The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-01-26 00:00:00

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 1878.

CONCLUSION OF THE INQUEST.

The inquest was resumed on Tuesday afternoon at
the Beech Tree lun, Gorsty Hill, Blackheath, before
Mr. E. Hooper, on the body of Sainuel Bowater, who
was found dead at the Black Wagon Colliery, belonging
to the New British Iron Comp Any..

Mr. Homfray again watctled- the proceedings on
behalf of the above c ,mpa.ny, and Mr. J. P. Hunt, the
manager, w.ts also present. _Mere were in attendance,
too, Mr. Superintendent Woollasten and Inspector
Price.

Police-sergeant Cooper, re-called, said when he
searched the clothes he found no watch arid chain.
There was also a tobacco box missing
Moses Round, engias driver, said that on the night of
the 9th he wont to work a little past six o'clock. He
saw Samuel Bowater at about eight o'clock in his regular
place watching the coal. His engine was 100 yards
away. When he saw deceased he was passing down the
line. Bowater was inside his hovel. He was away until
eleven o'clock, and on his return he called at the hovel
and said, " Samuel, is it all right." He was in the
same place, and said, "All right " quite cheerfully. He
(witness returned ti his engine. Ile did not see the dog
belonging to deceased. He was pumping water till
nearly one o'clock. At four o'clock he called out, and
received no auswer from Bowater. de then walked on
ti the raihold, and near to the hovel he called again.
He was not.inauy yards away at that time. He thought
he would then go and see what was the matter, lie
went to the bevel, fie found the place all in darkness,
the fire out, and something lying on the floor. He put
his hetet to it, and said " Sam, Sam ; " hut received no
answer.
.lie thought then he would fetch a light and
see what Was the in ttter. He brought a lamp, and on
going in he found Bowater lying on the floor, on his
left side, with a very deep cut at the back of his head
and another on the side of the left temple, and a lot of
blood on the ground. There was a pikehelve and a
walking stick under the head of the deceased. The
blood was near Bowater's head. It was of a thick jelly
nature. There was a shovel " standing up" nearly
against the doorway, anti a poker by the fireplace,
When he ',found Bowater he appeared to he in is dying
state. Ile did not ask him how he came by the injuries.
It was no use at all. He seemed entirely uncoasei
The fireman, George Harris, was at once called up. tie
made a lire in the hovel. George Harris then persuaded
him to call someone else, and_ he went for George
Harrison, the horse fettler, When they were both there
they consulted, and decided to fetch Mr. Welliuga. He
thought by the appearance of Bowater he had been
brutally murdered. He did not, however, give it a
thought that it would be his duty to send for the police.
After he had seen that the man was attended to ne
went to his engine. He did not even then thiak ef
informing the police. 'Between five and six o'clock he
saw the dog coming out from a place near the boiler
side. It w a a duck pen. This was nearly a hundred
years from the hovel, aid the door of the place was
open. He did not hear the cog bark at MI, nor any
noise as of perscns quarrelling. It seenied all quiet and
calm. Samuel Bowater stated that he had his life
threatened. The trousers were down, and Bowater's
hip was bare. He could net see the watch of deceased.
When the other engine driver came on to work at seven
o'clock he did not mention that a foul murder had been
committed He did not tell his batty, nor the police,
but his fellow driver said he had heard of it, and when
he said so, ne reply was made by witness. He was
not very friendly with hia " kitty," but was on the
best of terms with Samuel Bowater.. It was his
impression that the murder was committed inside the
ho

By a Juryman : The dog came out of the place as
though he was frightened. If the dog had barked he
should not have taken much notice, as it was in the
habit of barking when anyone pas-led. Tile dog must
have been frightened, and run into the duck
pen. When he p isaed the hovel there was a light in
it, It WAS not caitom try for the engineer to com-
municate with the watchman during the nigat. It was
rather the duty of the watchman to come to the
engineer.

Lauiel Richards, miner, said he last saw Samuel
Bowater on the Monday night at twenty minutes past
ten o'clock. It was on the railway by the hovel, and a,
he was walking along he heard people talking. He heard
Samuel's voice, but he could not tell the other voices-
The persons wk o were ta kiag seemed to be on friendly
terms. He heard no dispw.e It was half-past ax wheat
he rent to the pit. an! he s is thou told of the murder.
The poker produced h hee., in the hovel ever sauce he
had been on the grou 'd. It belonged to the hovel.
Bowater had never told h•nu es had been threatened by
anyone. There was plenty of light in the hovel when
he passed, and sparks and smoke came from the
chimney.
In summing up, the evidence it could lead but to one
result, viz , that a very foul murder bad been committed,
and the uufortunate man's life had beea taken unlaw-
fully. To his knowledge the police- had used every
possible exertion to ascertain the perpetratur of the
frigetful crime, but up to the present time they hal not
succeeded. It did not follow, however, that the milt),
party would escape, but it was now a question whether
it would not be desirable to return a verdict of " Murder
against some persoa or persons unknown." The only
reason for suggesting the propriety of concluding that
inquest was that he should certainly consider it a por-
tioe of his duty to communicate with the Home Secre-
tary with the object of a reward being offered. The
New British Iron Company, he was glad to find, had
offerel a reward of .C5O, but it had not had the expected
result. The Government, he might remind them, never
offered a reward until a jury's verdict had been returned.
They never offered one pending a verdict. He Was not
at all anxious to conclude the inquiry hastily, but he
thought the ends of justice would ha better answered by
their returning a verdict on that occasion. He could
not however, allow the inquest to close without express
ing his great satisfaction with the course the police had
taken. He was sure they had used every possible
endeavour, and much credit was due to Mr. Super-
intendent J. Wollaston and the officers concerned
with him in the importaut investigation, and although
the guilty party had yet escaped, it did not
follow by any means that the police would cease their
exertions

The jury returned a verdict of " Murder against some
person or persons unknown," aid rec)mmended that the
Coroner should communicate with tha Home °dice with
a view of obtaining a reward.
The Coroner promised to forward the recommendation
to the proper quarter.