The Inquest.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2661, 1 August 1889, Page 2

The Inquest.

The inqnest was held at the Commercial Hotel, Hamilton, at 3 p.m. yesterday, before Mr W. N. Searaneke. coroner, and a jury of six. of which Mr G. Kdgecumbc was elected foreman. The jury, after viewing the body, proceeded to take evidence as follows :—

Dr. Murch deposed that he had examined the body of the deceased and found that tlyj neclr had been broken at the first joint, cmso to the skull, which would occur tluough a fall from a high place, and would causo instantaneous death. There was also a large cut on the left side of the chin, which would be caused by coming in contact with wood while falling, but the fall into water of a depth of two cr three feet from such a height would break his neck. When he examined the body it was warm.

Thomas Hugh Edwards, brother of the deceased, aged eight years, made the following statement: I was with deceased at the railway bridge after dinner on Tuesday. We were coming over the bridge from the bush side by ourselves. I had crossed the bridge, and deceased was on the other side. On eros-.lng the bridge when about half way he went on to the side, and was stepping from one sleeper to the other, wiien he fell olf. 1 do not know what made him fall. I did not see him strike any of the wood work, but he fell right into the water. It was just after the three trains had passed over. Matthew Henderson passed us on the side of the bridge near the bnxh, after the trains went, past, and was out of sight when deceased fell olf the bridge. I went down to the creek, but could not reach him, he was lying quite still in the water just under the bridge. When I could not get hitn out I ran home and told my mother. Richard Davis deposed that lie crossed the railway crossing with a dray just after the third tram had passed on Tuesday. The two Edward's children, deceased and the former witness, and Matthew Henderson were coming up from the gully, and Henderson got in the dray and went away with him, leaving the Edwards'on the bankon the bush side of the creek. There was no necessity for the boys to go across thi* bridge to get home. Henderson was with him. and stopped with him till coming home in the evening pissing the. place, when they heard of thi accident.

Charles Man kins deposed thaf. about :i p.m. im Tuesday, Mrs Edwards cimo to hi in and told him of tin? accident, and lie went to Stoke's crunk to look for the body, but, could not find any signs of it on the bank. Me then begun to search ill tlio water with two sticks, Tern Mayes, ivlio had then arrived, assisting, and ho found tins body just under the bridge, in about two foot of water. On getting the body to tlio top of tiio water it was lying head down tlio stream. Mo pulled the body on to the bank ami sent for the police. The body was quite warm, and blood was issuing from tlio cut oil the cheek, but there was 110 .sign of life whatever. Romanised the body as that of Benjamin Allan Edwards. On the arrival of the police, he assisted ill carrying the body to the top of the bank. Thomas Mayes corroborated the evidence of tho last witness as to the finding of the body. Tlio jury brought iu a \erdict of accidental death.