Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1884-05-30 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

THE ALLEGED MURDER AT BECKINGTON. On Monday the inquest on the body of Thomas Phillips, who died under mysterious circumstances at Beckington, was resumed before Mr. W. Muller, at the Woo'pack Inn, Beckington. Dr. Evana said that In consequence of a letter received from the coroner he had, in company with Dr. Parsons, made a further examination of the body of the deceased. He found a fracture of both nasal bones, which would, in his opinion, have been caused by a fall or blow. It would Sot be improbable for nob a fracture to have been  caused by a fall, but he would expect then that there would be bruises on the tip of the nose. There was a remarkable absence of injuries to the skin. The more he had thought of the case the more he was conviuced that the injuries were not caused by a blow. He did not think a blow follow.d by a fall would have produced the inju ire. He did not think the injuries would be explained by a blow, and the head strikieg against a wall. The reason he said so was that, from the nature of the fracture, the force must have been cranamitted from the spine either by the body falling on the head, or else the head being driven forcibly on the spine. His convelsation with the deceased relative to the. fall from a ladder took place on a Sunday at 12.30 p.m. It was possible that at that time iffusion might have commenced, but he c msidered deceased was quite capable of giving expression to his own thoughts. The bleeding from the right nostril with none from the left, blood effused on the right Silo of the head and none on the left, and when he turned the body over in the post mortem a quantity of blood running from the right no•tril, was to his mind 6tiong evidence that the blood came from the brain aud cot from the fracture of the nose, and the theory he would draw from that WilP, that supposing the deceased met with the accident before he went to the public-houme the stimulant he had, cold air, and walki ,g exercise would bring on a reaction in excess, and bleeding would occur on the brain. The blood pouriug out on the brain would very probably cause giddiness and accou• t for his falling; the blood then would fiud vekt through the nose and relieve the brain, enabling him to eat home. When witness was caded in deceased was quite conscious, and made no complaint of being assaulted. Mr. J. Fredk. Perseus M.it.C.S.E., said on Tuesday, in consequence of a communication received from Dr. Evans, he made wtth him a further examination of deceased's body. H.e described the appearance of the body, and it was his opinion that the fracture of the bridge of the node was caused by a virlent blow delivered trom directly in front by an instrument that was fairly soft—possibly from a fist. It wonld be difficult to explain such an injury by a fall. Dr. Evan's evidence was read over, and nearly the whole theory of the fall Mr. Parsons said he could not follow, and did not agree with it. Several other witnesses having been called, the ju,y returned the following verdict :—" That the deceased died from an effusion of blood on the brain produaed ' by a fracture in the base of the skull, but there ie no evidence to show how the fracture occurred." They , also added a rider thanking the police for their careful , investigation in the case. Mr. Bisgood said that on • behalf of the police he could not look upon the Case as settled, but if anything further came out in the course of the investigations which they would continue to make they had another court to which they could apply.