INQUEST.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2233, 25 April 1881, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquiry was held this day at noon touching the death of Rice Foulkes, who has been missing from his home for some days past, and whose remains were found on Sunday (last in an old hut on the Estuary, before Dr. Frankish, coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr Reuben Binstead was chosen foreman.

After the view of the body, the following evidence was adduced :

Alfred Wilcox deposed—l live in Colombo street south, and am a butcher by trade. I have seen deceased in the morgue, and recognise him by bis clothing. I last saw him last Saturday week, April 16ih, and had dinner with him, and have not seen him since that time till yesterday, when I saw him near the Hew Brighton Bend, about a mile from the mouth of the Estuary. I was one of the search party, I saw him about half a minute after he was found by Mr Parker. It was about eleven o'clock in the morning. I was about twenty yards from Mr Parker when he found the body. Ho cooeyed to me, and told ino ho had found the body. lat once recognised it as the body of Bice Foulkes, and that by the clothing. The body was lying on its back under cover of a bush. The upper part of the head was all blown away. I saw a gun ; the stock was at bis feet, and the muzzle was lying on hie stomach. There was a piece of flax tied to the gun, and attached to his foot. It we* a double-barrelled gun. The flax was attached to the left foot. The hammers of the gun were lying next to the body of deceased. I saw no other injury besides what I have described. I did noc notice any blood in the neighborhood. Tbere were some shot marks in the branches of the bush, about eighteen inches from the ground, and a little bit of the lining of a hat. The hat was about two yards behind him. I did not see any marks of a struggle on the ground, which was rough, but grassed. I then came to town and reported the matter to thn police. lam quite sure the clothes are the same as those in which I have seen deceased scores of times I know the gun, having used it myself, and believe it was his property. By Sergeant Morice—l knew deceased intimately, having known him for three or four years. I worked with him twelve months. He was in the habit of driving a butcher’s hawking cart. I have heard he has neglected his customers lately, which I attribute to drink. He drank heavily during the last eighteen months. By the Foreman—He never made any remark to me t * to his circumstances which would lead me to think he contemplated suicide. When I last saw him he was much as usual. Of late I have noticed him as not being so communicative cs usual. Ido not know that any one had any ill agreement with him. Ho never led mo to believe he was in trouble financially, and I believe he was on good terms with his family. I heard he was at the races on Easter Monday, and that he was intoxicated on reaching home, his wile telling him be was nearly mad drunk. By the Coroner—On my return with the police I found tho right barrel of the gun had been discharged; the left barrel was loaded and capped, and at full cock. I drew the charge. There was about a charge and a half of both powder and 'shot. The hammer of the right barrel was down on the nipple. To all appearance, he had held the gun barrels with his right hand, the fore finger and thumb of which wore black, as if by the explosion of powder.

John Julius Parker deposed—l am a labor agent;, residing in Sydenham. I discovered, the body of deceased, about fifteen yards from high water mark on the Now Brighton beach, concealed in a large clump of wild Irishman tomb. [This witness corroborated Willoox’s evidence as to finding the body, the gun, and also the extent of injuries sustained by deceased/] The ground was not | disturbed in any way. I noticed hanging in the scrub what I took to be human flesh. 1 am satisfied, beyond all doubt, that the body found is that of Bice Foulkes, by height and clothing. I have known him for about eighteen months, and bar e repeatedly seen him in the clothing in which he was found. It is about two or throe weeks since I last saw deceased alive. I remained in charge of the body until the police came. Bobert Fenton, deposed—l am keeping the Hoathoote ilottl I last saw deceased on the morning of the 19th inst., when I served him with three smell glasses of bees. Ho seemed all right—not more excited than usual. He remained at the hotel about an hour, leaving at about half-past ton. Ho told me ho was going duck shooting, and intended, joining his mates, who were coming down the Avoh in a boat. I did not notice the direction ho took ou leaving. I have known him about two years, he being in the habit of drivingMein's oart with meat down the road. I recognise body in the morgue as that of Bice Foulkes, the clothes being similar to those I saw him wearing when in my hotel. Then he had on a drab wideawake hat, and 1 carried a double-barrelled gun. By Sergeant Morioe—To the best of my belief he was quite sober, and did not give me the idea of a man likely to commit suicide. He took no drink away with him, but asked me for a few biscuits, saying he had had no breakfast. I have been told where the body was found, and it was in that direction that he asked me to ehow him the way, viz,, towards New Brighton, by the river. By the Foreman—l know nothing of any mates he had to meet. He would not need to cross the river, but would have to follow the Estuary. Deceased asked me to supply him with some gnu caps. I told him I bad none, but a man named Bennett who came into the bar gave him half-a-dozen. Deceased laid the gun upon the bar table. I noticed there were caps upon both nipples, with the hamI mer down, and I cautioned him as to b'l carelessness. Just before ho left be said he wonld go shooting, but would return to Christchurch and go to the races. When conversing with deceased he told me that he was in financial difficulties. Keubon Keula (a Maori) deposed—l live behind Mr Fenton’s and am a fisherman, by which I get a living. I saw that man who is dead to-day near my tent, on the fist, on Tuesday, the race day, at twelve o’clock; that was the last day I saw him alive; be was carrying a doublebarrelled gun. There were caps on the nipples. He said “ Q-ood morning,” and asked me what was the matter with my wife, and asked me if wa would like some brandy or some whiskey, but I told him we did not care about it. Ho pulled a bottle out of bia pocket. Neither I nor my wife had any. The bottle was a small black one. Ue drunk a little, and put it on the ground. I gave him some water to mix with it, and he drank two or three timea, till he drank all the lot,, and threw the bottle away. I picked up the bottle afterwards, and it had nothing in it. He then asked me if he could lie down and have a sleep. I told him he could lie down in the tent in my mate’s place. He slept four hours, and got up about five o’clock, when be offered me 2s and the bottle to go and get

some more drink, but I would not go, and gave him back the money. He asked me for some tea, bat wouldn’t wait till it was ready ; but I put the tea on the fire. He shook bunds with me and my missis, and ■aid good bye, and went away, saying he would go home. He loft in the direction of Christchurch, and I have never seen him alive again. I have seen the body of deceased—it is the same, the same clothes, the hat, and the whiskers. Ido not know his name. By Sergeant Morioe—He fired at a shag when near my tent. He was not drunk, nor did he roll about. He looked oil right, and when be shot (ho shag I did not think be would shoot me. He was safe to have a gun, and could take care of it.

, Mounted Oonstable Thomas Witty deposed to the circumstances on taking possession of the body of deceased, corroborating the evidence already given, and stating that money was found in the pockets. This being all the evidence, and Sergeant Morice having detailed the circumstance* attendant on his disappearance, stating that the delicate state of his wife’s health justified her not being called upon,

The ooronor briefly a Wrested the jury. The foreman thought that the police should hare called the wife of deceased to give evidence as to hi* financial condition, as he might have boon robbed. Sergt. Morice in reply stated that they had taken every stop possible, having traced him to Fenton’s, and a mounted trooper bad scoured the district in search of him. Ho would call the coroner's attention to this record of their action taken by them in the matter.

The foreman of the jury was still of opinion that the wife of deceased should have been communicated with. The Coroner wished the fullest enquiry to be made, and if the jury wished, he would adjourn the inquest till another day. It transpired 'hat the friends of Mrs Foulkes bad asked that her feelings in the matter should be considered as much as possible.

After twenty minutes' deliberation, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased had committed suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity.