The Curtis Murder, Coroner's Inquest
The Honble
The Colonial Secretary of British Columbia
Maple Bay Decr 17th 1868
Sir,
I have the honor to forward to you a copy of the proceedings at an Inquest held upon the body a man named Giles Curtiss, he was a very quiet in offensive person and had been working on Stark’s farm for the last year, he appear'd to have been sitting on a chair with his back to the door and some one had shot him in the head and afterwards cut his throat. I believe it has been done by Indians if so I think the murderer will be detected. Sampson the constable is making what enquiries he can in the case, The Jury returned a rather strange verdict for I am sure every assistance has been given to discuss the different [robberies?] they allude to
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your most obedient servant
Jno Morley
Salt Spring Island
Colony of British Columbia
to Wit
An Inquest upon the body of Giles Curtiss of Salt Spring Island, held at the House of Louis Stark at Salt Spring Island on Tuesday the fifteenth day of December in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight before me Jno Morley one of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the Colony named in the margin, Acting Coroner, and the following Jury.
John P. Booth, Foreman
Frederick Lester
William Harrison
Franklin Wall
Armstead Buckner
Thomas Park
The Jury having been duly sworn proceeded to view the body afterwhich the following witness's were examined
Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner
Salt Spring Island Tuesday the fifteenth day of December one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight.
Howard Estes, being sworn upon his Oath saith, I have been living with the deceased Giles Curtiss for some time on Mr Stark's farm. On Sunday last I went to Church leaving the House about ten o clock in the morning at that time deceased was quite well. I returned about two o clock in the afternoon. I saw my gun standing outside the door. I then went into the House and saw the deceased lying on the [two words illegible]. I called to him, he did not speak. I made right to him and saw blood all over his face. I did not stop to examine him but turned round took my gun and ran off to the Settlement. I went first to Mr Wall's House. Mr Park came out of Wall's House there was four or five of the Settlers there. I told them my poor friend is murdered. I had never heard anyone threaten Curtiss. I have no suspicion who did the murder. I returned to the House on Monday morning in Company with several of the Settlers. We examined the body and found a cut across the throat and a knife lying upon the table all over blood, the knife belonged to me. When I left the House to go to Church the knife was lying on the table I found that several blankets, a sack of flour had been taken away, a trunk containing wearing apparel had been opened and the cloaths taken out.
By a [illegible] I found a gun cover lying upon the table; I also miss'd a double barrel gun, a large linen table cloth, several pillow slips, and some linen towels.
To the beach I believe the gun cover belonged to Indians. On my return on Monday I saw a pillow slip lying on the floor near the door which I believe was not there the day before, but I could not swear it was not there. I miss'd also four cotton sheets, two of them new, two of them made out of flour bags.
(Signed)
Howard Estes
Taken and sworn before me at Salt Spring Island the day and the date before named
Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner
Salt Spring Island Tuesday the fifteenth day of December one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight.
John Norton being sworn upon his Oath saith, on Sunday last I was at Mr Wall's House when Mr Estes came up crying, murder, murder. There was several Settlers there I asked him who was murdered he said his friend Curtiss was. Some one asked has the House been robbed, he said he could not tell, he said he was too excited to stop and look. I went to the House the next morning as soon as I got there Mr Estes came with several more Settlers. We then examined the body and found his throat cut. I saw a knife lying upon the table all over blood. I also saw a gun cover lying upon the table. I believe it belongs to an Indian.
Mr Estes then looked round and found that several articles had been removed.
By a [illegible] We then looked to see if there was any tracks of Indians near the House. [illegible] saw several tracks some bare foot, and some with shoes, but there had been some rain the night before. The House door was open when I got there and there was a pillow slip lying on the floor near the door.
On Saturday last I was coming from Nanaimo in a Boat with three other Settlers and an Indian, we stepped on the road and made a fire to get a cup of tea; five Indians came to us and began to talk to themselves in the Indian language. One of them took the axe up belonging to us and was walking of with it. We took it from him. The Indian we had with us wanted us to go away, he said they talking about killing him. We then got away and when we were in the Boat and out of danger my Indian told me that the Indians had said they wanted to kill a Boston man, and that they wanted to kill all of us and throw us into the sea, to pay for what the Kanakas had done at Nanaimo. I did not know the Indians but they said they came from Cowichan
(Signed)
John Norton
Taken and sworn before me at Salt Spring Island the day and the date before named
Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner
Salt Spring Island Tuesday the fifteenth day of December one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight.
Henry Sampson, being sworn upon his Oath saith, On Sunday night last I received information that Mr Curtiss had been Murdered. I went to Cowichan and gave information to the Magistrate. I have since made an examination of the body. I found that his throat had been cut, and also found that he had been shot in the right temple with buck shot, the shot had penetrated to the breast. I saw two shots taken out of is breast. e was lying on the floor near the chimney, he appeared as if he had fallen off a chair which was standing near him, there is the mark of one of the shots on the back of the chair. I saw a gun cover which had been pick'd up in the House, by the smell of it I believe it belongs to Indians it smells very strong of Salmon I also saw a knife in the House all over with blood and hair.
(Signed)
Henry Sampson
Taken and sworn before me at Salt Spring Island the day and the date before named
Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner
Salt Spring Island Tuesday the fifteenth day of December one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight.
John C. Jones, being sworn upon his Oath saith, On Monday last I went to the house Mr Curtiss had been living in. I saw the body of the deceased lying on the floor. I saw that his throat had been, I also saw a knife lying upon the table covered with blood and part of his whiskers upon it.
I saw Mr Estes pick a gun cover up and say here is their gun scabbard. I took it in my hand and found it belonged to an Indian, it smelt very strong of Salmon.
(Signed)
John C. Jones
Taken and sworn before me at Salt Spring Island the day and the date before named
Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner
Salt Spring Island Tuesday the fifteenth day of December one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight.
Louis Stark, being sworn upon his Oath saith, The deceased Giles Curtiss has been living upon my farm for some time. I had a gun in the House which I sold to Curtiss, it was a double barrel gun long in the barrel, one of the [two words illegible] was shorter than the other, and one of the hammers had a piece broken off it. On the butt of the stock is a hole bor'd through it, large enough for a tenpenny nail, the lower thimble is broken off the barrel, the locks are strong and good. The gun I believe has been taken away
(Signed)
Louis Stark
Taken and sworn before me at Salt Spring Island the day and the date before named
Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner
Salt Spring Island Tuesday the fifteenth day of December one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight.
Finding of the Jury
We find that the deceased Giles Curtiss, died from the effects of a charge of buck shot having been fired into his right temple, and we return a Verdict of Willful Murder against some person, or persons, unknown, but from the evidence we believe it to have been Indians, And we are under the impression that the deed has been committed by some of these Indians who have been killing Cattle and robbing houses here during the last three or four years, they having become bolder from no effort having been made to bring them to Justice for the Crimes which they have formerly committed.
Signature of Jury
Taken before be at Salt Spring Island the day and the date before named.
Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner