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COUNTRY NEWS.
PARRAMATTA.
Inquest.--An inquest was held on the 18th
instant, by the Coroner, at Mrs. Walker's, the
Red Cow, in George-street, touching the death
of an old man named Richard Stiles, who was
found, at an early hour of the morning, drowned,
in a watering place for poultry, at the rear of
the premises. From the evidence adduced, it
appeared that the deceased, who had been many
years in Mrs. Walker's service, must have arisen
in the night, and proceeded to the yard for
some necessary purpose, when he must have
fallen into the spot where he was found, which,
although it was but of slight depth, his extreme
age, being nearly eighty years, probably, pre-
vented his rescuing himself. The Jury returned
a verdict of accidental death. Stiles was a
well-known character to the frequenters of the
Red Cow, he having been there a period of fifty
three years.
Housebreaking.--A man named William
Welkins (a ticket-of-leave holder for this dis-
trict) has been, for some days past, under
examination on a charge of this nature ; the
case was, however, disposed of, by his being
fully committed for trial on Tuesday. The
particulars of the case will be best gleaned from
the following evidence : —
Richard Chandley examined.-- I am a prisoner
of the Crown, and employed as a watchman at
the Government paddock; on Friday I saw
Welkins in the garden of a person named Phillips,
in Pitt-Row, which overlooks the paddock I
have charge of; I did not see him go into the
house, but in a-quarter of an hour afterwards I
saw him in the paddock, about 100 yards from
the house, with his jacket rolled round a bundle,
which, observing Welkins plant in a thorn bush,
and then go away, I went immediately and
examined it, when I found the contents to be
some wearing apparel, which I gave up to the
police.
Joseph Phillips examined.— On Friday morn-
ing, I left my house at an early hour, and went
to work ; at that time a woman named Jessie
Gordon was in charge of my house ; on my
return home, in the afternoon, I found it locked
up, but that ono of the back windows had been
broken open, and two wooden bars removed, so
as to allow the admission of some person ; on
getting into the house I found that, from a trunk
in my bed-room the articles produced by the last
witness had been taken ; Welkins was perfectly
aware I was from home, and, from having been
frequently in the house, was well acquainted
with the premises ; I had directed Chandley to
keep an eye to them whenever I was away from
home
The prisoner, at this stage of the proceedings,
having stated that he should be able to prove an
alibi, he was remanded for a day ; but as the
witness then produced failed in establishing
such, he was allowed further time until Tuesday,
when he called the woman Gordon (Phillips'
housekeeper), who had been left in charge of
the premises.
Jessie Gordon examined ; I am Phillips'
housekeeper; I was left by him in charge of his
house ; between 11 and 12 o'clock, after securing
the house, I went out to purchase some meat,
and while I was out I met a man named Williams
(who had also been taken in custody, but dis-
charged for want of proof), whom I knew from
having seen him pass the house in company with
the prisoner in the early part of the morning ;
Williams treated me to some drink, and detained
me a considerable time in the public-house where
we were.
Wool Robbery.— Henry Mason, charged
with being concerned in the robbery of John
Boultus, has been three times examined, but is
again remanded. Owing to the present incom-
pleteness of the evidence, the cause of the
prisoner and the ends of Justice might be preju-
diced by its publication.
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