TUESDAY, JUNE 12.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 277, 15 June 1860, Page 2

TUESDAY, JUNE 12.

The Coroner, after calling over the names of tha jurymen, said that he had endeavored to obtain such evidence as would satisfy them. Dr. Sealey'a evidence was to the effect that the man's death was not by accident, but by violence. Should they come to that conclusion, they would be bound to return a verdbt accordingly, viz., of murder against some person or persons unknown. William Goodchild Shipley, examined: Am a resident in Nelson, and a writing clerk:'knew the deceased: he lived in a house close by witness's: remember last Monday three weeks (21st May): had not seen' Jeffers for a, long time previous to last Thursday: seeing no smoke issue from his chimney, concluded he must be ill: went the same evening at about ten o'clock b see him in,company witU Mr. Blackborough; he was lying on the bed quite insensible; we spoke to him several times, but could get no answer: no one was with him : went home and made some gruel, and gave him about three spoonsful: did not in the least appear conscious: Mr. Blackborough went for a constable, and witness returned to his house: no one visited the house of deceased while witness was present; he was breathing very hard and moaning occasionally: last time witness saw him was on a Sunday, dressed and going to the Roman Catholic Chapel, a very unusual thing for him to do.

Thomas Blackborough sworn: Am a brickmaker residing in Nelson, knew the deceased; went to the lock-up for a constable at about halfpast ten in the evening, and sent him for the hospital doctor, who came in about half an hour; when witness, constable, and doctor returned to deceased's house, we found him quite insensible the constable went for Maurice Hurley, who had; been attending him, who told usifcJeffers had a wound on his head which we were- not awafe of, which was the cause of his being laid; up fora fortnight. Dr. Sealey examined the wound, and we gave him more gruel, thinking he was suffering from exhaustion; did not speak whilst witness and the doctor was present; deceased attempted to cover his head with the blanket as fast as witness attempted to uncover it; Hurley said he believed that the deceased got the wound from a fall; believed deceased did not understand one word that was spoken.

Cross-examined by a juror: Will not be certain that Lawrence Hurley told witness, that deceased got a blow from a stick. Lawrence Devaney recalled: The Coroner put a question to this witness, and told him before he answered it he was not bound to do so, as it might go against him : the questiou was—did he (Devaney) say or tell any one that he had saved him from being killed—the witness said yes; did not see any one strike Jeffers the night he received the wound.

Alexander Stewart, constable, sworn i Last Friday fortnight, but could not be positive, met Lawrence Devaney, the last witness, he said—"l saved old David's life last night." Witness said " what was the matter with David ?" He replied "Some one knocked him down at the back of Charlie M'Gee's, last night. I took him home, and now lam going to get some beer for him; he told me he (Jeffers) had a bad cut on his head." I asked him if the beer did not knock him down ? He said " no." Devaney went away in the direction of the town, and saw him returning with a tin vessel of beer in his hand; about half jLgallon. William Harper sworn : I am a constable, belonging to the Nelson force; have had charge of deceased's house from the time he took him to the hospital to the present time; the house has been locked up, and witness had the ljeys; examined the house to-day to see if any marks of violence was there but could find none: found a straw hat with an handkerchief, both marked with blood, lying beside the bed, they both belonged to deceased ; have seen them frequently before in the lock-up; found no other place of blood in the house. There was'nothing that would lead witness to suppose that any disturbance had taken place in the house; two boxes were lying open and money in one of them (two £i notes and two sovereigns), and in the pocket of trousers which witness pulled off, found a half-crown.

The Coroner told the jury that he had brought before them what evidence lie could as to the cause of death, and from the evidence they must return their verdict. The coroner then went through the whole of the evidence.

The jury after retiring for half an hour returned into court with the following verdict:—"That the deceased, David Jeffers, died from the effects ot a wound on the head, but how tha wound was inflicted is unknown."

The Militia.—No. 1 Company of this "constitutional force," so mysteriously embodied, assembled for the first time on the Volunteer parade ■ ground, Brook-street, yesterday afternoon. It numbered just iorty-eight—a capital number to form a hollow square—and went through the usual preliminary steps ordered to be adopted on such occasions. It is as well,to mention here that a little book has been produced from the Nelson press containing all the directions necessary for Militia and Volunteer drilling; this book can be obtained for the small charge of eighteen-pence. New Road to Maryborough.—Mr. Askew and party returned to town from Blenheim on Wednesday. They were detained a wholo fortnight at Wilson's, and had sharp work with good horses to stem the rolling torrent. Of course no late news from Marlborpugh could be gained from that quarter. Richmond. —We beg to call the attention of our readers to two advertisements in our columns of this day. One relates to the.Cattle Fair, to ba held on Wednesday, the 4th of July next. The other relates to the Ploughing Matches with horses and bullocks, which will take place on tho day previous to the fair, namely, on July 3rd. We hope the best men from the various counties of Old England will do their best, and go in to win. Richmond Mechanics' Institution.—At a meeting of the Committee of this Institution, held a short time since, the following resolution was unanimously carried :—" That; the libiary of the Institution be opened gratuitously to the strangers from Taranaki now resident in the neighbour* I hood." . I [Erratdm. —Instead of the account in our last Friday's issue, (which was rectified in last Tuesday's immber, read—" C. and J. Elliott v. T. Hooper, for the amount of a dishonored acceptance for £8 68.^ 6d., - and notarial expenses, for which judgment was given^ with costs and interest. -0. aKd J. EM4OTT,"