The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-17 00:00:00

THE INQUEST:

Yesterday afternoon (Friday) the inquest was held
on the body of the deceased, at the residence of his
brother, Mr W. Speke, J.P. for 'Wiltshire at Monk's
park, near Corsham, by Mr Kemm, coroner for the
liberty of Corsham, and a jury composed of respect-
able inhabitants of the place. The first witness ex.
amined was

Mr George Fuller, son of Mr Fuller, of Neston-
pa'rk, who deposed—About half past 2 o'clock yes-
terday I left my father's house for the purpose of
shooting partridges. Deceased had fired off both
barrels before the accident occurred. About 4
o'clock I got over a low part of a loose stone wall,
at that place about 2ft. high, and I was about 60
yards from the place when I heard the report of a
gun, and looking round, thinking to see some birds,
I saw the deceased standing on the same part of the
wall I had just got over, without his gun, and
shortly after I saw him fall into the field I was then
in. I immediately went to his assistance, and found
a wound in his chest, bleeding, which I endea.
voured to stop. He was then sensible and spoke to
me, but did not long remain so. I stayed with him
about five minutes, and then left him in charge of
my keeper, Daniel Davis, and went for assistance.
I observed the gun lying by the side of the wall in
the field that I and the deceased were in. One bar-
rel, the right, was then at half-cock, the left hand
barrel was discharged. I heard very little report,
and I should suppose that the muzzle of the gun
was very near the body of the deceased when it went
off.

Daniel Davis deposed—l am keeper to Mr. Ful-
ler. Yesterday, a little before 4 o'clock, I was
marking birds for my master and the deceased, who
were shooting. At that time I saw the deceased go
up to a low part of the wall to get over. He had
then his gun in his hand. Almost immediately after
I heard the report of a gun, and I looked towards
my master, and on seeing him running towards the
deceased I went there also. He was then lying by
the side of the wall. He had just got over. I found
him with a wound in his side, and Mr Fuller had
his hand on the wound trying to stop the blood. I
heard the deceased groan once or twice, but cannot
say whether he was actually sensible or not. I
stayed with him till he died, which was about a
quarter of an hour after the gun was discharged.
He was not removed from the spot before he died.
The gun was a Lancaster breech-loader, without a
safety-guard; but I should think the gun was quite
safe, and in the same state as gentlemen's guns
usually are.
Mr Snow, surgeon, of Box, was called in to the
deceased. Found him dead on his arrival. There
was a wound on the left side, such as would be made
by a cartridge if the muzzle of the gun was c!ose to
the body. There was no other wound. It led in a
direction upwards and towards the spine, passing
through the lungs and dividing all the large blood
vessels near the heart, but not touching the heart
itself. Such a wound would cause death.
The Coroner having briefly addressed the jury
on their melancholy duty, and pointed out to them
what he considered was the verdict they should
return,

The jury unanimously recorded their verdict that
" The deceased died from the accidental discharge
of his own gun, after living a quarter of an hour."
They also appended an expression of sympathy for
the family of the deceased in their bereavement,
which was a loss both to his family and to the
whole country.

The following is a report of the proceedings of
the British Association yesterday on the assembling
of Section B

It.was understood that in this section a discussion