INQUEST.

Bush Advocate, Volume II, Issue 86, 22 November 1888, Page 2

INQUEST.

' An inquest was held on Wednesday at 10 a.m., at the Crown Hotel, Norsewood, before Mr S. Johnson, Coroner, and a jury of six, on the body of William Savage, deceased. The following gentlemen were sworn as jurymen :— William Small (foreman), F. W. Hollins, F. O. Shugar, J. Pettersen, W. Greffen,. and A. Gould. After the jury had viewed the body the following witnesses were, examined by Sergeant McArdle :— Rudolf Von Mirbach. who stated that he was a duly qualified medical practioner, said he had made a post mortem examination of deceased as directed by the Coroner. First opened the chest and examined the organs as they lay exposed. The left lung was greatly congested. The right lung, was also congested, but in a less degree. .Removed the breast. The pericardium was normal, found aneurism of the heart : there were in fact two aneurisms. Tne deceased suffered from organic disease of the heart. Opened the head and removed the "upper portion of the head, exposing the brain. Found extensive extravastation of blood into the right hand cranium, and in the left side was congestion of the blood-vessels. He might say. that, there was general congestion s of the brain, and there was no doubt whatever that the deceased died . from simple apoplexy. The appearance of the deceased and his full bodied well nourished etate showed a tendency to this disease.— To Mr Gould : A purple appearance of the face would show a tendency to this disease. — To the Foreman : Was not prepared to say of what long standing the congestion of the lungs was. .Any undue excitement would bring' on an attack of apoplexy in the deceasod. None of the large vessels were broken. There were no bruises about the head.-^-To Mr Shugar : Could not go into details, but & the man's idiocracy was such that any excitement would cause death. A small quantity of liquor would have prolonged life, but a very large quantity taken would have accelerated death. John Iversen, carpenter : knew the deceased for the past five months. Recognised the body aa William Savage. Had been partners for th.c last two months. He and deceased had boarded at the Crown Hotel. During the last 10 days had seen deceased at least once a day. He was knocking round the^hotel during the io days but was not the worse for liquor. Witness meant he . waa not drunk. While working with witness he once went on the spree for about eigjit or nine days, when he wa<* drinking heavily. During the last 10 days the deceased was in a half sleepy, dazed condition. Witness thought this condition was caused by drink, but deceased could walk and talk. Saw deceased on the 19th inst. about 8.30 p.m. At that time Pomerantz and Williams took deceased inside the house. About half an hour after went into the taproom, and saw him # on a couch, when he was fast asleep and was snoring loudly. Went to bed about a quarter ot an hour later, and did not see the deceased until he (witness) came down at 6 a.m. .next morning.— Went into the taproom and saw him in the same position as he was when left on the previous evening, but he was dead. Went and told Olsen, the landlord. Could hear deceased snoring at about 10 o'clock on the previous evening (19th).— To Mr Gould : When the men took deceased in they carried him. — To Mr Hollins : Deceased was not groaning, only snoring, when witness saw Him. — To the Foreman : Witness supposed that for the last 10 days deceased was on the drunk. — To Mr Hollins : About two months ago when deceased was on the spree he complained of being unwell; He had a bad cold at the time. George Williams, sawmill hand, knew deceased by sight, and knew that he went by the name of Savage. Saw him in the Crown Hotel about midday on Monday r in company with others. As far as witness could judge deceased was then sober. Heard Mr Olsen say that they (*.&, deceased and Mr Olsen) would have to be ready for work on the following morning. Saw and spoke to deceased at about 5 p.m., when he (deceased) stood in the doorway. Deceased paid that he had been ou the beer a bit last week, and asked the best way to tet off it. Witness advised him to take a good walk and get clear of it. About 8.30 went in to ask for a bed. Saw Mrs Olsen, who said he could have one. Then went out again on verandah. Deceased sat on a box at the corner of the verandah. Touched him and asked; " Are you on the stool of repentance, Bill?" He made no reply. He leaned forward and fell on his face, but never spoke. He fell easily. Went into the room and got assistance and carried him in and laid him on the sofa. Thought he might be suffering from what he had been drinking. When laid down he bepan to snore, and witness thought that he was allright. Half an hour later went in with his mate Iversen, and he was snoring just the sama. Turned him onto his right side and put a chair for his arm to rest upon. August Pomerantz, laborer, was at the Crown Hotel on the evening of the 19th. At abeut 8.30 saw Savage talking to Mr Olsen, the proprietor. Heard Olsen say to deceased, " Bill, you know that you have to go to work to-morrow, don t make a fool of yourself." Could not say in what state Savage was then. About 20 minutes after was told by Williams that Savage was lying down on the verandah. Assisted to bring him in and lay him on the sofa. He was breatkingheavily,and witness thought he was asleep. Didn't hear him snore. Did not see deceased take any drink that day. Engebrett Olsen, proprietor Crown Hotel : Knew the deceased since 27th of July. During this-time he had' boarded with witness. Part of the time had emploj ed deceased. About two months ago he was a bit "on the drunk," partly ftt witu«sa' how§Q and.

partly, at others';. Knew that he had obtained, dtfmlfc ..elsewhere, . because when .^efjiised him drink he wpuld g<j away fciid return half drunk. •On <last he finished the Mjonjc he Vas J 'dqiD& and when he came h^niehe.-hadvi'few glasses in. He had no Beer" from witness that day, except one glass before going to bed. Since last Wednesday had allowanced him with four glasses of beer per day. Mrs pisen had been told to limit de- . ceased td-tljat hiraaber during witness' absence." Had "done "this because people used to come. ,,and_ give the deceased drink, and witness wanted to get; him to : work. - : Deceased had not been drinking, heavily, as witness looked, after him; 'Deceased was limited to that quantity up to Monday last. On Monday night he said to witness, "You always keep me back when I want to get on the boose," and thanked witness. He aske,d for two pints of beer to take outside.. ,This was about 7 p^m. on Monday! Witness asked who the beer was for, but was told it was wanted for a certain party and he would bring the money back. Witness gave him the beer. Was very sober when witness gave him the beer. About. 10 a.m. onMonday he had, a small beer. Did not know whether he had any more except the two pints in the evening. Witness went away, soon after 10 a.m.\ Witness went upjthe road, but came back on business, arid went' to Ormondville about 3 p.m., from where he returned after 6 p.m.— To. the Foreman : Might have said " Don ? t make ; a fool of yourself" when he asked witness for the two bottles of beer. As a rule deceased applied for the four glasses to which he was limited. That was the only time he asked for drink in bpttles, and he was sober when he asked that evening. Didn't see where he went with the beer. Never saw deceased alive since. Went away for a time, and when witness returned saw no one about either in the bar or rooms. Heard no unusual . sounds. Went to bed. Mrs Olsen was in7the „bar when witness returned. When witness said no one was about, he meant that none but people of the house were there.— To Mr Pettersen : A great many people lie down in the taproom, ana there was nothing extraordinary in a man doing so. Learned from his wife that deceased was asleep in the taproom. — To Mr Hollins: Witness was sober- at the time. —To Sergeant McArdle : When Mrs Olsen told witness that Savage was t asleep in the taproom she said that ' she had put clothes oh him am* would not disturb him as he was asleep. She did not inform witness that Savage had been carried in. , Gurine Olsen, wife of last witness, said she knew Savage, who had lived in the hotel since about two weeks from the time the house was opened. He was a quiet man but had been twice on the booze since he came to the house. Last week he was upon the booze. On Monday last, about 8.30 a.m., saw him when he came down to the dining room. He went to the bar and witness called to him would he have any breakfast. He declined. He had nothing to eat or ; drink from witness. Looked for him between 11 a.m. and 12, but couldn't find him. Didn't see anyone serve him with beer as she had strangers from Napier and she stayed with them. At 4 p.m. she saw him asloep in his bed. A little after 6 p.m. he got up, went down to the. bar and asked for 'a medium beer, which witness gave him. Witness told him to go and have some tea, and he went to the kitchen and got some from the cook. He walked up and down in the passage and witness served him with another medium beer. He came in some time after, between 6 and 7 p.m., and asked for another beer. Witness refused. He came five minutes later and witness gave him a small glass of beer. He was then quite sober. Didn't see him until he was carried in. Did not feel alarmed. She asked what was the matter with him but got no answer. Thought he was only asleep. Witness' husband was next door at her daughter's place. Witness thought it between 8 and 9 p.m. when he returned. Did not tell Olsen about Savage lest he might go and wake him up. Informed Olsen on Tuesday morning that Savage was carried in ; just as witness was telling him, Ivesen told them that Savage wa« dead. Witness went to bed between 10 and 11 p.m. Heard him snoring awfully after she retired. Before retiring she had taken some clothing and covered Savage. Did not mention the matter to her husband. — To the Foreman : Had put a jacket and trousers on him, but though she took a blanket she did not put it on him, as he appeared to have thrown up some soup. -To Mr Hollins : Hadn't seen him drunk since Monday, I.2th. Never served him with beer in bottles. Had refused deceased more beer because she knew that Oken wanted him to go to work next day, but he was sober at the ,time. Did not try to wake Savage to get him to bed. Some time previously Savage went to sleep on a oox outside for three hours, and afterwards went to bed all right, she thought it was the same then. Since last time she had seen Savage drunk he had not taken food regularly. Did .not think he wanted a doctor, but he had complained of a pain in the chest. This was all the evidence ? and after a retirement of about 20 minutes the following verdict was arrived &£•: — "This jury is of opinion that "the deceased, William Ravage, died through an attack of apoplexy accelerated by indulgence m alcholic drink, but that no blame can be attached to anyone, as all reasonable means had been used to prevent him from drinking too much."