INQUEST AT OXFORD.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1721, 26 August 1879, Page 2 (Supplement)

INQUEST AT OXFORD.

. An inquest was held at Love's Harewood ■ Hotel, before O. Dudley, Esq., Coroner, on the body of J. R. Pearson, Mr J. M. Gili Christ was chosen foreman, i John McGarliok, sworn, said—l am a laborer, residing at Oxford. Yesterday afternoon about half-past three I was coming along the Rangiora road to Oxford, about i three miles from Oxford. I saw some clothes lying on the railway bank—a coat, trousers, one boot, and a black necktie. I went over the railway and saw a dead man. Ho was lying on his left side with his face in the water, and water running over his body. He had on a shirt, waistcoat, and drawers. The drawers woro about his feet. There was another man with mo, and he looked at him, and I went -and informed the police. Alexander McDonald, being sworn, said— I am Sergeant of Police, stationed at Oxford. About five o’clock last night, from a report which was made to me, I went down to near the Carlet on station, and I found the deceased Job .n Rhodes Pearson lying in a ditch between t’ao railway line and a gorae hedge. He was "lying with his arms crossed on his chest and. his head pulled out of the water. There w ore a groat many people there when I got thore, and some one had lifted his head out. Ho was quite dead, and stiff and cold. His coat, trousers, hat, and one of his boots and drawers pulled down about his ankles. Ab( »ut three yards from where the body lay I f ound, on the railway, coat, trousers, and one boot. They were wet. I made an exa tnination of the body, and could see no mai ks of violence whatever. 1 afterwards exa mined his pockets, and found a silver wat ch and gold albert guard, and gold pencil case,. There were several other articles in his pocket of little value. I had the body conveyed to Love’s Hotel. I saw him alive on Saknrdt .y afternoon, and ho appeared to be in good health. Saturday night w»s very stormy., with cold sleet and dark. Andrew Larken said—l am a barman at the Terminus Hotel, kept by Mr Mullins. I j know tho deceased. I saw deceased last on Saturday night, 23rd inst., at 7.30, vhen I | gave him his horse. The horse he rod e was | a racer, I have heard that the horse used to shy. He appeared to bo in good health. He j might have been in the house about three : hours. He was quite capable of mi.iding himself and tho horse. I served him with • two drinks. He often went home in the dark | at night on horseback. I Joseph Pearson—l am father of deceased, jHe was twenty-seven years of ago. I was with my son on Saturday until between se Yen and eight o’clock. Wo parted at tho hotel to go home. I considered him to be quite sober and capable of taking care of himself. I have spoken to him about riding the horse 'bo was then riding in tho dark, because he us ed to s.hy at objects in the dark. The same horsi' has put mo off on two occasions. I ai u of op, inion that deceased was thrown from his horse and stunned. J. 11. Weld—l am a duly qualified medical praotit loner, residing at Oxford. I have I examii led the deceased to-day externally. I 1 find n o bones broken, but there is a dark mark over one eye and a punctured wound, a ! slights one, which penetrates through the . scalps about a quarter of au inch long. The body " has evidently been in the water some _ time, as tho hair is full of drift. I cannot ’ tell ho w the wound has been formed. I con- : eider tl 10 injuries wore caused before death, and mi ght have been caused by being thrown ] from h is horse. ! Hen derson Pearson—l saw the deceased at 2,30 on Saturday last. Ho remarked that he had no t been quite well. I know my cousin J has be en subject to fits. He told me ho had a fit u i Wellington last September, and one a few months previously. Ho has been ‘ troub led with water on the brain. j Mr Pearson —Dr. Moore told mo my son t had waCer on tho brain, and would be subject to it all his life. Also, Drs. Campbell and j Powell told me the same thing, and that he ) must be kept quiet.

Tho jury retired to consider their verdict. In about ten minutes they returned tho following verdict;—“ Found dead j but tho I jury are of opinion that deceased was pre- I viouely thrown from Jiis horse and stunned.' r <