The Sun.
London, England, 1823-08-30 00:00:00

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

THE AFFRAY AT PADDINGTON.
Yesterday afternoon, at five o'clock, the Inquest on John Nor.
Man, the unfortunate man who was killed in a conflict with a
party of the Grenadier Guards on Thursday evening, was
held before Trios. STIRLING, Esq. Coroner, at the Red Lion,
Westbourn.green, Paddington.
The Coroner had been specially requested to hold the Inquest
yesterday afternoon, which he consequently complied with.
The following evidence was adduced :
William Davies, of 13, Chapel-street, Paddington, assistant
to Mr. Davis, of that place, was called upon on Thursday after-
noon to attend the deceased; found him opposite the door of
this house in the road ; he was then quite dead, but did not
appear to have been dead any length of time. Did not attempt
to bleed him, being 'perfectly satisfied he was dead ; there did
not appear any marks of violence about his person, and at the
present time witness was incompetent to account for his death,
the body not having been opened.
A Juror suggested that the body should have been opened
before any further evidence was taken.
Witness—There were no marks of violence, the deceased's
face was perfectly natural, but there was a swelling on his
neck, under the ear; it was not at all, however, discoloured,
nor did it appear to have been occasioned by any violence ; no
one else had examined the body.
The Coroner considered it very strange that no other gen-
tleman was called in to examine the body ; he understood
some persons had been detained respecting it, and he much
wondered the body had not been further examined.
It was therefore suggested, that the body should be further
examined by the above Gentleman, in the presence of the Jury.
This was accordingly done, and on their return,
One of the Jury said, lie considered the body should be
opened by some Medical Gentleman in the neighbourhood,
when he could give his opinion.
After some further conversation, Mr. Snell, of Chapel-street,
was sent for ; in the interim the further evidence of 31r. Davis
was taken. He said, that on now examining the body, there
were marks of injuries on it, which were not observable before,
on the left side of the abdomen he observed one severe'
bruise, and others on various parts ; the one on the abdomen
was sufficient to cause death ; that mark, he had no doubt,
proceeded from a blow • the whole of the abdomen in fact
was much tumefied, Which, in witness's opinion, proceeded
from a blow.
Coroner—Have you been accustomed to see dead bodies in
hot weather ?—.l have; I do not consider that the swelling on
the neck proceeded from a blow. I consider the different ap-
pearances occasioned by different blows.
Stephen Bunce, of No. 12, Harrow-road, butcher, said he
knew the deceased previous to his death, in the capacity of a
dustman ; the witness then began to explain the affray as it
occurred. As he was coming down the road on Thursday
evening, he saw a soldier stripping to fight ; a few words
passed between him and the dustman, but what words they
were he could not say, apparently they were quarrelling; they
they then had one round, when the dustman stripped, and ran
in to the soldier ; cradling him by the neck, he held his head
and struck him several times in the face and other places
the first blow was struck by the dustman, the soldier return
the blow.

Juror—Are you certain that was the first blow ?
Coroner—He has already stated it; and I have admonished
him to tell the truth. Addressing himself to the witness : We
want nothing of what you have heard, nothing of what you
have learnt, but what you actually saw.
•
Witness,-.-That I have stated.
Coroner—Did one or either of them fall.
Witness—Yes ; they both fell ; they were hugging each
other, and soldier fell undermost; did not see that the soldier
put his knees up in the fall; they again met, but who first
struck witness could not say, it was what he considered a fair
fight, no foul blows were exchanged; the soldier was again
undermost; the third and fourth rounds then passed, and in
one deceased was struck down by a blow in the abdomen from
the soldier; it was not struck sufficiently low to make a foul blow;
he did not rise from the blow ; witness left while he appeared
dying; there was blood on the soldier's nose, but not from the
dustman ; there were no blows struck by either party while on
the round, nor no kicking or struggling. The dustman and
soldier appeared in liquor; there were several dustmen round de-
ceased, and other soldiers ; no other person struck the dustman,
or encouraged them to fight.
William Benjantin, a serjeant, was there after the man was
knocked down, but not before; had previously spoken to wit-
ness, but never quarrelled with him.
Wm. Benson, landlord of the Red Lion, was next called.
He confirmed in various particulars the former witness's testi-
mony, explaining the commencement of the affray as follows:
The -dustmen were standing in front of the house when the
soldiers came down ; the dustmen challenged them to play
three distinct games, which on refusing to do, they were caned.
" cowards," and received some most tantalizing language from
the dustmen. On receiving the appellation of cowards, one of
them instantly stripped and agreed to fight one of the dust-
men ; the fight then took place as above related on the part of
the dustmen, the soldiers getting the worst.
Elizabeth Osborne merely proved seeing one of the soldiers
put his fist in the deceased's face, but not to strike him.
Richard Millard, ostler, saw them fighting, and in attempt-
ing to part them got struck himself.
Thomas Morgan, of No. 4, Little James-street, a dustman,
was in company with the persons on the day in question. This
witness commenced his evidence in a manner wholly different
front the former witnesses. Ile commenced by saying the dust.
men were in company, when the soldiers came up, and wished
to play them at tune-pins ; they refused doing it, and the sol-
diers then said, they would fight three of then: out of four, and
fight they would ; never heard the word " coward" mentioned
in the fight, but they had two rounds, and in the second the
deceased was killed.

Mr. Thomas Doughty, of Portman-place, stated, he had just
opened the body of the deceased, and found no 'wound in the
abdomen to cause death ; but upon opening the head, be found
an extravantion of blood upon the ventricles of the brain, suf-
ficient to cause death by apoplexy : the exertion of fighting
might have produced it.
The CORONER observed, they were much indebted to Mr.
Doughty for the trouble he had taken ; he bad entirely cleared
up the affair, and shewed that the man had not died front the
blow.
Mr. Doughty replied he had had a most unpleasant task to
perform, and in accomplishing it, had spoiled a valuable case
of instruments.

One of the Overseers said the parish would remunerate him
in every respect.
The CO no E n then summed up the evidence, dwelling upon
the evidence of Morgan, which he considered wholly unworthy
of credit; and left it for the Jury to say whether the deceased
died from the blow, or by apoplexy brought on by fighting.
After a short consultation, the Jury returned a verdict of—
" Apoplexy, caused by great exertion in lighting."