"An inquest was held on the body of Cully, the policeman who had been stabbed. From the state of political feeling, the jury seemed determined to justify murder on the ground that the meeting was legal, or, if illegal, had not been legally dispersed. The inquest was continued for several days, and finally the jury, after retiring for nearly three hours, returned the following verdict: 'We find a verdict of _justifiable homicide_ on these grounds: That no Riot Act was read, nor any proclamation advising the people to disperse; that the Government did not take the proper precautions to prevent the meeting from assembling; and that the conduct of the police was ferocious, brutal, and unprovoked by the people; and we moreover express our anxious hope that the Government will, in future, take better precautions to prevent the occurrence of such disgraceful transactions in this metropolis.' "Coroner: Your verdict only traduces the police and the Government. You are not borne out by the evidence in justifying the murder of this man. Were the people innocent who used the murderous weapons, stilettos, bludgeons, and lances, such as you have seen? "Foreman: We state in our verdict on what grounds we justify the homicide. We do not traduce the police, nor the Government. We trust that our verdict will prevent the negligence and misconduct that has caused the arms and heads of his Majesty's peaceable subjects to be broken. "Coroner: Do you call them peaceable subjects? "Foreman: It has been proved that they are peaceable. We will say no more, sir; record our verdict or dismiss us. We have told you, sir, we will not alter a letter. In regard to our oath, and our duty to our God, our country, and our King, we can give no other verdict. "After a consultation of some length, the coroner directed the verdict, as originally put in, to be entered on the record. The depositions, inquisition, and record were then completed and signed. "The coroner said, 'Gentlemen, I consider your verdict disgraceful to you; but I thank you for your great attention to the case.' "The foreman, bowing, said, 'We thank you, sir.' "Hereupon, a number of persons in the room, which was crowded to excess, exclaimed, 'Bravo, jurors; you have done your duty nobly, the country is indebted to you;' which was followed by vociferous cheering in the room, re-echoed with prodigious vehemence by the crowd outside. As the jury withdrew, numbers of persons pressed forward and shook each of them eagerly by the hand. In the streets, as they passed, they were cheered by name, while the police were hooted.