Re the death of Strnev Joxes, deceased.
This inquiry was resumed from the previous day.
Dr. Robert James Marshall said he saw the body in the Shantung Road Mortuary on Tuesday.
Te was then in highly decomposed condition. There were of violence upon it, nor anything te any other cause for death than drowning. he body appeared to have been submerged for some time, certainly for some dey Inspector Thomas Mellows, Police, said that on the 4th instant a petty officer from the Alacrity reported to him that a stoker had fallen board from the steam launch at about 5 a.m, that day and was drowned. Witness sent drag boats torry and pick up the body but without success, At 1.20 p.m. on the 1th instant the body was found opposite the Arsenal by the River Police constable, who took it to the Pootung mortuary, where it was stripped. Witness saw the body afterwards. When the case was reported to him he at once informed Mr. Macdonald at the Ca sulate. The flannel found on the body w:
Jones. Both were p Witness saw no marks on the body and the, sergeant and constable present when it was taken from the water, made the same remark that there were no mark on it.
By the Jury—This was the same body that was shown to the doctor and jury yesterday.
Alfred Edward Donnell, a gunner of the Royal Marine Artillery, "sid he was on sentinel duty on board H. M.S. Alacrity at 5.45 am. on the 4th inst. He heard splush in the water and, looking over the ship's side, saw the ship's launch on the port quarter and immediately in' front_of it a man was struggling in the water. The cap and boat-hook the man had been using were floating near the buoy. Witness made for the patent life buoy, but the launch was underneath it and he could not into the water. At this time the man was under the water id ye nothing of him. There were three sill life buoys close but witness could net throw them beau! the man was out of sight. The quarter-mister was in the steamboat and if the man had come to the surface he would have been assisted. Witness stopped by the patent life buoy, but if the man had come up. he would have heaved another no; It was a matter of 30 seconds from the ¢ witness first saw the man in the water to the time he was at the life buoy. Deceased could never have exught a small life buoy with the tide.
By the Jury—Deceased was the only man on the steamboat at the time he fell into the water.
Lieutenant Henry Gratton, of H. M.S. Alacrity, said he was doing the work of the First Lieutenant, who was on leave on the morning of the 4th inst., and was walking, of life buoys. When he got there, with the matter. A search of his house, there was no sign of the man, but a cay however, was productive of better results, and boat hook were floating close by. for there was found among other mail slack water at the time and the boat matter a copy of the Coronation number was right under the Alacrity's counter of "The Sphere," addressed to a lady in with her stern to port, so that if the patent Hangchow Mission. The paper bore life buoy had been let go it would have the London and Shanghai British Post fallen in the forepart of the boat. As the Office stamps, as well as the receiving wan had gone from sight it would ye stamp of the I. C. P.O. Several mail bay been of no use letting go any life buy were also discovered, as well as the book especially as the rescue boat was very 4 of photographs alluded to in the charge in getting on the scene. The patent life When asked to account for his posses-buoy was 2 copper buoy, circular and allot sion of this prisoner said his brother had four fect in diameter. Tt hung right over given it to him. The detective there-the stern and was let go by the pulling of a upon arrested the brother, and found knob. Witness could not say what was the mail bags of the British Post Office in his weight of the buoy, but if it had fallen into possession. the oat, the boat must have been damaged.
Mr. J. C. Kaye, of the British Post Deceased must have sunk almost at once Office, remarked that frequent comand not risen again. He was able to swim. plaints were made about papers being lost By the Jury—The sentry was not far by the British Post Office, but in reality away and heard a splash. "Deceased was they had been safely handled -by that lighting un fires on the steam boat, raising steam. Witness thought deceased got into office and passed on to the I. C. P. 0. The first man was sentenced to receive the boat all right, but as the boat was 500 blows, to be cangued for two months, bumping against the ship's side, which it and imprisoned for two years, while his undoubtedly was, deceased probably took brother was ordered a like number of up the boat hook to keep the launch clea The end of the boat hook must have hooked blows and a similar period of cangue, but against the ship's side, which probably only one year's imprisonment. caused deceased to overbalance. Witness Burglary. had seen this happen before, although the Two men were charged with burglariman had recovered himself. " Deceased was ously entering No. 16, Haskell Road, 21 years and 72 old. There was a between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the morning mistake about de sed's Christian name of the 15th September, and stealing Tt should have been therefrom one wooden box containing one gold watch and chain, 1 silver match box, The Coroner, addressing the jury, said it as hardly necessary for him to repeat the I silver pencil-case, 1 silver card case, 2 gold scarf pins, 1 pair gold sleeve links, lence over again. In cases of this kind, a set of gold studs, 2 $5 notes, the con-it sometimes appeared that such enqu tents of a dressing case, 1 Kodak camera, were a simple matter and only a waste of time, but in truth they were nothing of the 1 photo album, and one leather case, the whole of the value of $500, the property ind. It was necessary that such enquiries should be held at once, in order that of Mr. G. G. Perfect. nobody hereafter should be able to say that This was the adjourned hearing of this there any circumstance in which an; case, which had been postponed to body was to blame. The jury would agree, mit of the appearance of Mr. Perfect, he thought, that there was no circumstance who was absent at Hongkong on the first calling "for special remark except occasion. expression of regret that such an unfor-Inspector Chilver said that the Kodak tunate accident should have happened. He camera, sleeve links, and several other suggested that the jury should return a articles, a total value of about $150, had verdict of accidental death, and add. that not yet been recovered, and the accused no blame should be attached to anybody on refused to give any information respect-board in comiection with the accident. ing their whereabouts.
The jury fell in with this suggestion, and After hearing evidence which was in returned a verdict accordingly. the main similar to that given at the first hearing, and fully reported in these columns of the 22nd ult., the Assessor remarked that as there was no direct
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.