South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Tuesday 11 January 1853, page 3


CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held yesterday by George Stevenson, Esq., Coroner, at the Glenelg Hotel, Holdfast Bay, on the body of a man, name unknown, who was found dead at St. Leonard's on Sunday last.

The Jury, having been sworn, selected N. Knox, Esq. as their foreman ; then proceeded with the Coroner to view the body, which, being in an advanced state of decomposi-tion, had not been removed. It was lying near the banks of the Sturt, on a section belonging to Mr. Griffin, and almost adjacent to Mr. Morphett's land. It presented a very frightful spectacle. The unfortunate man had fallen with his head hanging back, and his left leg considerably drawn up, as if in an uneasy sleep : his arms were stretched out a little on each side, with the fingers in a clutching position. There were marks upon his forehead which might easily have passed as the result of violence ; but they arose from natural causes. The clothes had been partly removed, apparently before death. The Coroner and Jury, after examining the body, returned to Glenelg ; leaving Mr. Sholl to make a post mortem ex-amination. The first witness called was George Sugars, aged 12 years. He was examined by the Coroner as to his knowledge of the nature of an oath ; and stated that he could neither read nor write. He was at school for about a fortnight more than two years ago, but had never been at church, nor ever heard the name of God. Did not know what it meant to tell the truth or to tell a falsehood. No oath was administered to this witness ; but his statement was taken. He said he was out walking with Humphrey Boots and some other boys the day before., and Boots called out that there was a dead man lying there. Went and saw the body in the same place where it was shown to the Jury. Humphrey Boots, aged 14, was equally ignorant. His unsworn statement was to the same effect as that of his companion. George Edward Sawer, special constable, at Glenelg, deposed that on Sunday the two boys, Boots and Sugars, came to his house and told him that there was a man lying dead at the Sandhills, on St. Leonard's. Went with them and found the body in the same spot where it had been seen by the Jury, near the course of the Sturt, running

through St. Leonard's. Did not disturb the body, but searched the pockets, in the presence of George Rhodes, a man residing at Mr. Macdonald's. Found in the pockets a sailor's thimble, an empty purse, three keys on a ring, two small keys and a razor in a case. Never saw the man before. There were three neckerchiefs in the coat pocket, but no money whatever. A cloth cap was lying by his side. The whole of the articles mentioned were produced by the witness. William Horatio Sholl, surgeon, had made a post mortem examination of the body of a man about 30 years of age. It was very much decomposed. His height was about 5 ft. 8 in., or 5 ft. 9 in., a strong-built and muscular man, with reddish hair, a thick beard under the chin, and moustache, somewhat in the usual fashion of returned diggers. There were no external marks of violence upon the body, but from the decomposed state of the soft parts it would have been impossible to have detected contusions. The only appearances which would lead him to account for death was an unusual quantity of blood in the stomach. That might have been occasioned by the effort of vomiting, or from a blow upon the stomach. He did not look like a person who had died by a violent death, but his features were very much swollen and disfigured. It was impossible to say what was the cause of death. He might have fallen over something and struck his stomach, and the brain sym-pathizing, might have caused instant death. Could not form a positive conclusion as to the cause of death. There was no fracture anywhere, and the blood in the stomach could not be traced to any ruptures of the vessels. If he had received a blow upon the stomach he might have died immediately from the effusion of blood, and the sympa-thetic action of the brain. The only thing about him which was not as it ought to be, was the blood found on the stomach. Should not think the deceased had been dead more than 10 days. George Rhodes, driver of the Bay mail, accompanied Mr. Sawer to look at the body. Confirmed his evidence. Deceased had on a pair of printed blue moleskin trousers, a grey Tweed shooting-coat, a figured cotton shirt, and blue cloth cap. The body was in the same state as when seen by the Jury. A person who was in the room here state that he had heard one of the boys say that he believed he had seen the deceased about 10 days ago ; and that he was then walking near the place where the body was found, in company with another man, who wore a jumper. The witness Rhodes said he remembered the two men in question, having brought them from town ; but they both returned with him the same afternoon. The Coroner said it was quite clear they had at present no means of finding out who the deceased was, or how he came by his death. The only verdict, therefore, that the circumstances would warrant their returning was that of "Found Dead." The Jury, after a brief consultation, returned a verdict "That the deceased was found dead, but from what cause they were unable to say."

The Case of Inspector Rose. — The final hearing of this case at the Police Court came on yesterday before J. W. Nicholls, Esq., who occupied the Bench in the ab-sence of Mr. Wigley, absent from indisposition. Our readers may remember that the case was adjourned for the : evidence of Mr. Gale, whose recovery was at one time con sidered doubtful. The following ia the statement made by him on oath before Mr. Commissioner Tolmer, who was deputed by the Police Magistrate to take his deposition on the 1st December last: — 'I consider myself in danger. On the day I was assaulted I went to the York Hotel to have something to drink. It was about half past 9 o'clock. Mr. Rose was there ; I spoke to him several times, but he refused to reply. I asked him the reason. He at length said he could not te'.l me then, but would do so presently. We then went outside the door several times together, and came in again. When we came into the room the last time he struck me and knocked me down with his whip. I have no recollection of what passed afterwards. This is all I have to say.— (Signed) Thomas Theodore Gale.' Mr. Gale was again examined yesterday, and stated that on the last Saturday in November, 1852, he was at the Yoik Hotel in the evening. The company were enjoying them selves with a song or two. About 12 o'clock the servant cime in and wished the room to be cleared, which Mr. Rose

said he would do in a minute. Ho was not in uniform. ! Witness quarrelled with him, and thrust his hands apart. ' The defendant thereupon swung his brass-headed whip round, j and struck him on the head. It must have been a heavy whip , to have caused three pieces of bone to come from his '? head. Dr. Moors, who was called in, drew»ed his wounds, nad he then went to In* h»me. Lie was not quite sober at the time, but Rose was quite diunk. Dr. Moore had attended him ever since the assault. — Mr. M. Smith, who appeared for the defence, examined the complainant at considerable length. In answer ? to the interrogations he said be remembered having been examined by Mr. Commisioner

Tolmer, bat not what he had then said. Advantage was token of him in obtaining his deposition when he was riot in* a fit state to make one. He was not in his senses for four weeks after the blow was struck. He did know why he 'separated Rose's hands, unless it was that he was as impertinent as he admitted himself to have been.— Mr. Commissioner Tolmer was examined, and stated that when he visited Gale to take his deposition, he found him lying on his bed- He informed him of the object of his visit, and that he was directed by the Police Magistrate to take his deposition, because the doctor had state! that he was in a dangerous state. He was sworn previously to his making the deposition, which he afterwards signed. He was in a fit state to make a deposition at the time. — Mr. Smith con tended that the evideuce could only be considered sufficient to support a charge of common assault, not a felonious one. — Mr. Nicholls said he must leive it to a higher Court to decide that qusstion, and bound over the defendant to appear at the next session of the Supreme Court to take bis trial. WEALE'S ROBBERY. — Allan Weale was yes-terday fully committed to take his trial for stealing £97 in notes, the property of James Fennell. The prisoner had previously been committed upon the charge of having stolen a quantity of wearing apparel from his employers, Messrs, Farmer and Hodgkjjp- He was remanded on the, other eharge, to give time ^jjbacing out the notes. Port Police Court.— Yesterday, three seamen severally pleaded guilty to the charge of drunkenness 'and paid the fines imposed. Mary Moon, charged as a dangerous lunatic, was committed into safe custody. The ?' Chusan.'— The Chusan left the Port punctually at 6 o'clock yesterday morning. She will reach Singapore in time to catch the mail, leaving fur England on the 5th of next month; the letters despatched from Adelaide by this vessel will, therefore, reach England the second week in March. In consequence of the Chusan not going on the Patent Slip at this Port, she will, after landing her mail for Western Australia, and coaling at King George's Sound, make the best of her way to Singa pore, without calling at the Swan. The Formosa, it is an ticipated, will not return to this route, bat go on to Ch;na, while the Pottirujer, or some other of the P. and O. Co.'s steamers. aDDointed to take her nlace on this station, may

-e expected at Port Adelaide during the first week in Tebruary. The Chusan may be expected here again in Harch with the January mail from England. Adelaide Philosophical Society. — A meeting was held yesterday evening, at the residence of Mr. J. L. Young, in Stephens-place, when it was determined to form a Philosophical Society, and the following gentlemen were admitted as members, viz. : Messrs. Davy, Hammond, Mann, Doswell, Wooldridge, Kay, Hamilton, Williams, Whitridge, John Brown, W. B. Hays, Gosse, Gilbert, Jones, Clark, Feinaigle, and Young. The next meeting will be held at the same place, on Monday, the 17th instant, at 4 p.m., for the purpose of considering the rules to be formed for the government of the society. The Immigration Agent. — It is rumoured that Dr. Duncan, the Health Officer at Port Adelaide, and who las been the acting Immigration Agent during Captain Butler's late visit to Melbourne, is likely to succeed that jentleman in the post of Immigration Agent. THE NEW PRODUCE MARKET IN KING WILLIAM-STREET. — Yesterday morning the new market was opened by the attendance of a single cart and a number of baskets of fruit; all, as we understand, from the gardens of George Stevenson, Esq. The sale appeared pretty brisk, a number of gentlemen and several ladies having contended for the honour of first purchasers. The prices were as follows : — Apricots, 10d. to 1s. per dozen ; peaches, (fine, but scarcely ripe), 6d. each ; small crimson peaches, 6d. per dozen ; grapes, ripe, 1s. per lb., unripe, 3d. per lb. ; plums, 1s. 3d. per quart; greengages, 9d. per dozen; jargonelle pears, 1s. d. per lb. ; Jordan almonds, 6d. per lb. ; figs, 1s. per doz. apples, 1s. per lb. It will be observed that the whole were cheap, excepting the figs, which were fully at retail prices. There were also fine specimens of the Seville orange and the granadilla, or edible passion fruit — both ripe. To make this market really valuable, it will be necessary for produce of other kinds to be brought in. It may be expected, how ever, that when it is better known there will be a supply of butter, bacon, poultry, vegetables, and perhaps also of fish. Cargo of the ? ' Havre et Martinique.' — Samson, Wicksteed, and Co. sold yesterday 2,00) bags sugar of the Havre et Martinique — brown sugar, £16 to £20; yellow, £22 to £26; white, £27 to £32 ; 400 cases brandy nt. ftta tn 3fi-« : Ha ueurs. 30.4 : wine Cclaret and white}, 18s

;o 22s per doz; Barrett's tobacco (in bond), Is yi; dUO i ioxes sardines, 2s 6d ; 24 casks vinegar, 2s 3d to 2s 7d per i gallon ; soap, £28 per ton. Mr. Neaies adjourned the sale i it 3 o'clock, and the remainder will be offered this day. The Cemetery. — The number of funerals that have taken place in the Public Cemetery at W« st-terrace, during the year 1852, exclusive of Roman Catholic? and Jews, was 493 ; of which 190 were attended by clergymen of the Church of England, 70 by ministers of various de nominations, and the remaining 233 were unattended. Of the 190 which were attended by ministers of the Church of England, 142 were attended by the Colonial Chaplain alone, and the other 48 by other clergymen. The number of funerals unattended, viz., 233, may appear remarkably large. The explanation is, that of these 233 cases 77 were children from one day to five weeks old, whose parents did not desire the attendance of a minister; 113 were either cases u which the friends had not secured the attendance of a minister, or else Government funerals brought up from the Hospital, the Destitute Asylum, or the Lunatic Asylum, without any friends or relatives, cases of sudden deaths, parties unknown, and such like; and from 30 to 40 are Germans, at whose funerals in town no stated religious ceremony is performed. Persons belonging to the Church of England can always have the attendance of a minister of their Church at the appointed hour of 1 1 o'clock in the forenoon, upon application being made either the same morning or the previous day. Among the poorer classes, who cannot well spare the time during the day, it is not unusual to bring their deceased for burial after their day's work is over. Mr. Monck, the officer of the cemetery, is frequently requested to read the burial service by parties who have omitted to procure the attendance of a minister or whose minister cannot attend at the arranged time.