The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-09-03 00:00:00

THE DUTY OF CORONERS'.

The following statement of facts, from a
M Newcastil,eingP:i
per (the Tyne ercuty) relates to a sultiect of such im-
portance that we deem it our duty m cops it :
Those who read attentively the Assize intelligence in our
last paper, must have been struck with the addriss of Rem
Bullock to the Grand Jury of the county of Northumber-
land. " You will, however, allow me," he observed, .4 is
put this letter into your hands. I shall say riot
you on the subject ; but if the facts stated in it b. true, it
is certainly highly necessary that something should he
done. I hope, therefore, you will give it your careful a
tention." This, it will be acknowledged, was temarkable;
it had something extraordinary aid something important
in it. But, as if he feared he had not said sufficient total-
press on the Jury the consequence attached to the kite,
his Ix:deadly continued : " I do ntt su;:gest to you what
measure you should adopt at present, but if the statements
be true, it is important for the justice of the country that
something should be done." From this it hi tvAnt, the;
that the subject is conmeted with the administration of
public justice. have made every inquiry which coi-
losity, if no higher motive, in such a case might be ex-
pected to excite ; and we understand from authority we
I can scarcely doubt, that the Learned Judge alluded to the
ease of a man who was killed on his return from Stagshas
Bank Fair, on the night of the Sth of July. But if be did
not, the case in itself is such a one as calls fur a full and
immediate investigation. This was the first, and, indeed,
the only journal that adverted to the tnelancholy mat-
trophe. The facts were simply these:—
A grazier was returning from the fair on Marry, see.
featly sober, when two persons came riding furiously be-
hind him, and threw him with such violence, that,.fram
the injury he received, he lingered till the fellowiag a 01:
and then expired.
This affair was sta'red to pass over as if nothing hal
happened beyond a common occurrence. No Coroner's
Inquest was held upon the hotly. The unhappy being
who was thus robbed of his lire was consigned to the toad)
as if lie had met a natural death, and the individuals who
I caused it were suffered to go at huge—to go apir, if they
chose-, and commit a like outrage. The parti.s are nil-
known to us, we ars unaclusinted with the name of the
person who was killed, or Came by whom he was killed,
but we will venture to affirm, that m this country a more
, cross violation cf the Constitution was never committed.
t We have since heard that a Magistrate took some depesi.
tions on the occasion, but thought fit to adopt no mama
1 in consequence. This appears almost incredible, and
vi
arc infertni d Baron Bullock considered it incapable of
belief ; it is nevertheless certainly true. An offenee of a
r most serious nature has been committed—a crime wlech,
I as it seems to us, cannot be deemed I..ss than manslaughter,
and which may subject the party to transportation for F.'s
No cognizance has been taken of it by the Ccroner..l.e
r person appointed to act in such cases for the public nfey.
That he should hare Leen instant!). sent for, no man as
doubt for a moment who knows any thing of the admini.
stration of justice in England; that a Magistrate should
act in such a case on his own authority as a lala&strate.
I and that a Coroner should not, in such a case, Weller a
later, hold an Inquest, are, we believ.., facts pertetly un-
precedented. In the words of Baron Hauck, if Anse
things be trite, it is important, for the justice of as
, country, that something should be done." If they te
: not, they should be shown to be unfounded.—Tyre
teary.