Found Dead.

Manawatu Herald, 30 June 1904, Page 3

Found Dead.

AN EX JOCKEY ARRESTED FOR PERJURY. The adjourned inquest on the man Birbeck, found dead last week in the Stratford cemetery, was held on Monday, the sitting occupying twelve hours. Lee, the disqualified jockey, with whom the deceased was last seen, was examined at length. He swore he did not enter the cemetery with deceased. The evidence proved otherwise. After an hour’s retirement, the following verdict was returned That the deceased, Isaac Birbeck, was found dead in the cemetery on the 21st, but there is not sufficient evidence to show how he came by his death ; that the jury are convinced the evidence of Lee is false; that he was the last person seen with the deceased in the cemetery, and viewed his actions on that day with grave suspicion.” The jury added a rider that there was no evidence to show witness was drunk when supplied with liquor at the County Hotel; and that the body should not have been buried without a post-mortem, and a morgue was urgently required in Stratford. The jury complimented Constables Ryan and Hyde on the able manner in which they had conducted the case and they feel that though there was not sufficient evidence to connect Lee with the death, yet they believe he was the indirect cause of it. Lee has been arrests Oh a charge of perjury.