The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1894-11-03 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ALLEGED MURDER OF A  YOUTH.  CHARGE OF FATAL KICKING.  SHOCKING DISCLOSURES.  On Monday afternoon the borough coroner, Dr. Churton, conducted an inquiry at the Meadows Hotel in Conway-street, into the circumstances attending the death of James Murphy, sixteen years of age, a labourer, who lived with his fathom and mother at 92, St. Anne-street. Deceased died on Thursday, morning last week, and the doctor who was in attendance declined to give a certificate as to the cause of death being under the impression that death was due to some injury he understood the lad had sustained some weeks before. Evidence was given by Mary Ellen Murphy, wife of James Murphy, labourer, and mother of the deceased, to the effect that the lad had given way occasionally to habits of drinking but she had I screened these faults from his father. Four weeks last Saturday lie came home very late. She did not see him till the following morning. Then there wore traces of blood having flowed from his ear. In reply to her questions he told her he had been drinking with some other boys and the wife and step-daughter of Peter Kelly or " Star" Kelly, at the latter's house in 17, Eldon-place and that Kelly came home and finding him lying in a drunken sleep on the hearthrug kicked him brutally about the head and body from the kitchen through the lobby and into tbe street. The lad worked off and on till the 17th October, but always complained of pains in his head. A week last Sunday she got a doctor to him, but he grew worse and died on Thursday the 25th October. At the request of the jury "Star" Kelly was examined, and he deposed that the last time Murphy was in his house was six weeks and not four weeks last Saturday. He came home late and found young Murphy lying on the floor asleep. He allowed the lad to remain while he got his slipper with his wife and stepdaughter. Then, at about halfpast twelve, he roused Murphy and told him to go home. Murphy refused and rushed at him, but he got hold of the lad under the arms and carried him through the lobby and into the street. His stepdaughter went out and saw him to the bottom of the street He had heard that Murphy was fighting afterwards and had a couple of severe falls before he got home. A lad named Edward Cotton was next called, and the pith of his evidence was that he happened to lie passing the door of Kelly's house four weeks last Saturday between eleven and twelve. He heard Kelly shouting "Get out, get out." Then he saw Kelly and Murphy in the lobby. He saw Kelly punching Murphy and Murphy fell. Then Kelly kicked him about the head, and ill-used him enough to kill a horse." A boy named Alexander Kelly who was also at the door went in the lobby, picked Murphy up and "linked" him out and down the street. Blood was then rushing from Murphy's ear "like a tap." The boy Alexander Kelly deposed that he saw Kelly punching Murphy and he saw Murphy fall. ' Kelly's stepdaughter called him across and he took Murphy away and down towards home leaving him at the bottom of the street. This was four of five weeks ago late on a Saturday night The Coroner said he saw no practical utility in proceeding further with the inquiry because the jury could fix no criminal responsibility upon anyone. The lad died in all probability from certain injuries, but the evident.* is insufficient to show how those injuries were inflicted. rhe jury felt unable to arrive at a verdict without further evidence and they also expressed a wish that a post modem should be held.