CORONER'S INQUEST.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 513, 5 June 1869, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

THE LATE FATALITY AT THE LYELL. At the inquest held on the body of Martin Hall, late storekeeper at the Lyell, before the Coroner, Dr Giles, the principal witness was James Kennedy Sloane. After describing the search made for the deceased, and the finding of the body by a man named William Hooligan, the witness said:— On coming up I saw the deceased lying on his right side, with his face towards the river. Near where he was lying a tree was standing, with a small sapling growing out from it. A double-barrelled gun was resting between the sapling and the tree. The deceased's coat was off, and hanging over the gun. The hammers were both down. A tomahawk was lying on the gun, the handle of it upon the barrels, and the head upon the stock. The tomahawk was lying between the hammers, and resting on them. The I

handle of the tomahawk waa free of the coat Deceased was lying with his left foot entangled in the skirts of the coat. His left arm was up and round the sapling. His right arm was doubled under the body. He was lying with the right side of his face on the ground. "Blood from his left ear had come down over his beard. On examining, I found what looked like a bullet or shot wound in the throat. The left barrel of the gun was loaded; the right one had been discharged. There was a cap on each nipple. Ido not think the deceased had any quarrels with any-one. I could not see any footprints except his own. Deceased always appeared a quiet, sober, aud cheerful man.—By the Coroner: The barrels were pointing upwards at an angle of 20 to 25 degrees. In a line with the barrel deceased's hat was lying on the ground. The body appeared to have rolled over from that line towards the river.

William O'Brien, a miner, gave similar evidence.

Dr Thorpe, who had mado an examination of the body, slated that there was a wound between the lower jaw and the thyroid cartilage, upwards, backwards, and towards the left side. The charge had passed below the tongue, part of it striking the spine. The remainder caused an extensive fracture of the base of the skull. On removing the upper part of the skull, he found a paper wad and some flattened shot; the greater part of the charge lodging in the left hemisphere of the brain. The wound caused by it was the cause of death, which must have been instantaneous. He could not say it was impossible for any one else to have fired the shot. The evidence given by Mr Sloane as to the position of the body was consistent with the appearance of the wound, and there was nothing to contradict the supposition of accident. The jury, as reported, returned a verdict of " Accidental Death."