The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-02 00:00:00

.MISTERIOUS DEATH IN HORNSEI

FIELDS.

On Saturday afternoon Mr. Brent, deputy-coro-
ner for West Middlesex, opened a lengthened in-
quiry at the Railway Tavern, Hornsey, for the in-
vestigation of the circumstances connected with the
death of John Morley, aged 56, until recently a
warder in the House of Detention, whose lifeless
body was found in a ditch, with a wound in the
throat.

It appeared that on Saturday last the deceased
left his home, No. 21, Poulten-terrace, Barnsbury-
road, and was not again heard of until the Monday,
when it was discovered that he had been wandering
about the paths in the neighbourhood of Hornsey
each successive day until the Tuesday, being seen
by a woman sitting at the top of " Cat-throat-
lane." On the Wednesday he did not appear ; but
on the Thursday he was found by a labourer, ap-
parently sitting asleep, in a ditch running through
a meadow, with his head resting on the bank. He
shouted to him, but could not arouse him, and at
length told a person whom he observed in an ad-
joining meadow, and both the men went to wake
him up. No, notice, however, being taken, the hat
of deceased was removed, and a frightful spectacle
presented itself, the head being covered with
a moving mass of fly-blows. Mr. Crouch,
the coroner's officer was then waited on,
and on his examining the body after its
removal from the ditch, he found a wound in the
throat, which was not expected, owing to there
being but a very slight appearance of blood. A
search was then made for the weapon, but nothing
that would inflict a wound could be found_ On
searching the body an empty tobacco box, a pen
knife' and two pencils were found, and in a thick
black silk neckerchief, which was round the de-
ceased's neck, there was a small fancy pin.
Some difficulty arose as to the cause of death,
whether it was the result of the wound in the neck
or not. The jury had no evidence as to whether
it was a thrust or incised wound. or whether it was
probable that it had been self-inflicted or otherwise.
Mr. Crouch, in reply, said he did not call in a
medical gentleman, believing it was a death from a
cut throat. _ _ _

With reference to the state of mind of the deceased
the wife and son deposed that the unfortunate man
had been 15 years warder at the House of Deten-
tion, where he had satisfactorily performed his duty
until the change of governorship, when the present
governor continually complained of his being unfit
for duty, and that he was taking the county money
for doing nothing; also that the cook could perform
his dUty. This preyed upon the deceased's mind,
and he frequently said he thought he should be
compell!d to resign. He did so about five or six
weeks since, and was then attended by Mr. Scott,
surgeon, c f Wakefield-terrace, Caledonian-road.
The deceased since his departure from borne had had
a pension for servitude fixed upon him, which he
was made acquainted with by means of the woman
at the gate before mentioned, who requested that
he should return home. The family had found out
where he was wandering, and had searched for him
night and day, actually passing the spot within a
few hundred yards where he was lying dead.
The Deputy-Coroner here remarked that they
were now without the cause of death, but if the
jury thought it would be advisable to return an
open verdict or adjourn the inquiry he was prepared
to follow either course they thought fit to adopt.
The jury, after a short consultation, preferred an
adjournment in order to have a medical examina-
tion, and also for the evidence of Mr. Scott, the last
medican gentleman who attended the deceased.

The Convocation of the prelates and clergy of
the province of Canterbury was yesterday prorogued in the
Jerusalem Chamber, Westminster, by the Vicar-General,
Dr. Travers Twiss, under a commission from his Grace the
Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England
and Metropolitan, pursuant to the Royal writ, to Wednes- ,
day, the 23d October next.