The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-03 00:00:00

SUPPOSED MURDER.

Yesterday afternoon Dr. Lankester, the coroner,
opened an inquest at the Lord Wellington, Univer-
sity-street, on the body of a man unknown, who
was found lying on the pavement in Gower-street,
on the night of Saturday last, with his skull and
ribs fractured, his teeth knocked out, and other
frightful injuries.
Walter Gibbs deposed that he resided at 4,
Gower-mews. Shortly before one o'clock on the
morning of Sunday last he was going home, when
he saw a man he believed to be deceased fall down
the steps of one of the houses (he believed 86 or 87)
in Gower-street. He lay on the pavement and ap-
peared to be insensible or very drunk. He obtained
the assistance of a policeman and a stretcher, and
the man was conveyed to the station-house. As at
eight o'clock on the Sunday morning he still re-
mained insensible, he was then taken to University
College Hospital.
Mr. Sidney Ringer, resident surgeon, said de-
ceased was brought to the hospital about eight
o'clock on Sunday morning insensible, and evi-
dently labouring under some injury to the brain. He
was much disfigured. His front teeth had been
knocked out, his gums broken, and there was a con-
tusion and abrasion of the skin of the right temple
and over the right eye, and a contusion also behind
the left ear and a large cut under the chin. The
right arm was bruised, and there was also a severe
bruise in the inner part of the left leg behind.
He died the same evening. On a post-mortem
examination and shaving the head he discovered a
contusion of the scalp and a fracture of the skull—
a star fracture, extending for five inches, both
through the frontal and temporal bones ; and there
was also a fracture of the sixth rib near the cartil-
age. It was guite impossible that the deceased could
have received all these injuries by the fall down the
steps described by the first witness. It was very
doubtful whether a series of falls could have pro-
duced such injuries. The injuries appeared to be
rather the result of violence towards the deceased
man. The cause of death was effusion of blood on
the brain, corresponding internally with the out-
ward fracture of the skull.
The Coroner said it was almost impossible that
the man could have fallen on that part of the head
which was the seat of the fracture. Nor could the
fearful injury on the inside of the left knee have
been connected with the fracture of the skull, the
broken ribs, and the teeth being knocked down the
poor man's throat. The fearful injuries tended to
the conclusion that the deceased had been the victim
of some personal violence. He should, therefore,
suggest an adjournment, in order, if possible, to
enable the police to ascertain the deceased's identity,
and make inquiries as to where he was on the Satur-
day night.
The jury concurred, and the inquest was ad-
journed for a week.

SHIPPING—This Day.

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LONDON, July 3.—Wind this day at noon—South-
Westerly,; light breeze, and fine weather, but rather
cloudy.
PILL, July I.—Wind S.—Sailed—Jane Black, for the
West Coast of Africa.
KINGROA.D, July I.—Arrived—The Queen, from Ha.
vannah ; Onega, from New York.
PORTSMOUTH, July 2.—Wind W.—Arrived—Soong
King, from Hamburg for Singapore.
TErowmouTH, July 2.—Wind W.—Arrived—Galatea,
from Quebec.
PLYMOUTH, July 2.—Wind S.W,—Arrived—Allegro
from New York.
BRISTOL, July 2.—Arrived—Anne Crocker, from Monte
Video; Eliza, from Demerara.
CLYDE, July 2.—Wind W.N.W.—Arrived—Advance,
from St. John's, Newfoundland ; Erromanaga, from Ma-
tanzas.
QUEENSTOWN, July 3.—Arrived—Ernestine, from Car-
diff for Demerara.
SHIELDS, July 2.—Wind varioble.—Arrived—Skiddaw,
from Tquique.

BY MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.
GRAVESEND, Friday Morning.
Arrived, July 2—Anne Elizabeth, from Quebec; Reform,
from New York; Advance, from Ostend; Anne Mathilda,
from Stockholm ; Sandovie, from Montevideo.
Arrived, July 3.—Lincolnshire, from Melbourne, Ocean
Bride, from Grenada.
Sailed, July 3.—Teviot, for Colombo; Sunda, for Bris-
bane; Netherby, for Sydney ; Star of Peace, for Mel-
bourne ; Monsoon, for Port Natal ; indemnity., for Port
Phillip; Calypso, for Jamaica; Washington Irving, for
Montreal; St. Hilda, for Bombay.
DEAL, Friday Morning.
Passed—Therese, from New York, for London; Nuaf
Mou, for Kunkoll; Jumna, for Calcutta; Calypso, for
Jamaica; Hotspur, for Calcutta; Netherley, for Sydney;
Seine and Tamise, for Rouen; Elphinstone, for Adelaide;
Teviot, for Colombo ; Vimeria, for Sydney—all from
London.