The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-09-02 00:00:00

THE_ INQUEST

was held before S. S. Cory, coroner, and a re-
spectable jury, at the deceased's late residence, at six
o'clock in the evening of the day of the fatal oocurreates.
Groups of persons were oongregated round the hones
anxious to hear the result of the inquisition. Tbe jary„
after being sworn, proceeded to view the body, and on
their return the following evidence was given :
William Parker, • labouring youth, deposed:
reside in Walditch. About ball-past seven this morning
U I was walking by Charles Fooks's house I saw him
standing in the doorway with a win in his Lind. I saw
him raise the gun, point the muzzle towards the head of
Daniel Joseph Stone, the gun went off, and deceased fell
in the road. I was about three or four yards from his,
and saw hl _ad flowing from Ms pole—awl saw that he was
shot I did not attempt to take Lim up, but went for
assistance. I returned with John Bishop and Jesse
Parker, and assisted them in carrying the body of
deceased to his late residence. Deceased was not then
dead.
_ _

By the Coroner : I am quite certain I saw Charles Fooks
point the gun and fire it at the head of deceased.
Daniel Stone was only three or four yards from the
door of Foolts's house when the gun was discharged.
John Bishop: I am • labourer, residing in Walditola.
About half-pact seven this morning whilst in my garden
I heard the report of • gun. I went into the street
immediately, and saw the deceased lying in the road on
hit face, about five ysrds from the door of Mr. Fookea
house. Deceased was covered with blood, which came
from * wound in the back of the neck. I lifted him on
his feet, and spoke to him, but he could not answer.
He breathed twice after I had lifted him up. I anisted
the body to his own house, where it now bee. Ido not
know who fired the gun, nor did I see Charles Fooks.
The only person I saw in the street was a boy about
eight years old—a stranger to mt. The door of Charles
Fookes house was shut.
William Shepherd, brushrnaker, of Waklitch, said:
About half-past seven this morning I heard the report
of firearms, but did not take much notice of it from the
fact of Be frequency, but two or three minutes after I
beard the report of another discharge—rather a dead
sound, as if being fired in a house. I went into the
strati, and saw Henry Adams, who beckoned me, and
said "For God's sake come, for I believe master has
killed himself," meaning Charles Foots. After some
difficulty I broke open Charles Fooks's bedroom door,
end there saw him lying on the floor in a beep by the
bedside. Ilifted him up with some difficulty, and find-
ing he was alive I sent for a medical man. Mr. Hay,
surgeon, was goon in attendance. There was • double-
barrelled gun lying on the floor by the side of Fooks—
one of the hammers was down as if it had been recently
dissharged—the other at • full cock with • cap on the
nipple. A powder flask, shot pouch, and ramrod I
observed lying on • box close by. About 10 minutes
elapsed from the time of my hearing the first report
until I saw Fooks. I saw nothing of Daniel Joseph
Stone. Mr. Peeks is in the habit of discharging a gun
across the road. Whilst lying on the bed he repeated
many times "Re hes teased me long enough. Is the
other one dead? I hope he is." I have been with
him the most part of the day, and he has not mentioned
the name of deceased. I have never seen him dis-
charge • gun from his own door. I gave the gun to
Sergeant lavender.
Sergeant William Lavender deposed: This morning
about eight o'clock, from information I received, I went
to Wilda,* and saw the body of deceased lying in his
own house. I then went to the house of 0. Fooks and
saw him in his bedroom on the bed. He had & wound
on the left side of his forehead. He appeared sensible.
I then examined the bedroom, and saw two holes about
three inches in circumference in the ceiling, about four
feet apart, having all the appearance of gun-shot holes.
William Shepherd handed me a double-barrelled gun,
flask, and shot pouch. On the nipple of the left-hand
barrel was • asp, and it Appeared to be loaded, butt me
examining it I found it contained only a few grains of
powder and a wad—but both barrels had evidently been
recently discharged. I then told Fooks that Stone WU
dead, and he said "I suppose so," and added that be
(Fooks) bad been very nervous for the past month. I
cautioned him as to any statement he might make,when
he replied," He has tamed me long enough." I searched
him and found a quantity of gun wads and percussion
cam in his pooketa. I charged him with the wilful
murder of Daniel Joseph Stone, and he made no reply.
William Henry Hay Bab, surgeon, Bridpert : lam
a legally qualified medical man. This dgmuing, about
eight, I saw the body of Daniel Joseph Slone at Wel-
ditch, at hia own house. He was quite dead. There
was an abrasion of the skin, forehead, nose, and lip, as
if from a fall. There were apparently shot wounds
through the left ear, and two longitudinal wounds on
the left side of the neck. andseveral wounds on the bads
of the head and neck, which appeared to be the effects of
gun shot wounds. I have sums made • post aortae
examination. The soft parts of the neck were Mina
costumed. I &nod several shots flattened against the
occipital bone, and one shot at least in the spinal
marrow, and on opening the spinal canal I found extra.
vacation of blood, and one shot at least wounding the
spinal marrow, above the third cervical vertebra, and
this was the cause of death. [BOOM of the
shot extracted from the head of deceased leta Mr.
as Hay w here handed to the jure for inspection. Dr.
Hay, in answer to the coroner, said that he bad •
consultation with Dr. Smith. who concurred with hiss
that it would be unsafe to bring the accused, Charles
Fooks, before the jury that evening but that there
was no immediate danger, unless erysipelas should set
in.

This being the whole of the evidence, the Cormier
summed up the case minutely, stating the law in
regard to homicide, and the jury, after a brief emu-
imitation, returned a verdict of " WILFUL AND
DELIBERATE MURDER" against Charles Fooks.

The witnesses were then bound over to appear at the
next Assizes, and the jury wan diemissed.

Since the melancholy occurrence, Fooloi seems to be
very calm and collected. On Friday evening he was
able to undress himself and get into bed, and does not
seem at all to feel his awful position. The medical
gentleman supposes he will be able to be removed, snot
brought to Dorchester the mad of this week.