A SCOTSMAN'S TERRIBLE DEATH IN LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 160, 8 July 1899, Page 5 (Supplement)

A SCOTSMAN'S TERRIBLE DEATH IN LONDON.

At Southwark, London, Mr Samuel Frederick Langham, the Coroner, held .in li>; quest a few weeks ago with reference lo the death of Charles Blower, aged !>_, an auction-room attendant, living at Southwark, who was found dead In his room under the "most remarkable circumstances. It was thought at first that the deceased had been a victim of foul play, but that fortunately-turned out to be untrue.

William Mortimer, a salesman, stated that the deceased was his landlord.

The Coroner: Was he a man who was in clined to drink?

Witness: He was gifted at it. (Laugh ter.)

The Coroner: You mean, 1 suppose, that he drank very heavily?

Witness: Yes, he drank an enormous quantity of Scotch whisky, in what he called the approved fashion.

The Coroner: What was that, pray?

Witness: He could take a good bain.per of Scotch whisky, and then take some water. He' said it was always better if it mixed Inside. (Laughter.)

The Coroner: Well, what do you know of this affair? ■ .

Witness: I know that on Thursday last he was out getting terribly drunk. In fact, he had not been.sober for a week. On coming home he went to his room, and I concluded had gone to bed. I saw nothing of him on the Friday, and as he did not put iv an appearance by the afternooi of Saturday I came.to the conclusion that it was best to force his door. I called his superior landlord and-a lodger, and we forced his duor, and then found him lying against the bed dead.

P.-C. Charles Monk stated that he was called by the last witness to the house. He entered the room and was surprised to find evidence of a terrible struggle!. The chairs were'upside down, with sjme of the logs broken off; the table was broken up, whilst the pictures were torn from the walls. '

The Coroner: Did anyone hear Bounds as of a struggle?

Witness: I have made every Inquiry, and no one seems to have heard anything. It appears that no notice was taken of his absence, as-he was. In the nablt of shutting himself up for days at a stretch. I might mention that the window curtains were alsh pulled down. ; V

Dr. George Michael Henry, police surgeon of the district, stated that when be called In answer to the summons he found the deceased huddled up all under the bed. One' of the man's arms wa_ embracing the bed leg. His face was very much distorted, as though with terrible {,'ifferiug.

The Coroner: Did you notice the disorder In the room?

Wituess: Yes, there was hardly _ thing In Its right place. The, Coroner: I take it that th_;'furn-.ure,', had been subjected to very great vlOleticdthen? .-■';, ...,.-" ,;.: TV, ;,< Witness: Oh, yes, it m_ st have h-ehf' T The Coroner: To what do you asCribe death? , - ■■...;• "/'_•.. . . Witness: .Syncopo, produced by-excessive exhaustion. 1 take it that when lie went to bed he had an attack of delirium. No doiibt he got out of bed aud struggl__.;furious_y.As he got weaker and weaker'he would naturally fight' more desperately for life. .1 tuke it that he broke the furniture up and threw the things about whilst in this state of acute delirium.The Coroner having commented at great length on the extraordinary nature of the case, the Jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.