ADJOURNED INQUEST.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2521, 8 May 1882, Page 3

ADJOURNED INQUEST.

The inquiry touching the death of Eliza Eudman under suspicious circumstances was resumed before Dr, Ooward, Coroner, at the Clarendon Hotel, at2 o’clock this day. MrW. Garrard was foreman of the jury. The deposition of the deceased woman, taken before Mr J. E. Parker, J.P., on the 3rd of May, was then put in and read as follows : - I know Arthur Piercy. He has been living with me for about ton months. Dr. Bussell has attended me during my confinement, which took plane on Tuesday week. Piorey hit mo with a bit of wood two months ago on the left wri.t. The doctor said it was broken, and had never been se;. He was drunk at the time. He did not strike me in the body. He struck me because we were both quarrelling. It took place in the room, A girl of the name of Wilson was here at the time, her Christian name is E'iza, Nobody else was present but this girl Wilson. It was with a piece of stick he struck me—one of the battens of the bod. The injury to the wrist was found upon me by Dr. Bussell at my confinement. I was slightly under the influence of liquor when Pieroy struck me; jealousy was the cause of his striking me. I cannot say what is the cause of my being in this present condition, whether it is owing to my confinement or the injuries I received from the prisoner. I have had no quarrel with Pieroy siuoe the time of the assault, two months ago. Cross examined by Pieroy—Yon did not break my arm out of any ill-feeling, it was done in the heat of passion. Dr. Bussell deposed that ho was engaged by deceased oa the 23rd April to attend her in her confinement. She made no complaint the first time he saw her, but the next day. She came complained of her left wrist being very painful. Pound the under part of the wrist very tender from what I took to be crepitation of the bone. He put the wrist up in a splint; there was no displacement. It remained in the splint till the second or third day after her confinement, when she took it oh. She was confined on the 25th April. Observed no other injury at that time. The labor was a natural one, being comparatively comfortable. Everything went well till Saturday, April 29th. She then complained of pains in the abdomen, which was considerably distended and fender to the touch. Her pulse was about 130; skin dry and hot. Found the symptoms considerably aggravated in the evening. On Sunday morning the symptoms were somewhat abated and the pain loss. Was sent for again a few hoars after, and found the remains of a bruise on the back of her right arm. She at first declined to tell me how she got it. Witness told her her position w>s critical, and he should like to hear the truth. She said Pieroy was the cause of the bruise. She then sa’.d her name was not Pieroy but Eudman, her husband lived in Wellington, and she had been parted from him ten years. Not being satisfied with her condition witness communicated with the police and attended her till her death oa the 4,h of May, and also attended the post mortem on the following day made by Dr. Irving. He attributed death to natural causes, not influenced by the wound on the wrist or arm. The immediate cause of death he took to be per t mitia. Mary Wadsworth deposed to having attended deceased from April 25th in her confine-

ment. First saw her on the evening of that day about half an hour after she was confined She was very comfortable and made no complaint. On the third day she was taken with cold shivering and was sick, and continued so on and off till she died. Everything was right with her. She had no stimulants, but only whatever the doctor ordered her whilst I was with her. Dr. Irving deposed to having made a post mot ism examination of deceased on May sth.* A groat deal of post mortem discoloration of the body prevented any judging as to bruises; but, upon examining the left wrist, the radioartioulation was found to bo almost destroyed, aid must havorcmlted from violence. The body presented every appearance of acute petitinitis, the orgies being very much inflamed ; the right lung adherent to the ribs ; the heart was large, fat, and flabby ; the left lung was net adherent He attributed death to acute peritonitis. Was decidedly of opinion that the injury to the arm did not conduce to death.

Detective J. Neill deporai that he had known the deceased for two years, and

arni'ed the prisoner Piirey on May 3rd for having committed a violent assault on deceased about two months previously. The prisoner corroborated the dying depositions of the deceased. Kvery search had been made for the girl Wit on, mentioned in the deposition, but they could not fird her. The jury returned a verdict of “Death from natural causes.’’