Coroner's Inquest.

Otago Witness, Issue 1765, 19 September 1885, Page 9

Coroner's Inquest.

Au inquest regarding the death of Low Sum was held before Mr I. N. Watt, coroner, and a jury at the Scacliff Lunatic Asylum on the 15th.

William Cruickshank, warder in the asylum, deposed that he knew the deceased, who was a patient in the asylum for three days. He was admitted on the Bth. On the afternoon of the 11th, when the patients were being bathed, witness, who was drying them, heard a scrambling noise in the passage leading to the urinal. He also heard someone singing out, and judged that there was a fight. He sang out to the other attendants, v There's a fight on, boys," and went in the direction of the noise. He saw deceased lying on the floor, and John Lengren, another patient, holding him by the shoulder and kicking him on the back. Lengren had on heavy boots with nails in them. Witness, along with Warder White, secured Lengren and pulled him off the Chinaman, who got up as though nothing had happened, and went into the airing court. In about half-an-hour he became ill, and was put to bed. This was about a quarter past sin the evening. At a quarter to 6he got worse, and Dr Neill was called in and prescribed hot fomentations. The patient died at 20 minutes to 7 the same evening, in the presence of Dr Nelson, assistant medical officer, and two warders.

George Cruickshank, another warder, gave corroborative evidence. After the occurrence, witness examined deceased, and found no bruises, but when he put him to bed he noticed two bruises on his back — one about the loins and the other between the shoulders.

Michael White, also a warder in the asylum, gave unimportant evidence.

Dr de Zouche stated that he had in conjunction with Dr Davies made a. post mortem examination of the deoeased. He found all the organs of the body free from disease, but .there had been a rupture of the right kidney, and a great pouring out of blood into the cavity of the abdomen. There was also blood in the right side of the chest. Death was caused by the rupture of the kidney. The rupture seemed tq have been caused from violence of some kind. Dr Davies stated that he had heard the evidence given by Dr de Zouche. He concurred with Uiat evidence, and had nothing to add thereto.

Dr Neil], medical superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum, stated that deceased was a gold-miner, about 47 years of age, and unmarried. He was a patient in the asylum, committed by the Colonial Secretary's warrant from the gaol at Lawrence, fie had been ordered to be detained for six months for having failed to find securities to keep the peace. When witness was called after the accident, deceased was dying. His body was cold, and he was pulseless. He was unconscious. On examining the body, witness found two marks of injury on his back and across his loins. He gave the necessary directions for his treatment, and ordered an attendant to remani with him, He also-sent for Dr Nelson. At 7 tfclook witness saw him dead At the post mortem, witness noticed the ruptured kidney, which was quite sufficient cause to account for his death. The patient Lengren, referred to by former witnesses, had been an inmate of the asylum for some years. He was not a dangerous patient. In witness' opinion he was not answerable for his act\O*ia, - The coroner, in summing up, stated that from the evidence of. fee doctors and warders the case was pearly ona of manslaughter, the patient having been killed by Lengren, a confirmed lunatic, who was unaccountable for his actions. The jury returned a veytliofc accordingly