Supposed Murder.

New Zealand Police Gazette, Volume X, Issue 5, 3 March 1886, Page 35

Supposed Murder.

On the sth ultimo the nude body of a European, name unknown, which was very much decomposed, and appeared to have been between one and two months in the water, was found on the Miranda Beach, Firth of Thames. Description of deceased : Looked like a labourer, between forty-five and fifty years of age, about sft. llin. high, black coarse hair, 1£ inches long, face appeared to have been shaved about fourteen days before death, large lower jaw, large broad sloped forehead, left ear pierced as if for a ring, the left central upper incisor tooth and the left molar tooth decayed and level with the gum, the right incisor tooth had either been extracted shortly before death or dropped out afterwards, the second right bicuspid tooth was broken off through decay, and the second right molar tooth decayed and broken off, leaving a stump high in the gum; the other teeth were sound. There were a number of wounds on the head, penetrating to the bone, which were, according to the medical testimony, inflicted before death, but were not sufficient to cause death. At an inquest held at Miranda on the 6th ultimo, by Thomas Jackson, Esq., Coroner, a verdict was returned to the effect that deceased came to his death by foul play. Dr. Dalzicl, who made the post mortem examination, was unable to arrive at the cause of death, but said that the wounds were such that if deceased was thrown from a ship he would probably be insensible. There is nobody missing from Miranda, the Thames, or neighbourhood.