THE NGARUAWAHIA MURDER—POST MORTEM EXAMINATION — EXHUMATION OF THE BODY.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 736, 6 March 1877, Page 2

THE NGARUAWAHIA MURDER—POST MORTEM EXAMINATION — EXHUMATION OF THE BODY.

Orders were received on Friday evening from the Attorney-General, that the body of the unfortunate man, Morgan, murdered m Ngaruawahia gaol, should be exhumed, and a post mortem examination of the remains made by Dr Waddington. The object, we believe, was to show beyond a doubt that Morgan, who was supposed to be m a very low state of health consequent on continuous and excessive drinking previous to his conviction, did nub die from natural consequences before tbe injuries were inflicted on his body by the tomahawk of Patui. Dr Waddington went down to Ngaruawahia, on Saturday, and performed the, no doubt, most disagreeable duty. More almost, we believe, than was expected, he found upon examination the vital organs healthy, the liver alone exceped, which exhibited the usual appearance when excessive drinking has been practiced. Even, however, with the liver affected as it was, there was nothing apparent to have prevented the deceased living many years. The medical post mortem examination report will therefore cut the ground from under any line of defence which may be raised on behalf of the accused murderer, that he merely tomahawked the body of the man already dead with the object of obtaining honor with the Kingites for the supposititious murder of a European.