The Sun.
London, England, 1831-11-08 00:00:00

THE CASE OF SUSPECTED BURKING.

BO W-STREET-( THIS DAY.),

It being generally understood that the four fellows,
James May, Michael Shields, Thomas Williams, and
John Bishop, who stand charged with having " lurked"
the poor Genoese bey, as stated in our Paper of last even-
ing, would this morning undergo a further examination,
the street in front of the office, long before the usual busi-
ness commenced, was much crowded, and the office door
nas literally besi-ged by persons anxious to hear the in-
vestigation. It was expected that the CJroner, Mr. Gell,
would have held the inquest upon the body last night,
hut from some cause or other he did not is.ue
his warrant for belling the investigation till this
morning, and a Jury composed of the most influential men
in the parish were then summoned on the Jury, which is
now sitting at Mr. P!att's, the Unicorn public-house, in
Covent-garden market. In consequence, therefore, of the
inquest not having been Feld, the examination of the pri- I
soners before the Mogistrates was put off till the Coroner's
Jury had returned their verdict.
On Sunday night, at eight o'clock, the body of the boy
underwent an anatomical examination by Mr. Par-
tridge, the demonstrator of anatomy at the King's College,
Mr. Mayo of the same institution, Mr. Beaman the sur-
geon in James-street, Covent-garden, Mr. Edwards, and
Mr. Douchtz, when the following appearances presented
themselves. On dividing the integuments of the head,
they found a patch of extraTasated blood on the top of the
head, and on taking elf the skull they found that every
thing appeared in its natural state—the brain was re-
markably healthy, and exhibited no marks of violence, so
that the suspicion that was form• d at first that the boy
had del from strangulation was entirely set aside. The
skull was free front fracture, but on dividing the integuments
of the back of the neck an extensive extravasation
of blood was found amongst the muscles, and on
proceeding farther, and exposing the spinal column, were
found several clots of coagulated blood within the spinal
canal, but there was no injury to tie spinal marrow, nor
to the sheath in which it is enveloped ; but the integu-
ment of the vertebrae of the neck were found to be much
lacerated. The injury to the spinal column was pro-
nounced to be the immediate cause of death, which acted
so powerfully en the functions of the heart and lungs that
their action was stopped, and respiration stopped in-
stantly. Mr. Mayo considered that the injury to the
spinal column must have been effected in the man-
ner fowls are killed—namely, by twisting the neck round,
and thereby the functions of life immediately destroyed.
It was thought at first that death had been caused by the
stomach having been pressed in, from its extreme elasti-
city; but it was upon inspection found to be perfectly
natural, and not the least injured. The stomach was
found to be perfectly full, and on the contents being emptied
into a basin they smelt very strongly of rum, and, from
appearances, that immediately previous to death digestion
ecru-led to he going on actively.
The surgeons, from the examina ion, gave it their
unanimous opinion that the poor boy died from extreme
nervous influence, produced by the injury to the spinal
column.

It is very remarkable, that although a vast number of
Italians have been to look at the body, and the publicity
the case has r, ctived through the newspapers, yet not-
withstanding the poor fellow has not been owned.
The Coroner's Inquest, it is expected, will be adjourned
for want of evidence.