James Stone

James Stone was found with his head battered in and his leg broken.

Two doctors gave evidence to state that in their opinion the fractures to his skull must have been caused by repeated blows to his head.

One of the doctors said that there were no bruises on his body, but that his upper right jaw was broken and he had many contusions and bruises on his forehead. He said that James Stone also had two fractures to his skull and that some bone fragments had penetrated his brain.

The other doctor said that he thought that James Stone's broken neck might have been caused by his fall after a blow to his head, but said that in his view the fractures to his skull could not have been caused by a fall.

James Stone had been working on a staging at the time and it was heard that he could not have fallen more than seven feet.

When he was found, a hammer, bearing traces of congealed blood on it was found beneath his body.

However, the Coroner's jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

James Stone's body was found by the foreman who had been called by James Stone's wife.