INQUEST.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 816, 9 March 1871, Page 2

INQUEST.

The inquest on the body of the late James Cattle was commenced yesterday afternoon, before Caleb Whitefoord, Esq., Coroner, in the Full and Plenty Hotel, Boundary street, and was afterwards adjourned to the Court-house. There were a large number of witnesses examined, and at 8 p.m. the inquiry was postponed to Friday, at the request of the jury, so that some further evidence might be brought forward, principally as to the time when the deceased was last seen near his residence. We condense the most immaterial portions of the evidence, and give important details in full. Samuel Hainsworth found the body on Friday, the 17th inst., on the lagoon side of Hildebrand and Weber's paddock, 12ft or 14ft from high water. It was fully dressed, and the clothes were in no way disarranged. There were no rings on the fingers. Constable M. Cashion was called to the spot, and had the body removed to the Dangerous Goods Store. He searched the body and found only a handkerchief, a piece of blank paper, and a button. The body was much decomposed. Thomas Fullarton identified the body as that of James Cattle. He last saw him alive on Tuesday week, at the Golden Age Hotel, at 10 p.m., and assisted him home, as he was not sober. At Cattle's house they found Jane Anderson and William Hobb's. Words passed between Anderson and Cattle, and a sort of struggle took place between them, but no blows were struck that he saw. William Hemy Hobbs corroborated the above evidence, and added that after leaving Cattle's he went into a house opposite, belonging to Mr Roff, and in a few minutes saw Jane Anderson go by, when Roff said "Oh, I know where she ia going ; she's going to Tilly's." He did not see Cattle alive afterwards. Elizabeth Hillier last saw Cattle alive on the afternoon of Friday, the 3rd of March, in the police paddock, talking to a constable, and he then walked towards his own house. On the previous day she saw Cattle in his own garden, and heard him call to one of his children. James Birch, a bricklayer, last saw Cattle aJive on the evening of Saturday, the 4th inst., when, as he passed a yard from him he said, " Bricky, I shall want you to do a job of work in the house in a day or two." He was positive it was Cattle, as he had known him for sixteen years. The evidence of Matilda Powell and Richard Slattery was not'important. Jane Anderson : I live in Arney street, at the residence of James Cattle. I have seen the body in the Dangerous Goods Store. It is the body of James Cattle. I last saw him alive on Tuesday night, the 28th February, at his own house, about ten o'clock at night. I left the house that night. James Cattle was the worse for drink that night, and I left the house. I spoke angrily to him when he came into the house on Tuesday night, in consequence of his coming in drunk. Hobbs, Fullarton, and Roff were in the house on Tuesday night when James Cattle came home. I went to Mr Gore's when I left the house. Matilda Powell lives there. I stayed there until Thursday night, when I went and locked up the house. I went to the house on Friday morning, and have lived there since. The two children have been at Mrs Gore's since Wednesday. On Thursday, my child told me Cattle had gone away. This was about nine or ten o'clock in the forenoon. The coat produced is the only one Cattle had. Cattle wore a watch and ring. Neither of these are inthehousenow. He used to wear a small drab hat. I thought it was strange Cattle stayed away so long. Deceased seemed troubled about his debts lately. He has been the worse for drink three times within the last three weeks. Deceased always carried a watch, which was worn in the waistcoat pocket. He had also a ring. Ido not know if the ring is at the house now. The watch was a silver one. The watch-chain was fastened by a large link like a hook to the waistcoat button-hole. The deceased had only one coat, the one now produced. James Cattle had no light-colored coat that I

ever saw. He used to wear knitted jackets ;of these he had two. He gave away a coab some months ago. J heard that Jamea Cattle had had a row some time ago and was fighting, but I sent to enquire and could not find out thai it was true. This was on Tuesday, Feb. 28. The little girl also told me James Cattle had told her the night watchman had struck him. By a Juror : I never said lately that I wished Cattle was drowned. Patrick Boylan : I am a night-watch-man. I have seen the body in the Dangerous Goods Store. It is the body of James Cattle. I saw deceased last alive on Tuesday, February 28. I saw him first ac Slattery's, and then near Glenn's store. In consequence of deceased throwing a half-crown in Slattery's face we had some words and afterwards a scuffle at Glenn's store. I might have struck the deceased, but if I did it was very slightly. It only lasted a few seconds. 1 never saw deceased since. He was not sober. Charles Morrice ; I am a legally qualified medical practitioner, and reside in Greymouth. I have made a post mortem examination of the body of James Cattle in the Dangerous Goods Store. I examined the clothes, found no marks of blood about them ; they were not torn, and buttoned in the usual way. The body was much decomposed, particularly the head and neck. There were two abrasions of skin on the left temple. I found no other marks of violence. I opened the head. The brain was much decomposed and almost fluid, and afforded no evidence of the cause of death. The throat wss decomposed, but there were not any discernable marks of violence about it. 1 opened the chest. The right side of the heart was empty ; the left contained some blood. The lungs were much decomposed, and appeared slightly congested, slightly distended, and the tubes contained some fluid, apparently water. The stomach contained "about six ounces of what stemed to be water. The other organs were decomposed, and seemed to be healthy. The appearances lead me to believe the cause of death to have been the result of drowning. The abrasions on the temple would not have been caused by a blow of sufficient force to stun a person, and were given before death, or just at the time. I know James Cattle ; the body I believe to be Cattle's. I remember James Cattle being once charged with attempting to commit suicide. Sergeant Hams remembered arresting the late James Cattle on the 26th August, 1867, on a charge of attempting to commit self destruction. The case was dismissed by Mr Eevell, after a remand of two days, during which time Cattle was under medical treatment. It was proved at the trial that Cattle had purchased poison from a chemist, although he said he had only taken salts or a sedlitz powder. John Connell and Robert Simpson, at present prisoners in the lock-up, stated they saw Cattle cross the police paddock at 6 p'ra. on Friday, the 3rd inst. He carried a parcel, and appeared to be quite sober. The enquiry was then adjourned until Friday, at 2 p.m.