The coroner came with a jury, with constables, with doctors, with witnesses. It required a whole squadron of boats to bring over the little army of interested persons, who flocked to see the loathsome object which had been dragged from its resting-place in the channel. Dr. Bilks, Dr. Hobhed, and Dr. White were summoned to view the body, and procure the medical testimony in regard to the death of the deceased. Only one of all this multitude attracted the attention of Dick Birch--Dr. Bilks. He watched him with the most intense interest. But the doctor presented nothing very noticeable in his looks and manners, except a disposition to be rather more jovial than seemed proper on such an occasion. He was a little paler than usual, though he smiled whenever he spoke, and manifested little or no feeling in the presence of the dead; but he was a doctor, and was familiar with such scenes. The corpse was viewed by the doctors first. They looked for bruises and marks; but they found none. The head, upon which the fatal blow had been struck, was gone. The medical gentlemen were perfectly satisfied that the head had been removed with a knife, and by a person who had some knowledge of anatomy. The clothes were then examined by the sheriff and coroner. The deceased wore snuff-colored pants, and vest, and a sporting coat, with peculiar buttons. On the little finger of each hand there was a ring, one of which was identified by the clerk of the Bell River House as belonging to Mr. Buckstone. His watch was recognized by two or three witnesses, who had been brought over for the purpose. The coat, vest, and cravat were removed, and sent up to Mary, who identified them as Mr. Buckstone’s. The linen had the initials E. B. upon it. The contents of the pockets were various. A porte-monnaie and a pocket-book, both of which contained the name of the deceased, established the identity of Mr. Buckstone. But the most interesting and conclusive testimony obtained upon the headless trunk consisted of a couple of letters. They were soaked with water, but their contents were still legible after they had been dried in the sun. The coroner’s jury, having “viewed the body” in due form of law, went over to the Town Hall to hear the case, and make up their verdict, while the remains were placed in the care of an undertaker. When the inquest was opened, the doctors were first called upon for their testimony. What was purely surgical we have already given. Dr. Bilks added to his evidence some portions of the conversation which had taken place between Dick Birch and himself the preceding evening. He had advised Mr. Birch to tell the whole truth, which Mr. Birch declined to do. Mr. Birch had asked his advice in regard to his future course, and he (Dr. Bilks), having, of course, no idea that he was implicated in the murder, had advised him to leave Poppleton. “Did Mr. Birch deny that he was the person with the deceased?” asked the coroner.