Coroner's Inquest.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 805, 18 July 1870, Page 2

Coroner's Inquest.

Air inquest was held at the Ferry Hotel, Western Spit, on Friday, July 15, before T. Hitchingß, Esq., Coroner, on the body of Edmund Lam plough, who was found dead on the Tongoio beach on Wednesday, July 13. Mr H. Tupper was appointed foreman by the jury. The Coroner, in opening the. inquiry, said that he had carefully examined the marks of injuries on the face of deceased. They had evidently been inflicted during life ; there was no fracture of the skull; and, so far as he could see, no single oue of them would have been sufficient to cause death.

The jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken : Pani, a Maori, being sworn, deposed: I am a Mohaka native, and knew deceased. I put him across the ferry on Tuesday afternoon iast. On Wednesday morning, about 8 o'clock, I started with mv wife to go to Tongoio. On passing the first bluff, about half a-mile beyond Petane, we found a mail-bag, just above 'high-water mark. My wife said, "That belongs to Lamplough." About half-a-mile further on we saw the body of deceased on the beach ; it was lying on 'its back, Jthe head towards the 3ea, and the surf was just reaching the head. I knew it was Lamplough's body. 1 drew it up higher on the beach, that the sea might not carry it away. The body was naked to the waist, with the exception of a small piece of shirt round the wrist. The trousers, leggings, boots, and spurs were on. Ttiere were marks of bruises on the face. The pockets of the trousers were inside out when I found the body. I merely dragged it up on the beach, out of the reach of the surf. My wife wanted me to leave the mail-bag with the body ; but I took it on to Tongoio, and delivered it to Mr Towgood, at his house. I met no one on the road. When deceased crossed the ferry he had a watch on. I hud no conversation with him at ihat time. It is dangerous to round the first bluff at high tide when there is a heavy surf. The tide was washing the bluff when I passed. Amiria, a Maori, deposed : I am the wife of the last witness, and left with him for Tongoio after breakfast on Wednesday last We picked up a mail-bag opposite the Petane bluff, a; d soon after came to the body of Lamplough by the sea. My husband dragged the body up out of the reach of the surf. The large mail bag was open when we found it, but the three small ones inside were not.

W. Hebberley deposed : I am in the police. At 10 p.m. on Wednesday I received information of L niplough'h death from the Inspector, and instructions to start eady next morning for the place where the body was found. !Next day I Left about 9.30 a.m., and called at Viilers* for a dray. The native Pani accompanied me the rest of the way, and we reached the place where the body lay at about 11 o'clock. I saw the impression in the beach where the body had originally lain, and the track, about 23 feet long, made by dragging it up ori the beach. There were the footmarks of the natives round about the place. The native also showed me where lie found the mail-bag. I instituted a search, and found the remains of a saddle about half-a mile beyond the body, towards Tongoio. [Pieces of saddle pro* ducfd.J They were against a fence near a gate, and seemed to have been taken there. I believe Mr W. Campbell picked them up and put them there. 1 put the body in the dray and returned with it la coming back 1 met Mr W. Campbell leading a chestnut mare, which he said he believed belonged to the deceased. Me said he had found it in Petane "Valley. He did not give it into my charge, because he waa not sure that it was the horse deceased had been riding j but 1 have since found out that it wa . There was no bridle on the horse, and Campbell was leading it by a rope. There were no marks of injury on the horse. When I passed the bluff the sea was very rough.

JN"o further evidence was taken, but it transpired that from the time deceased was last seen alive, it would bo about 6 pra, when he would arrive at the bluff, at which time the tide would be at its height, and the surf very high. Tb-' jury considered it in the highest degree improbable that he would attempt to pass under the bluff, there being a track round the back, used on such occasions. It also appeared that he had cashed a cheque for £2O or £3t> before he left town; and that he had on his person two havresacks, one containing loose letters and some parcels, no trace of whi'oh had been found. He was in the habit of fulfilling small commissions for people on his route, ftna one of his parcels had contained a quantity of walnuts, two of which were found by the policeman on the beach at no great distance from the body.

With tho meagre evidence before them, the jury felt some hesitation in arriving at a verdict, but at length returned the following, which will leave the matter open for future investigation if further fact should transpire :—" Found dead. There is no direct evidence of the cause of death, but from the marks of violence on his face, his coat, waistcoat, and shirt being off, and

liis trouser-pockets being turned inside out, the jury entertain grave suspicions that he has met with foul play by the act of some person or persons unknown."