THE WAITAHOM MYSTEKY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2148, 11 June 1889, Page 3

THE WAITAHOM MYSTEKY

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Dunrdjn, June 10. The inquest on the body of Bradford, who, it is supposed, was murdered at Waitahuna, and wuom mate, Wadflell, is at present m onstody on the oharge of murdering him, waa reßumed at Waitahuna thin morning before Coroner Bsvell. Some important evidence *ai given, and the solution of the mystery now seems probable. Dr Blair deposed that he hela a post-mortem examination on Bradford's body on June 3rd. The body appeared to have been immersed m water. The wrist was marked. On the left side there was an apparent mark of a bruise, about the size of a duok'B egg, or a little larger. Oa opening the body, beginning with the head, he found no effusion on the brain substanoe. He looked for a fraoture of the skull, but could find none. On making an incision into the lungs be found no frothy matter m them, but they were considerably engorged with blood or bloody matter. The ooating of the stomooh was changed somewhat towards putrefaction, but altogether the body was wonderfully well preserved. He oarefully examined all the other organs, but fonnd no indications of disease. He attributed the oause of death to asphyxia, preooded by synoopel He would say that the body had been immersed m water for twelve or thirteen dayß. He judged that from the state of the lungs and the stomach. There was a mark on the faoe, evidently caused before death. The mark wbb sufficient to produce stunning and oonouseion of the brain. If the body fell into the water after the blow was reoeived, deatb would assuredly result. He ' believed a blow from the hand would produoe the mark on the face* There was only a Blight abrasion on the faoe but no wound. The abrasion might have been produoed by a blunt instrument. The deceased was evidently struok a severe blow on the faoe, and he fell, probably stunned, into the dam. His assailant then appears to have taken the body and hid it m the fern. Deceased's hat cannot be found, and his dog is missing. A discovery, that is cnriouß at least, was made yesterday by a ■ oonatable, and came out to-day. The remains of a box of trinkets belonging to the deceased were found m Waddell's garden. They have the appearance of having been quite recently burnt. Aooußed vraa veiy quiet, And only spoke to address a few worcla to his solicitor. | After hearing the evidence, the jury returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder against some person or persona unknown." Waddell will be brought before the Court and remanded for a week, m order to allow of evidenoe being got together.