The Forest of Dean Examiner : — 1875-03-05 (Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England)

OPENINO OF THE CORONER'S INQUEST.  The inquest on the body of the deceased was , 4T-o'clock on Sunday night.—P.C. Thomas Mayo, opened on Monday afternoon, before Mr. B. I stationed at Bloxwich, deposed On Monday I Hooper, coroner for the county, at the Bird-in- ' was on duty at the police station, and prisoner Hand Inn, Jan:es-street, Byecroft. Mr. Superin- came and asked to see Sergeant Martin. I called tendent Cater was present on behalf of the Martin to him, and prisoner then said that he got police.—Ann Jones. the wife of William into a bother near the Horse and Jockey, and he Jones, coachman to Mr. Smith. of Ferndale, had stabbed a man. Martin said it was Hauchsworth, stated that she was half-sister to I * serious matter, and the man was dead. the deceased. HM proper name was Bridge- i Prisdnes said "Yea, I have heard IRO this mornwater, but as his mother married again when he ' lag." Martin cautioned him and then took down was very young, he had always gone by the prisoner's statement in writing. Sergeant name of Corbett. The dead body was that of • Martin, stationed at Bloicwich, deposed to being her half-brother. and he was about 46 or 47 year. called down by hat witness about a quakter to of age. He was a miner.—The Foreman : Has nine o'clock on Monday morning. He said he the deceased been of saber habits P—Witness 1 ! wanted to see me about a bother he got into have not seen the deceased for eleven yeas'., and !on Saturday night, he stabbed a nun, lie then aannot say.—A Juror : Previous to that had he cautioned him, and took CitriVll his statement as been of sober habits ?—Witness: He slid not go follows:—" Between eleven and twelve o'clock much into cempa:ny.—The Coroner said it was ' on Saturday night last, I woo going up the road not his intention to go further with the inquiry ! from Walsall to Bloswich, near the Horse and that day, as the police had not had sufficient I Jockey public-house, four men came up to me, time to obtain evidence. He should, therefore, one man pushed another man against me, and adjourn the iaquest for a post-nwriens examine- tried to knock me down. I trieg to run away. than to be mat:ie.—Has ing consulted the jury, it , and Cady followed tee, and .1 itAbbed a man .. agreed is rdstune the inquiry on 31010.6, soumwkere about the face with my knife, ! afternoon nest, and I tact my hat." He then r. Ire nie the  YE ItTliNg EXAMINATION OF THE rateoziks. produced. He &dd. " There is no On Friacy (yesterday), Stokes was agaiix blood upon it,. but there is somE upon ;ay  coat." He took him to Walsall. to the Chief of Police, and he had since been in custody. —By Mr. Rhode.: He gave his statement perfectlY straightforward. I have hues n him for a long time, and what I know of him is favourable to his character as a respectable, quiet num.—This being the evidence; Mr. Rhodes addressed the Bench for the defenoe, and said it was for the magistrates to decide first of all whether they Would take the charge as one of warder or manslaughter. He contended that the first could not be made out by the evidence; and with regard to the latter, he commented upon the evidence with a view of showing that the offence was committed in self-defence, and was one of justifiable homicide. Its then referred to the law mad definition of what was regarded as of justifiable homicide, and contended that no jury would convict upon the evidence before them. He quoted a number of mmes that had been decided. If they determined to send for trial, then he submitted that they could not be justified in treating the case as any other but that of manslaughter, and, under the circuit, stuices, if they decided to do this, then:he would apply that bail should be taken.—The magi& Mates decided to remand prisoner to Monday to complete the depositions, when prisoner would be committed on a charge of manslaughter; bail would, however, be taken, himself in ASO, and two sureties in .£2.5 each.