The Sun. — 1862-08-05 (London, England)

COBHAM, AVG. 4. An inquest on the bodies of the two gentlemen who were found on Friday in a wood near Cobham was held this morning at the King's Arms Inn, before W. Carter, Esq., coroner for East Surrey. The bodies had been placed in coffins previous to their inspection by the jury, and in an outhouse adjoining the inn. The spot where the tragedy took place was visited by hundreds of persons on Sunday, many of whom came from the metropolis for that purpose, and the trees near to which the bodies had been were entirely stripped of their foliage and branches by those who were curious to obtain mementoes of the extraordinary occurrence. The excitement continues to increase rather than to abate in the neighbourhood. The following evidence was adduced, after the Coroner had remarked that, as the bodies presented a most horrifying spectacle, the jury were only to be shown the lower extremities by the lid of the coffins being removed a few inches in order to satisfy them that the bodies were those of human persons. He observed that there were three hypotheses respecting the deaths, viz.—Suicide, or the murder of one and the suicide of the survivor.  H. Hogan, cattle dealer, of Cobham, deposed to being at the George and Dragon on Friday last, about seven o'clock, when two men named Eyles I and Boxall requested him to accompany them for a walk, and he did so. They left the village and turned into the waste land on Walton Heath. After proceeding about 150 yards from the Ripley turnpike road a very offensive smell was observed, and road on passing through the common towards the ran to Byfleet he remained behind his companions th:Loaohl.t_irning round he saw what appeared to be his baZa.v:?f two men, one of them was lying on lying on 411 a cloth over him. The other was the breast ortiht side with his head reclining on ion ill'ormer. Witness called to his acnomdptahneyths,:lo a tahni he pointed out the bodies, Lb bodies, and gave intl'otirpot without disturbing the The smell of Zion to Police- on stable been bodies was very offends vycs, . and :1. tics had 4 had no particular Tirfeess and the other meetly were there. latter knew the 1, on the common had toil he did not . nad he reason for going 0t1.1%, ..... searching for anything, a rod or Pape g, no- . ibieeliewvaesthnaott thseeare Paper had been found. previously hoard that Thos. Lovell, police-constable, stationed at Cobham, deposed—On Friday evening last I received certain information which caused me to go to souse waste land called Walton Common, being in the parish of Watton-on-Thames. I found several per. sons standing around two deed men, one of whom was lying on his back with hi.legs crossed, and having his head and face covered with a railway wrapper. The other lay upon his right side, with his head resting cn the breast of his dead companion. Their dresses were not disordered. The bodies were attacked by vermin, and they had 'probably been de&d seven or eight days, Mr. Webb, surgeon, accompanied me. I observed a pistol lying just behind the head of the upper one, ch which was an exploded cap. I now produce it. It is empty, having been discharged. A striped fancy cap was