The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-09-11 00:00:00

OLDHAM. Sv.rrEmout 8.

CORONER'S INQUESI' ON THE BODY OF
JOHN LEES.

This merning, at eleven o'clock, the Clerk riff Mr. Barren,
the Corm.er, residing at Rochdale, met • Jury communed
last flied, ea the purpose of holding ,in Inquest on the
body of John Lees, one of the victims of the turtling of the
ICth ult. at Manchester.
Tice Joey being sworn, proceeded with the Coroner" Clerk
to examine the body, and n more alvotking specincle never
presented itself to the view. The whole of the back exhi-
bited symptoms a mortification, and the right arm was
dreadfully cut, evidently by some charp iestrnmed. Ou the
rehire of the Jury to the pablie.house where the inquest was
held, Mr. Harmer, adder/wing himself to the Coroner's Clerk,
asked who :her the Jury had been sworn ?
On being told that they were, hr requested to know their
names, to which the Coroner" Clerk replied, " I shan't tell
Tun ; what is your name?"
Mr. Harmer—My mune is Harmer. I presume, Sir, that
'you are the Coroner ?
Clerk—No, I am not ; I am the Clerk of the Coroner, Mr.
Team who is at lAneaster, and I ant come here to hold the
tequest its his stead.
Mr. Harmer—Allow me to ask your mince, Sir?
Clerk-1 shan't tell you ; 1 won't answer any qttest• .
Here some Gentleman observed, that be had no doubt the
jury themselves wool.' have no objection to tell their names.
Clerk—No; I desire that the Jury may answer no questions.
A Gentleman then observed, that the name of the Clerk
was Batty.
Cleik—Yea, that is my name; I shall not proceed upon
this inquest now, I shall adjourn till Mr. Farreu comes.
Mr. Harmer—When you had she Jury summoned. and
when you Mlle here, was it not your intention to hold the
istrittest
Kale—Tee, it was my intention, for I was told by the
eoestahle that Lees was crushed to death, but from what I
Mace seen since I came here, I will adjourn the inquest.
Harmer—if you had not seen ow here with. die 1X11111.119.11,
"Med you not have proceeded with the inquest?
Batty —I will nasecr you no more questions ; sail (point.
ire en a gentleman who was taking notes as the table) I sup.
'ruse .bail see all this in black and white in the news-
•papers in a few days.
Ittritier--Any Gentleman who acts conscientiously and
xcrrecily need never be afraid of the puldie.ition of
his
corded. Besides, this is an open Court; soy man is at
liiwriy to publish any thing which takes place hive.
Batty-11 Mr. Ferree was here, lam sure that he would
not- allow one of you in the route.
eiarnter--Please to put that down, Sir (addressing himself
to the' Grubb malt taking notes). I beg to observe, Mr. Par.
rem could 1)4.1 legally ex Chide cc; for as this is a public
Genet of /mince, to inquire into the cause of the death of a
fe:low-sid,j•xt, who his met his death by violent?, if all the
people of England could be so compressed, they are entitled
,be present in this room. I have ample evidence here, Sir,
to dreioestrate that the deceased, upon whose ease you are
met to 'rpm... 19 one of those who met drink at Manchester
oil 14_ lent ultimo, in consequence of the caution and out.
'acetic% incursion of the military upon an assembly of utt•
tomffendiug people. I can most adisfactorily prove,
ty a host of evidence, that there was no provocation, or legal
sigh:, in teen plausible pretence fur the interfereeet: of the
military upon that occasion.
Batty-1 shall adjourn the Court, and (addressing him-
self to the people) you must go out of the room.
Harmer—Would it slut be right, Sir, to examine the wit-
/wow: who are present, and ale come some diameter to give
their testimony?
Bars!--I shall adjourn the Court.
Harmer—l protest against the adjournment. There may
lie great difficulty in drain collecting the evideoce; liciades
it may be material to identify the body, and it is ill 91101 a
state that it caaoot remain long •above ground. I appeal to
the Jury themselves who have just seen the body, and every
one of whom had his handkerchief to his nose whilst be rt.-
outlived ie the room, which indeed I felt iseceseary myself.
1 appeal also to the Medical Gentlemen who attended the
sleseetwed slate he was wounded, and have just examined the

Ludy.
Mr. Bacnett and Mr. F.arnshaw concurred in stating, that
'the body was in such a state of putrefacuitu, that it ought
immediately to be interred.
then, I will adjourn the Court for three or
Yam- btiirs, end send and/etch a Coroner.
yr. Denisnu—Would it nut be rather better, Si., instead
of adjouritinc the Court, that you should take die &yr...1-liona
liona of the witnesses who are now ',tomtit. and thus occupy
liar inderyal moil the arrival of the Cormier?
Witty-1 can have a Coroner in two or three hours.
Women, —What Coroner do vest propose to seed for?
Batty--I shalt look oat for Mr. Careen, and every one who
t•torry hint will say that he is an impartial maim.
one expresses any doubt of the impartial
character of Mr. Farren. You alone, Sir, have cast n se-
ii
.ctm upon him, by saying, that if he were here Me "mild
..... allow 11l to icenain in the room.
Katy-11 do any, that he would not have you in the room.
Ilarmrr—l repeat, Sir, that to exclude us would lie con-
Iran yto the law of the band. Fur slot merely professiuttal
TOffrolm, but any passing strangers are at liberty to enter this
riblic Court.
adjourn the Court till three o'clock, and will go
and fetch a Coroner. The Jurymen may hare a bit of dinuer
teliplat they are stopping. Call Chadwick.
!Jr. Harmer then asked whether it was intended to swear
I? constable .0 attend the Jury during the adjournment')
-,stable of the place.
-I.e mimes of the Jury.

Batty—Chadwick is the constable of the place.
Mr. benison requested to have the mimes of the Jury.
Mr. Sway said—No.
Mr. simmer—We shall bear the names of the Jury when
she) ai.,,pgible. I cap, however, see uu objection to tell their
',mars flow, unless it he apprehended that some one would
it oi mid to tamper will. (lens during the interval of the ad.
joorninent. But I entertain no such apprehension, assured
that if any such attempt were made, the honest minds of the
Jury would repel it with indignation.
The Cosa was immediately adjourned unlit three o'clock.