The Sun.
London, England, 1823-01-01 00:00:00

MURDER AT LENVISITANf.

• CORONER'S INQUEST ON JAMES SMITH, ESQ.
Monday forenoon, Mr. CARTTAR the Coroner,
and a Jury,
.consisting of twelve respectable in-
habitants, assembled at the Green Man Tavern
on Blackheath, to inquire into the death of the
above unfortunate Gentleman, who was shot by
a robber on the morning of Sunday the 22d in-
stant. —The Jury having been impannelled and
sworn, were addressed by the Coroner; after
which they adjourned to the late residence of the
diteased to inspect the body ; and on their re-
turn to the Jury-room, the following witnesses
were examined :

Previous to the commencement of the examination, Mr.
CART TAR observed, that he had taken the deposition of Mrs.
Smith at her house, and which she bad sworn to before the
Jurors whilst viewing the body. It would therefore spare her
feelings, which were already deeply wounded, not to call her
again before them. The Jury were of the same opinion, and
the Coroner proceeded to read her statement.

Mrs. Jemima Smith, widow of the deceased, deposed—On
Sunday morning, the 22d instant, about three o'clock, I was in
bed with my husband in our usual sleeping room, and was
awoke by a very strange noise in or about the house: being
unable to understand what it was, I awoke my husband, who
was fast'asleep, and told him directly my suspicions, when he
immediately got up and put on his coat, and vent into the ad-
joining room ; I followed- him as fast us I could, but before I
could get into the room, I heard him raise the sash of the win-
dow, and at the same moment I heard the report of a gun or
pistol. The deceased immediately screamed out, and said, I
am shot ! lam shot through the heart ! He then walked irto
the bed room, and I observed a great deal of blood had flowed
from the wound he had received, as well as in the room where
he was shot. He presently told me he luel seen a man in the
garden, who must have discharged u gun or pistol at him, and
also another man under the window at which he was wounded,
and that both immediately ran await. He said he did not
know either of theM, but one appeared to be dressed in a pep.
per and salt coat. Alarm' was immediately given in the neigh-
bourhood, and, proper, medical assistance was obtained. The
deceased languished from the time he was wounded until
Saturday night last, and then expired. '
Robert Papworth -sworn—l ant about 14 years of age, and
was servant to the deceased. On Saturday night the 21st inst.,
about half-past nine o'clock, I took up the supper, at which
time my master was not at home, but soon after he came in ;
I opened the door for him ; he had been out to spend his even-
ing,
as was his usual custom. Soon after ten I went to bed, I
don't think AV master went to bed before me, he generally sat
up to read the newspaper. Early next morning (Sunday)
was awoke by a noise, but whether it was the report of a pistol
or not I cannot say. It was between twu and three o'clock as
well as I can recollect ; on my. awaking I jumped out of bed,
and looked out of my window into the Arden, I there saw an
object in the shape of a man standing a short distance from the
wash-house ; I hallooed to him, and the object disappeared.
CORONER—Was the reason you hallooed out :bemuse you
was impressed with an idea that the object you saw was a man?
Witness—lt was ; I saw his head, he stood about a yard
from my window ; I did not see his face, he ran away imme.
diately upon my calling out, " What do you do there ?" He
was off before 1 could utter the words. At this moment I was
called to by the maid-servant, who said my master had shot
himself, anti she desired me to run for a surgeon. I dressed
myself as fiat as 1 could, and first went to inform my father of
the circumstance, and then went for the doctor. On my way
up the lane, I saw the two watchmen standing near their boxes;
I told them my master had shot Wliself. I then went for Mr.
Rose, the surgeon, and he returned with me to my mister's ; I
did not see my master then, nor yet my mistress.
Thomas Hawley, one of the watamten, was called, and hay.:
dug been sworn, stated that on the morning of the murder, he
heard the report of the pistol, but knew nothing of the circum-
stance, till the last witness told him his muster had shot him-
self, upon which lie immediately went down to the house of
the deceased, and. ran the bell; be was admitted by the maid-
servant, who appeared much agitated. lie went up stairs and
found the deceased lying on the bed bleeding very much from
his heart, he remained in the house for neatly two boors.
This witness was in a state of inebriation when under ex-
amination, and was severely reprimanded by the Coroner.
On his cross-examination he admitted, that it was ten mi.
nutes from the time he heard the report of fire-arms, till he
went to the house of the deceased ; and, on being asked why
he did not go immediately to ascertain the cause, he said, if he
had, perhaps he might have been shot too.
The Conoiern told him lie was not fit for his situation,
and lie would take care to have him discharged. In all proba-
bility if he had ran immediately he heard the report, towards
the cottage of the deceased, he would have discovered the
murderer.,

Juror—Did you see any suspicious characters about, from
the time you weut on duty, till the time you heard the report ?
Witness-1 did not see any person whatever during that
time.

• Juror—Where is your watch.box situated, and at what dis-
tance is it from Mr. Smith's house.
Witness—it stands in Dartmouth row, about 130 yards from
the cottage.
Juror—lt appears very surprising that veu should make a
delay of nine nnnutes before you proceeded to the house after
you heard the report of Are-arms.
Witness-4 went down directly I was told what had hap.
pened by the boy Papworth. I had no right to go °limy beat.
(Here the witness was again reprimanded by the Coroner for
the flippant and insolent language he indulged in, and desired
to quit the room forthwith.

Several of the Jurors expressed a wish to have some evidence
of the attempt at burglary.
The CORONER informed them there were witnesses in wait-
ing that would prove that fact; but he conceived their test!.
rimy unnecessnry„ as the felony would be completely made out
in the investigation they were then ptirsuing.
Mr. Clement Rose was then called and sworn—l am a sur-
geon, and reside in Cold Bath-row, Greenwich. About three
o'clock on the morning of Sunday the 22d inst. I was called to
the'deceased, who I underitood from the messenger had shot
himself; I went immediately to his residence, and found him
on his bed, with some part of his dress on, viz. his coat. He
told me he had been wounded by some thleVes that had at.
tempted to break into his cottage ; I removed his dress and
found a gun-shot wound in the biceps muscle of the left arm ;
he was enveloped in gore, and was in a very distressed state.—
The deceased mentioned the name of Coleman the whole of the
night, and several times the next day.
[Here we should have observed that anoted character named
Coleman is now in custody on suspicion of being concerned in
the atrocious decd.]
The CORONER said, he feared he was not justified in hear-
ing an ev.parte statement against any individual whereby
he would be criminated, without that person was present.—
He conceived it unjust to take it behind* his back. It was
the judgment of all the Coroners; but, however, he would
hear the evidence, and should it appear that Coleman was
at all implicated, he would adjourn the inquiry till he could be
present.
Juror—This is a Court of Inquiry, and I think the Coroner
is bound to receive any information tending to further the inves-
tigation, whether it should impeach any' person or not.
CORONER—If the man was at liberty, I should have
no hesitation in hearing any thing against him, but he is in
custody.

Witness was again culled, and continued his testimony—l'
asked the deceased how he came wounded. •He said, that
he heard a noise in some part of the house ; he went directly to.
the window adjoining the bed-room, with a loaded pistol in
his hand ; he threw up the sash of the window, and saw two
persons in the garden, one standing under the window irmt pep.
per and salt coloured coat, and the other was about ten yards
from the Window, in the dress of a blacksmith. Ile said the
person that shot him, put his hand before his face, as if to dis-
guise himself. Ile said he slid not know he was wounded till
he saw the blood. He saw the men run array, but lie did not
.say in what direction. .

Juror.-I id he sly Coleman had shot him ?—He did not.
Witness—l asked him if he suspected any person, and who ?
His answer was " Colensan." lie mentioned no other name;
had no further conversation on the subject. He was always
mentioning Coleman ;* he gave .no other account of the trans.
action ; 1 believe the deceased made a declaration before he
died. •

Juror.--Did he mention the name of Coleman in that manner
that led you to.auspect he was the nturderer ?
Witness—lt had that impression on my mind. The deceased
did not say where Coleman lived, nor did he give any other ac•.
count of him, nor did he during his subsequentillness. con.
tinned to attend him with' Messrs. Sheriff and Lucas till the
time of' his dissolution, which was on Saturday evening
Since death I opened the body in the presence. of the aforesaid
medical gentleman. I discovered that - the ball had passed
through the biceps muscle of the left arm,. entered the pectoral
muscle of the left side, passed under across the cheat, and
within an inch of -the sternum i it thin dipped the thorax,
fracturing the fourth rib of the left side, in its passage
wounding. the left lung, passed out of the thorax on the right
side, and was found deeply seated in the axilla. I tun 'of opt.