Middlesbrough & Stockton Gazette and General Advertiser. — 1874-01-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

INQUEST OS THE BODIE3. Mr John Graham, the coroner for Chester War,) opened his formal inquiry into the cause of death of the three culprits, Charles Dawson, William Thompson. and Edward Goug.h, in the office of the deputy-govern w, Mr James Young, at ten o'clock. There were present, besides the prison officials, Mr It Bowser, the Under-Sheriff _IA-• • a an 11•11,1 mW, 01 UIS onicere, an.. a jory trwiesmen, with Mr Geo. Ridley, gardeuer, New Elvet, as foreman, was empanelled. The opening formalities having been performed, the jury proceeded to view the bodies. That which first came under inspection was the corpse of Gough. His mouth was open, arid his face was somewh it discoloured, but the whole character of his face was repose, and there was no indiaction of 'suffering. Next to him lay Dawson whose head, sunk between his shoulders, fully testified how effectively the executioner had prformed his duties in his case also. His face was also much discoloured, but his eyes, like those of his two unfortunate companions, were closed, and but for a slight contraction of the corners of his mouth, his appearance was also free from pain. Thompson's face was much discoloured and slightly swollen, this latter appearance, however, lending a greater look of repose to his countenance, which did not show the slightest indication of agony, and the rope marks were exceedingly faint on the necks rle of both Gont,ll and Thompson, but bright and tostrtoini:lglaypadrettimni,endtoinn twhahticohf Dualewsionui nqry itutiurnbietz . On opened, the following evidence was called in the case of Edward Gough Mr James Young deposed that the deceased, Edward Gough was a labourer, residing at Sunniside, near Marley Hill, and he was committed, on a charge of wilful murder, by the Chester-le-street magistrates, on the 11th of July, 1873. Witness was present at the Durham Winter Gaol Delivery on the 13th of December, when Gough was convicted of the "offence of wilful murder, and sentenced by Sir George Ilonyrnan to be hanged. George Thompson, warder, said he had sat up with the convict Edward Goii,th since the 15th of December 14.4. Witness was presriat at his ear. cution within the precincts of the prison thet morning, and the body the jury had seen was that of Edward Gough. Mr R. Bowser, of Bishop Auckland, metersheriff, produced the formal order which he had rec.iyed rout the clerk to the Crown, Mr John W. Hays, for the execution of the said Edward Gough, which document was received at the sheriff's office in Durham on the 19th December last. Witness was present withiu the preoincts of the prison that morning, and saw the sentence carried out. Mr Wm. Boyd, surgeon, was also present within the prison walls that morning at eight o'clock, and witnessed the execution of Edward Gough. He afterwards, at nine o'clock, saw the body of Gougo, which was the same the jury had seen, and found it was quite dead. The jury at once returned a verdict to the effect that the sentence passed upon Edward Gough had been duly carried out. The inquiry into the death of Charles Dawson, and afterwards that of William Thompson, was then gone into, the proceedings and result ly!iug the same in each case. The bodies of the three culprits were interred at two o'clock in the afternoon, in the western yar 1 of the prison. A large cavity, capable of accommodating the three coffius abrea.st, had been dug close to the grave in which lie the remains of Mary Ann Cotton, the West Auckland poiaoper, and into it the warders lowered the remains of the three dead men. Canon Consitt having performed the Roman Catholic rites for the des i over the body of Gough, the prison chaplain, Mr Lowe, read the burial service of the Established Church over the remains of the other two. Those present were solely prison officials. The ends of justice hive been met, but the dreadful warniaa, will not have had the effect designed bylaw, unless the crimes for which Dawson, Gough, and Thompson have suffered become of less frequent oceurrence, and men be taught to become wiser, better, and more humane than they have hitherto been.