and carried her into her own house. Smith was following her up at that time. "When I got into the [house, not being able to find the key, I fastened the door with the head of an axe, by chopping it in at the bottom. In a few minutes Smith came to the door and attempted to force it in, he got the door about half-way open, and at that time the axe lay between the sill of the door and the end of the door. Deceased picked it up and was in the act of striking me, when I warded off the blow and knocked the axe out of his hand. We exchanged some blows, had a scuffle, and both came to the ground. On the ground I got hold of the axe and struck Smith on the head." Jones did not say how often he struck Smith. Jones said " Smith then left and went in the direction of Mrs King's, house. On the following day I went to look for the axe in company with Jones, who said that he wished to find tho axe, as parties might fancy tha t there was a handle in it, and that it was a more dangerous weapon than it really was. We searched round the house for the axe but could not find it. We then went up to Jones' house, and searched it, and whilst there Jones again described the scuffle, and pointed out that the lock of the door was out of order. He showed me where the scuffle took place and where he struck Smith on the head. I asked Jones if he could not remember where he put the axe. He said, " I cannot, for after striking Smith I felt his warm blood running on my hand, my heart gave way, and I cannot remember anything further." Jones repeated that statement twice and said " I am very sorry for what has happened." I have known deceased John Smith for about nine years, he was a Dutchman. By the Jury — Jones did not say whether he struck with the back or head of the axe. The prisoner—" That statement is quite correct." By the Coroner — Whon prisoner asked me if Jack was dcid, I said, "No, he is not dead, but lit' is very bad." Jones told me that lie had toid (Smith to go away before he struck him. That was when Smith was pushing the door. Dr. Ryley, the Surgeon Superintendent of the Hospital, deposed — On Sun-

day, the 18th instant, the deceased, John Smith, was admitted into the Hospital ; I found his hair completely matted with blood ; I had his scalp shaved, and then examined his head. I found a compound fracture of the skull, the outer table was fractured to the extent of 2J inches, and the inner table for about 2 inches. The fracture appeared to have been caused by a clean cutting instrument. A portion of the outer table was quite loose ; the wound in the scalp exposing the fracture was about 3£ inches in length, and it was a clean cut. I found two other incised wounds on the scalp, both of which exposed the bone. There were also two contused wounds on the back part of the head. There was also a superficial wound on the left cheek. On his admission the deceased was very pale and weak apparently from loss of blood. He was also giddy, and appeared to be much confused, and said that he only remembered receiving one blow which rendered him insensible. He got stupid and apathetic, and at last became unconscious, with symptoms of compression of the brain. Deceased got gradually worse, and after a consulation it was agreed to perform the operation of trephining, under the belief that tho pressure was caused by the depression of the "inner table of the skull at the seat of the fracture. After the operation was performed, deceased spoke pretty rationally, but had a ' number of slight epileptic fits up to the 26th inst., when he became completely comatose, and died the next morning about three o'clock. I have made a. post mortem examination of the body, and found that the membranes of the brain were congested, with pus appearing between them down the whole surface of the brain, which was soft and inflamed. On r examining the upper portion of the skull, I found a portion of the inner table was depressed at the posterior angle of the fracture, and close to the opening made by the operation. The irritation caused by that compression, in my opinion, brought on inflammation of the brain and its membranes, and which was the cause of death. By the Coroner — Deceased said that Griffith Jones struck the blow with an axe, that rendered him (deceased) insensible. He made no other statement. The Coroner briefly summed up the evidence, and explained to the jury the law relating to murder and manslaughter. The jury found a verdict of manslaughter against Griffiths Jones, who was forthwith committed upon the coroner's warrant.

The remains of tho Maori Chief, Toby, of Stewart's Island (says the " Daily Times") were put on board the Wellington yesterday, for conveyance to the Bluff. They will ho taken hence to the island, and interred according to ancient Maori custom. The deceased, along with his father, proceeded North in the Tavarua last month ; at Wellington he caught measles, but had recovered, and was returning home last trip in the Egmont, when he took a severe cold, and remained in Otago, taking up his quarters at the Maori Kaik, at the Heads, where he died a few days ago.

The late snowstorm has been unusually heavy in the Lake and other districts in Otago. The " Wakatip Mail," says :— " The heaviest snowstorm ever witnessed here visited the whole district on Sunday night. It continued nearly all night, and the town and country were clothed in a mautle of white all next day. On Monday evening, first sleet, and then rain, fell keavily. Singular to say, frequent flashes of sheet lightning took place each night. The weather has since continued stormy, whilst much rain has since fallen on the low lands, and snow on tho higher level of the ranges. The sheepowners are likely to be heavy loosers, unless a thaw comes shortly and release their flocks. We understand Mr Eirkpatrick had 200 sheep snowed in at Moke Creek (a few of which have been dug out), and about 700 sheep, owned by Mr Williamsou, are snowed in on the Crown range. Other owners may be equally unfortunate ; but as communication is almost completely cut of, it is difficult to give authentic details at present."

Tho "Otago Daily iMmes" thus refers to the Goldfields Amendment Act providing for the delegation of powers to Provincial Executives — " We publish elsewhere a copy of the Bill with which it is proposed to grant the delegation of the G-oldfields Management to the Provincial Executive. It will be seen on examination, that it does not bear the character with which the Government promised to invest it, namely, that of giving a simple unfettered delegation to the Executive, similar to what has been given to the Superintendents. "We do not refer to the words in the second clause, " subject or not to any restrictions or limitations as he may think fit." . Those words might be considered t& confer on the Governor a large discretionary power as to the nature of the delegation ; but as they are- an exact transcript of the words in the Goldfields Act, conferring the delegation upon Superintendents, they might bo allowed to pass, on a distinct promise that the delegation should not be affected by them, but be precisely tho same as in other cases. But at the end of the fifth clause, commencing with the word "provided,'' there is added a provisio entirely inconsistent with an ordinary delegation. It amounts neither more nor less, than to reserving a power to the General Government to appoint* and maintain in their appointments, any of the Goldfields officers, and to charge their salaries against the Goldfields revenues. Under the Goldfields Act, the Governor, nominally, has the power of appointment; but, practically, as in the case of delegation tho Provincial authorities have to find the funds, tho control over the officers rests with the Province. Tho introduction of the proviso, on the other hand, .to all intents and purposes, mates the officials independent of the Province, and would render it impossible for tho Provincial authorities to preserve proper discipline ; for the officials would inevitably grow to consider that tho ultimate authority in all cases rested with the General Government. The proviso itself is thereforethoroughly objectionable ; but even were it less so, wo do not see how the Province of Otago would submit to allow tho control vosted in the Provincial authorities to be more restricted than that given to other Provinces. Wo aro given to understand that this is entirely the view of the majority of the Otago members, and that they consider the Bill involves a breach of faith, against which they will niako a firm stand. The Bill as it is, would probably open up the whole question again, as it is difficult to sco how tho Superintendent and any Provincial Executive could accept a delegation fencod round "with the proposed restriction. We

may add that an assurance lms already been made that although, in pursuance of old intentions, many departmental changes -will be made, there will, on the part of the Province, be no retaliatory proceedings against the officers concerned. Of course, Mr Bradshaw's appointcionts are a different matter, with which, the Province has nothing to do.

(For remainder of News see 4.th 'Page.)