The Sun.
London, England, 1825-08-16 00:00:00

CORONEIIS' INQUESTS.

RESUMED INQUEST ox DAWKINS, TUE POLICE

OFFICER.

Yesterday evening the Inquest on Nicholas Dawkins, the
Police-Officer, was resumed, at the Triumphant Chariot,
Pembroke Mews, before T. HIGGS, Esq., Coroner for West-
minster.

Mr. Samuel Plank. Chief Constable of Marlborough-street
Police-Office, deposed,' that he resides at No. 4, Chapel-place,
Cavendish-square. On the evening of the 23d of May last, he
was on duty at Lord George Cavendish's residence, at a party
given by his Lordship. Witness took the deceased along with
him to assist. The deceased was stationed in the centre of
the yard to regulate the carriages, none of which had a right
to come in unless called. A little after twelve o'clock he
was informed that a man had been run over at the lodge,
or yard-gate. He he immediately went down, and saw the
deceased lying on the pavement just within the yard. He
spoke to the deceased.
Mr. Price, the Solicitor, objected to Mr. Plank saying any
thing that the deceased said to him, as it could not be received
as evidence, unless he was in danger.
Mr. Plank.—l shall give what tie said to me in a way that
will not be objectionable. ,
The deceased told me that he had been run over, and that
his leg was broken. He (Mr. Plank) felt, and it was broken
in two.places. From information he received, he took a man
in custody on the following day..;--(111r. Price—That's evi-
dence.)—Lord Westmorland came up when he was speaking
to the deceased, and he said that it was Lady Lambert's coach-
man that had drove over the man. On taking him in custody,
he said that his horses had knocked down a man, but he was
not aware that the wheels went over him. The name of the
man is John Collins. He took him in custody on the Magis-
trate's warrant at his stables. The deceased also told witness
that a Nobleman, with a star on his breat, came up to him, and
he gave him his name. He understood since that it was Lord
Westmorland.

Mr. Price--Pray upon what sort of a warrant did you appre-
hend the coachman ?
Mr. Plank—An assault warrant.
Mr. Price—And he expressed great contrition at the accident
having occurred ?
Mr. Plank—He did.

Mr. Price hoped that the Coroner or Jury would not leave off
investigating the case until they had received every thing that
would tend to elucidate the matter. A person was ha custody
under the serious charge of murder, and if any thing could be
heard that would be favourable to the prisoner, it ought to be
received. The inquest was adjourned for the purpose of re-
ceiving the evidence of Mr. Plank and Lord Westmorland.—
He thought that his Lordship ought to attend.
The Coroner instructed some one to attend on his Lordship,
and request his attendance.
Mr. Jefferies, the surgeon, addressed the Jury, and said he
was ready to answer any questions the Jury might put to him,
as they did not appear to be satisfied with Mr. Pitman's evi-
dence at the last examination.

Mr. Henry Jefferies, of Clarges-street, Piccadilly, deposed,
that the deceased was under his care with a compound fracture
of the right leg. He saw him daily for several weeks. He
was properly attended to while in the hospital. He was attack-
ed with erysipelas in the leg, which gradually extended to the
top of the thigh and buttocks, and a large abscess formed on
the leg and thigh, and they discharged profusely. He died as
patients generally do under such accidents.
Coroner.—Were the bed-clothes changed ?
Mr. Jefferies.—As often as compatible with his safety.
Coroner.—Do you know, Sir, whether he received a hurt
from the kick of the horse on the back ?
Mr. Jefferies.—He had no hurt on his back when he came
into the hospital. His sore on his back arose from his lying so
continually on it.
A relation of the deceased here observed, that he had been
speaking to the deceased's wife, who informed him that the de-
ceased complained of his back, and said he was afraid the horse
had kicked him.

Mr. Jetferies said, the broken leg was the cause of his
death.

Thomas Dawkins, one of his Majesty's servants, brother to
the deceased, deposed, that his brother (the deceased) was 55
years of age. He visited him every day in the hospital. He
was kept clean, and was dressed every day. He would contra-
dict the statement that there were mushrooms growing on the
bed. He was kept too clean for his situation. (Here there
was great applause in the Court.) The deceased spoke to him
the night before his death, and% said, " Tom, it is all Dickey
with me. lam going ; lam murdered." _ _

Did he say by'w. ho‘m or how he was murdered ?
Witness—Why, that Lady Lambert's coachman had run
over him. He told me so several times.

Coroner—Was he aware that he was in danger at the time
he told you so ?.

Niritness—l think he was.
111 r. Jefferies here said that the deceased was very low-
spirited as to his condition. _ _

A Gentleman here suggested the necessity of further ques-
tioning this witness, as it was the particular desire of the Go.
vernors and Managers of St. George's Hospital. A very un-
favourable impression had gone abroad, and it was just to have
the matter properly investigated.
The witness answered, that he praised Mr. Pitman the
drzsse, and he actually cried when he heard that Mr. Pitman
was about to leave.

The witness continued, that the deceased told him that while
he was hanging on the pole of the carriage, the coachman
whipped his horses on cruelly, and that when Lady Lambert's
coachman called to see him, the whole mass of his blood
turned. His brother was perfectly- sane the night before he
died. The Saturday previous to his death, he said that he
could not live many hours. He requested witness to tell
" Gun" (his son), who is in the police, to get his place if he
could, and that he considered he was murdered. He said to
witness, " 1 hung by the reins and the pole of the carriage, and
the coachman kept flogging the horses." He said nothing about
the horses kicking him.
Clements, the officer of Marlborough-street, stated, that he
did not converse with the deceased while in danger. The de-
ceased said there was a mushroom found in the bed.
Mr. Jefictics explained that the appearances on the bed
might proceed from its having been placed in the garden
to air.

William Ballard, the officer, stated, that about a month prior
to his death he went to see him ; he put out his hand and said,
he should never get better, and he cried. He asked him how
the accident occurred. He said, that he was in the middle of
the yard, and was called down to the gate, and when he got
there he found two carriages jammed in the gate-way. After
some little to do, he got them partly back, and then one of them
darted in, and, to save himself, he caught hold of the pole and
the reins, and was driven back some distance, and then he fell,
when both wheels passed over hi's leg. When the carriage
passed, he tried to get up, but he fell down again directly.
Rev. Samuel Clarice Goodwin Clarke, LL. D. deposed,
that he was walking to his residence on the 24th of May, when
there were two carriages jammed in the gateway, contending
for entrance. They both kept whipping their horses violently.
He called out to the coachmen that they would ruin their mas-
ters' horses ; they paid no attention to him, and he called out,
" Officer, constable," when souse one in the yard said, " Put
back ;" it was a man's voice. Witness passed towards the
other entrance, when they 'both went back a little, when one of
them renewed the whipping and drove in.
The messenger who was forwarded to Lord 'Westmorland,
stated that his Lordship was not at home, but had gone to dine
in Grosvenor-square.
The Coroner thought that the evidence of Lord Westmor-
land was very material, if he could with convenience attend the
Jury.
The Foreman of the Jury expressed himself satisfied with
the evidence already received.
The Coroner summed up the evidence, and the Jury, after
about an hour's consultation, at half-past ten o'clock returned
a verdict of—" Wilful Murder against James Collins."