The daily gazette., 1879-07-29
Jonas Walraven's Death.

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THE coRoNER's JURY LOOKS FURTHER
INTO THE MATTER, AND DECIDES
THAT HE CAME TO HIS DEATH FROM
VIOLENCE, BUT SPECIFIES NO PER-
SONS. .. .. r..
The Coroner's inquiry into the cause
Of the death Of Jonas Walraven, was con-
tinued at the COroner's Office last eve
ming. The jury had held long session
on Sunday at which great mass of evil
dence was taken. About eight witnesses
were examined at that time. The testi-
mony elicIted from them showed that
the deceased man, who was as harmless
as child and would not harm a chicken
to use the words of witness, was at
Willard II. Sterrett's Columbia House,
at Bancroft's Banks very drunk. While
he was tere William b rry came up to
get shoe on bis horse tightened at the
blacksmith shop, which Sterrett also
possesses. John Law also came up.
After some time, Walravan, In playful
mood, went up and tried to kiss Berry,
but was showed away against a wagon
wheel, which seemed to hurt him.
After taking drink or two of whiskey
he was unable to walk and Sterrett and
Law carried him out of sight into the
blacksmith shop. He lay here until
about 4 O'Clock, and was seen to leave
the shop at that time. He was found ga
the head of the lane" as it was called by
the witnesses, by John Campbell and
some women. He was unable to move,
at that time and when Campbell put his
hand upon him said "Don't touch me !;
Bill Berry bruised me-" He was unable
to walk alone and was assisted home,
which he never left up to the time of bis
death. This happened on Sunday, June
Goth.
Walraven often said during his sick
ness that he was i'll from injuries receiv-
ed at the hands of William Berry.
At the session of the jury on Sunday
Drs. Wales, the attending physician, and
Maxwell and Ogle, who made the post
n,Ortem examination testified to the cause
of the man's death. All held that his
sickness was undoubtedly caused by the
injuries he had received on that Sunday
at Sterrett's hotel. DR.. Wales said the
wounds could have been caused by q
kick, blow or fall; and Drs. Max.
we'll and Ogle testified that it would have
been just possible for the injuries to be
caused by fall from The top of house
or something like that. (What the post
mOrtem examination revealed was told ir
yesterdays GAZETTE.)
John Law was the first witness last
night. He testified that he came tt
Sterrett's house and saw Berry and Wal
raven there,-the latter was very drunk
Walraven tried to kiss Berry, who push.
ed him away against wagon, becaus'
he did not want to have his shirt from
rumpled. He saw them take two drinks
after that and also drank with them
After being pushed, he complained
Berry left soon after. While they wer
drinking, Walraven vomited in the ba
room. The witness carried him benin
the blacksmith shop, because he was s
drunk he did not know anything. q
did not see the dead man hit or kicket
and did not hear him say that anyon
had done so.
Edward Wurmmal, the next witness
heard Walraven say that either Berry @
Sterrett had hurt him at the top of tn
lane, but could not say which one di
it. He heard him say this on July 9tl
eleven days after he was hurt.
Alexander Clarkson, testified tina
Walraven told him on two different oc
casions, that he did not know whethe
Berry or Sterrett hurt him.
| William Berry was summoned into
the room and asked if he had any volun
tary statement to make. While he wa!
doing so, Mr.. Joseph Bancroft came int
the room, and began to dictate state
ment for Berry. Several jurymen oh
jected to this but Mr.. Bancroft persist ed
At last, after he admitted that he hat
not seen the affair, he left the room upo
a very pointed request that he do SC
Berry denied that he had touched Wal
raven, except to push him when he ha'
tried to kiss him.
Willard Fl. Sterrett, the proprietor O
the Columbia House, was recalled au'
gave the same testimony that he die
Sunday. He corroborated John Law
testimony in everything, except that h
said that Walraven only took a drink o
whiskey and water, which he threw up
while Law said he took several drinks.
A verdict was rendered that the de
ceased ''came to his death from wounds
received in the left side on June 29.h
by parties unknown to the jury"
From all that can be learned, Walra
ven appears to have been a quiet, ,inoffen
sive man, who often was indiscret IN tn
use OF intoxicating liquors and who, ,henc
was his greatest enemy. There does no
appear to have been any hard feeling be
tween Walraven and Berry. He will b.
buried from his late residence at Ban
croft's Banks, to-day at 10 o'clock.
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