The Sun.
London, England, 1829-11-30 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST.

On Saturday morning Mr. CARTER, Coroner for
Surrey, and a highly respectable Jury, assembled at
the York Hotel, Waterloo-road, to inquire into the
cause of the death of a young man, about 19 years
of age, of fashionable appearance, who was found in
the river Thames, on Thursday morning last, under
the following circumstances :
William Wood Parker, of No. 3, Gibson-street,
Waterloo-road, waterman, on Thursday morning
last, about eight o'clock, was at the Surrey side of
Waterloo-bridge, whin a woman came and informed
him that a man was drowned, but she was afraid to
go near him. Witness proceeded to the spot, and
found the deceased lying on his face near the shore.
He was quite dead. He searched his pockets, and
found the card now produced, on which was printed
"James Simpson, cutler, 55, Strand," several ma-
nuscript extracts from ancient history, and school
exercises. Two silk handkerchiefs were tied round
his face.

CORONER—Did you find any money or watch on
the deceased's person ? Witness—l found the
articles which I now produce.
CORONER—Did you find any money—you are
on your oath ? Witness—l did not.
CORONER—Was any body present when ye)"
searched him ? Witness—Nobody.
CORONER—Your conduct has been most impro-
per. You had no right to search the deceased,
unless in the presence of some person. You ought
to have sent for an officer, or hare carried him to
the watch or work-house. Witness—l am not
fond of carrying dead bodies.
CORONER—Oh ! I dare say you are more deli-
cate than the rest of watermen. You were delicate
enough to search a dead body, but not to carry one.
By a Juror—There was no blood on the de-
ceased's face. On one of the papers was written
" Major Ayala." He had on a blue coat, with gilt
basket buttons, a silk striped figured waistcoat,
olive green trousers, mixed coloured stockings,
marked " J. A," a black silk stock, and white kid
gloves. He had no hat when found.
A Juryman observed that he had read an adver-

tisement i❑ the papers of that morning, offering a
handsome reward for the discovery of a young man
answering in every respect the description of the
deceased.

The CORONER said that there was no evidence to
prove how he came in the water. The only verdict
the Jury could return in the present state of the case
would be " Found drowned, but by what means he
came in the water there was no evidence to show to
the Jury."
That verdict was accordingly returned, when
Mr. Carter addressed the Jury upon the necessity
of employing a surgeon to examine the body in all
similar cases in•future, in order to ascertain whe-
ther there were marks of violence on the body suf-
ficient to cause death, or in fact whether the person
was dead or not. The parish might hesitate on ac-
count of the expense, but that, in cases of neces-
sity ought to be viewed as a secondary considera-
tion. He was once called upon to hold an inquest
upon the body of an individual supposed to be
dead, and after going through all the preparatog
ceremonies before the view of the body, in going to
the house they found the man alive, he having re-
ceived medical treatment.
Roberts, the beadle, was despatched to the office
of Mr. Soarle, of White's-alley, Cornhill, whose
name was mentioned in the advertisement, and he
shortly afterwards" returned with Mr. Soarle, his
guardian, and his schoolmaster, with several other
friends, when they identified and claimed the de-
ceased's body, &c.
Mr. Soarle stated, that lie was connected with a
family of high repute in Spain, who had sent him
toithis country for the benefit of his education. He
twreaastpedlaclevditi properatt aschoolcaarte Brixton,
xtor, where he was
attention,i
arid was
making rapid progress. lie was a steady young
man, and did not apply for remittances as often as
others under his care, and he could not account for

his mysterious disappearance. The
_last bQ.ffi
of him prior to his dissolution, was on the' lw
November, when he wrote to witness for 81. to?'
his music master, which he
.ascertained_had ~11.1114
paid to him. He had previously written!'to
friends to know-if they had any objection to 'l;i6
turning to his own country. He was the kist-
would suspect to commit_ suicide.
While the Jury were sitting, a young man or 7-,
%eau,'

1
cent appearance called on Mrs. Roberts, the bt 1
wife, and pretending to cry, exclaimed " Ohl 74,
ou
poor brother, my poor dear brother !" Mrs. nobtt
endeavoured to appease him, and asked him "
caused his grief. He replied that he had called
the body of his brother, and be would bring a COc
off the stand to take it away. Halls, the poll
officer, fortunately entered the place at the time,o,,
on interrogating the " body snatcher," he could P°'
give the least description of his brother's perall:
and during the temporary absence of Halls, tb
fellow ran off, and made his escape. This is a cool'
mon practice when bodies not owned are food,:
and on gaining possession they are carried to Ole,
anatomical establishment.

COUNTRY CORN MARKETS.