THE EXHUMATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2231, 23 July 1891, Page 2

THE EXHUMATION.

The arrangements for the exhumation of the body of the late Mr John Hayhurst were exactly as stated iu our last issue. A marquee was erected in the immediate vicinity of the grave, and in this a dissecting table was placed, together with some conveniences necessary for the operation. The grave-digger, assisted by a couple of other men, commenced to open the grave at 8 o’clock, in the presence of Mr Inspector Pender, SergeantMajor Mason, and three members of the police force. Almost immediately afterwards Mr J. C. Martin, Crown Prosecutor of Christchurch (legal representative of the Government), Mr J. W. White, bartister ; Dr Jeffcoate, representing the family of the deceased; Dr Hayes, who * attended Mr Hayhurst in his last illness; and Dr Thomas, of Timaru, attended. Soon after Dr Lovegrove, of Timaru, and Mr Postlethwaite, of Messrs Hay and Postlethwaite, barristers, Timaru, representing the lady claimant, appeared, and these, together with half-a-dozen representatives of the Press and one or two spectators, comprised the attendance until later on. The coffin was buried to a depth of eight feet, there being six feet of earth above it, and it was 9 o’clock before the lid was exposed. By this time Dr Ogston, of Dunedin, and Dr Guthrie, of Christchurch, the medical gentlemen deputed by the Government to conduct the post mortem examination, and Professor Black, of the Dunejdin University, had arrived, as well as Dr Barclay, of Waimate, making in all seven doctors, one analyst, and three lawyers. Captain Wray, R.M., was also present, and Mr J. E. Beckingham, undertaker, Timaru, who bnried the deceased.

Just about this time another part of the ceremony was going on in the Crown Hotel, Temuka, where the , Coroner, Mr Richmond Beetham, R.M. of Christchurch, assisted by ■ Constable Morton, was swearing in the jury, who answered to their names as follows :—Messrs J, W. Miles (foreman), W. Storey, G. Story, J. Sim, P. Coira. and F. Archer. Mr ; J. C. Martin, Crown Prosecutor, who , had walked back from the cemetery, was present. The jury having been ■ sworn in, the coroner briefly addressed 1 them,, stating that they were met for the purpose of enquiring into the ’ cause of death of the late Mr J. Hayhurst, who died on April 5, 1889, and i was buried on the 7th of that month, s Circumstannes had arisen which had i caused such an enquiry to be held, and the papers in connection there- ' with had been laid before him, and he considered such an inquest advisable. He did not propose to lead any evidence, but would adjourn the inquest until August 4th. In the meantime a post mortem examination and analysis would be made, and when they reassembled the particulars thereof would be laid before them. The jury were then driven, with the coroner and Mesdames Parke and Copestake, to the cemetery, where they arrived at 9.30 a,m. Five minutes afterwards the coffin. was above ground, and, being of Indian oak, it was in excellent condition. Mr Beckingham was not long before he had unscrewed the lid of it, and then Mesdames Parke and Copestake identified the body as that of the late Mr John Hayhurst. The body was in a fair state of preservation. The coffin was an excellent one, and had leaked scarcely any moisture, the linen inside of it being only a little discolored, and as the body had been wrapped in cotton wool at the time of interment it was fairly well preserved. One peculiar feature was that the beard had grown longer, and had turned the color it was in his younger days, their beingfew gray hairs in it. The features were not readily recognisable, but there was no difficulty as to identification, owing to a mark on one of the hands. The jury then viewed the body, after which they drove back to the Crown Hotel again, where the inquest was formally opened and adjourned to the 4th of August next, the jury being bound over in their own recognisance in the sum of £SO to appear on that date. Immediately after the jury had viewed the body, the doctors proceeded with their work. This was about 10 a.m., and they were not finished until after 1 p.m., so that the post mortem examination took oyer three flours, llrs Ogston and Guthrie alone were allowed to touch the body, the others standing at about a distance of a yard. The whole proceedings were conducted with the greatest care, and the operators were closely watched, the lawyers as well as the doctors being present. Dr Ogston appeared intollerant of any interference with him. Immediately fle arrived on the ground he insisted on all persons who were not connected with the case, remaining a distance of twenty yards from ' the grave, and fle went about flia work generally like a master of it. lie took some clay from under the coffin and some from over it, also a part of the metal claps on tfle corner of the coffin. The cflief object in taking these was to provide negative, as well as positive evidence. It is well known that mineral poisons are sometimes present in certain metals, and also in a certin kind of clay, and hence the reason these were taken. It is improper at the present tq make any reference as to the state of public feeling over the affair. Reference qfthe

kind would be out of place, but there is no wrong in saying that there is no rejoicings over so painful an incident. In proof of this we may point to the fact that a dozon people did not go to the cemetery who had no business there. It is greatly to the credit of the people that they stayed away.' As regards the ultimate result, that cannot be known until the analysis has been made, but we are, meantime, in a position to say that the vital organs of the deceased were found in a condition which would lead to the conclusion that death resulted from natural causes.