Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-29

DESCRIBES THE coRoNERs INQUEST, THE
NATURE OF THE EVIDENCE AND THE RE-
SUIT.
Tha inquest was operei on Tuesday morn
inr The body hal been id IN fl ID bv the
decea els brothe, Henry an b. the butler.
Sev9rli personal trieaii wers present, il
ending two members OF parliament The e
had noo been the smallest doub5. OF cour,,
rs to the su, eide and the ev danca of tn,
servants sho we'd how compile ely Needham
hal iai his plans. Some of the jury while
chatting among Themselves had expressed
surprise that the deceased should have
taken so much trouble bout it, and that he
should do such an odd thing as to drive up
to Hampstead. In ans wer to this 1t was
sugge tie that he might have do ,e these
curious things for the purpose OF ling up
to q verJ ct of insanity.
This was the nature Of the CONVEX alton
that TOOK place while the jury was going
to view tho BODY and returning to Jack
Straw's Castle, where the inquest was held.
James Rogers was the first witness called.
He deposel that he was butler of the de-
ceased, AMI resided at his mas er's house
Portland place. He had seen AMI dsntIfied
tho body as that of Mr.. John Needham
whom he had last seen alive at about six
O'Clock on Saturday evening, at which
time he waited upon him at dinner. Mr..
Need ham had sen5 the foptrnan and the
coachman to Leighton Buzzar an hour or so
before. His master took vore Ugh dinner.
and afterwards he Rogers) went with the
other servants TO the opera. Ths witness
then relat ID the circumstln. IS un Ter winch
he and the rest had gone to the opera. and
afterwards TO supper. They did not return
home ultil two in tn, morning. Found
81
lefs In the library there were the remains
of some coffee, and the spirit bottles and
other things were on the table Mr.. Neei-
ham had, he should say, had his cup of
c1ffee AM cigar as usual The cup had
SINCE been washed, aud so also had the
coffee pot OF course if he had known of
the sad business he would have had the
things remain they we're Nobody had
been to the house during the day except
Mr.. Nolan, the solicitor He came to
breakfast, and tho master drove him home
in the afternoon the carriage used was the
pair hors, brougham, and the coachman
and footmln were on the box Had not
observed anything peculiar in bis masters
manner during the last few months
Thought it curious at the time his treating
everybody to the opera an being so par
ticularly affable, but nut it down to a
Dir. hday. though he must say 1t astonished
him very much. The parlor maid, however,
had sail she thought the master was mad;
bu6 1t was way she had
"A way she hadf' the coroner asked.
Eyes. sir Any one ADDING anything she
don't quite see She say, oh. he's mad
mad rs natter" Qauy bter.)
AMI she all not quite see the masters
invitation to Tue opera, chr
That was it, slr; an 1 so she bounces. as
| understands INTO the kitchen and SAYS the
masters mad"
"Yes. that will do; we don't want to
h,cr what YOU understand, hut what You
know Of your own Nnowledgaf
"Ye'. sir; that's what vas a-sayin-'
THAT will do; tie next witness"
TIL ma Bobbius was then called, He
said lie was bird catcher-'siealt IN emf
aud lived st licShael court, Hampstead.
Came across the body at eight o c. ock Sun
day mornin,. Saw the horse first; then
the body; than the brougham: called to q
chap as he see near the castle to come afore
he touched it; and then the police, some
time afterward All the clothes was on
the body, and the deceased had laid his
overcoat do n first to lie upon. that was
evident; and close by was the opera hat
and the bottle and flask now produced. The
clothes were wet, as it had rain d heavy
the first part of tee night. The bottle had
Essential Oil of Almonds on it. and
s'Poisona in big let ters, AMI the druggists
name.
Here the coroner explained that b, had
preferred to let this witness give his evil
dence exactly in his own work before ask
ing him any special questions, but from
this point he asked him great many,
further eiiciting that there was noevi ience
Of a struggle and no particular footmarks,
seeing that the spot where the body was
lying was furry" and not calculated to
show much in the way of fooumarks But
there were plenty of footmarks there now,
for the spot had been crowded with people
ever since, and Q lot Of the gorse had been
torn away.
The coroner expressed his regret that tbs
footprints had been obliterated; he though.
me police should have kept the place clear.
and he thought it matter for serious rep
rotation the morbid curiosity Of the pub-