Coroner Berryman commenced an inquest yesterday into John ERSKINE's suspicious death at St. John Wednesday morn. Dr. Simon was called and said that he found a contused wound on Erskine's head near the ear. It appeared as though it had been made by a stick of wood, bottle or other hard substance. The principal witness was Wm SCRIBNER, a lodger with Erskine, but he could not be found. He said that Mary Jane TONER, Erskine's step-daughter, had been in the house Tuesday night, had a row with Erskine and blows had been struck. Erskine's wife and George HIGGINS, another lodger, gave testimony, but it did not cooberate Scribner's words. She said there was no wrangling in the house Tuesday night.