INQUEST.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9835, 18 September 1897, Page 10

INQUEST.

fICHE SAMARITAN HOME CASE. An inquest touching the death of Frederick Charles White, who died at the Samaritan Home on September 14th, was hold at the Star Hotel yesterday before Mr R. Beeth&m, coroner, and the following jury :—Mr J. C. Sopp (foreman}, J. Munnrngs, J. Wright, J. W. Storry, N. K. Bowden, and W. Baker. The Coroner Btated that the jury would have no difficulty in coming to a conclusion >\ii!i to iiif < u;;c of desiih, h\\*. owing to the surrounding circumstances of the case he had considered that an inquest was necessary to have the matter properly cleared up. Geoffrey S. Clayton, duly qualified medical practitioner, said he was called on Friday evening, September 10th, to see the deceased. He iound him in a low emaciated condition and decided that he was suffering •from pneumonia. The room he was in was hardly suitable for » ruan in that state of health, but the matron was not aware of the man's conditiou. Every care was afterwards taken. lie was too bad for removal. He lingered till the following Tuesday, when he died from pneumonia. He wished to inform the jury that he did not attend the Samaritan Home on behalf of the Charitable Aid Board. He could not tell how long deceased had been in the condition in which he found him.

Mrs lzett, residing in Gloucester street, Lin wood, said she hitd aetJii deceased on Tuesday vrcek last at her house. He came to her begging, saying that he was starving ; thathe hud been discharged from the Hospital and could not gain admission into any oi the homes, and that ho would bo willing to do anything for a breakfast. Witness gave him a meal, and also a note to Mrs Farming, .St. Asaph street, Limrood, asking her to taky deceased to the Mayor of Lin wood, as Mrs Fanning was going to see the Mayor that morning. Witness had never seen deceased before.

Grace Fanning, residing in 21 St. Asaph street, Linwood, said she took the deceased to the police station last Wednesday weok, between nine aud ten in the morning. He had a note in his possession from Mrs Jzett. Ho was in a terriblfe state of destitution and had a racking cough. Sergeant-Major Ramsay said that at 10.15 on September Bin Mrs Fanning brought deceased to the Police Station, and showed him tho note produced. Ho told MrsJb'anning that the Charitable Aid Home was the more suitable place for him. The deceased told him ho had three sons —one, Percy White, a woll-known jockey in Hastings. He had been sleepiug at the back of the Gloucester street school for several nights. He was fifly-sevcn years of age. He said he wanted a home anywhere where ho could be taken in. The Charitable Aid Board were rung up, and an answer came back that he should be taken to Airs Herrick's Home. The deceased was quite willing to go. Ho said he knew the way to the Homo, and was then told that if he walked on slowly Sergeant Wilson would catch him up and try and get his admission to the Home. Deceased returned about an hour after, and witness heard subsequently from Sergeant Wileon that he could not get deceased into Mrs Herrick's or tho Charitable Aid Board or the Samaritan Home withont an order. Deceased was in tho meantime kept at the police station. Witness consulted Inspector Brobam, and it was deckled to charge the deceased nominally before the Court for vagrancy. A comfortable place was mado for him in the padded cell, where he remained all that night. Witness saw him at about 9 p.m., and deceased said he had not been so comfortable for a very long time. Witness had Mr Norria rung up, asking him to Attend the Court the following morning. Mr Norris did so, and stated to the justices that he had made arrangements to have something done for the deceased. Deceased was taken back to the police station and made as comfortable as possible. At about six o'clock he left the station in a van for the Samaritan Home. During his stay at the police station he was tolerably well, and witness did not think it necessary to get any medical advice. He had been an inmate of the Hospital, having been received on March 22nd, 1897, and discharged on April 12th.

To the Jury—He showed no signs of serious illness. He could not say whether he had any assistance from his sons. Witnoss also produced a letter from the Samaritan Home Committee to the Clerk of the Court to the effect that they were willing to take in any cases of men who had been convicted of having no visible means of support.

Sergeant Wilson said on Wednesday, September Bth, he was instructed by Ser-geant-Major Ramsay to follow the deceased to Herrick's Home. He did so, and met deceased coming away. He took him bade and saw Mrs Herrick whom he told about the old man. She said she had had him before, and declined to take him in aa he had been very dirty in his habite. He then brought deceased back to the station, went to the Charitable Aid Board, and caw Mr Norria, telling him all the circumstances; that ho seemed to be starving, and waa a fit subject for the Board to deal with. Mr Jforris made inquiries and found there waa no room at the Armagh street depot, while the Old Men's Home at Ashburton was full. The Samaritan Home was spoken of aud witness rang up the Christchurch Police Station at Mr ISorris's suggestion and received a reply from there that the Samaritan Home could not take him without an order from the Charitable Aid Board. He informed Mr Norris of this, who told him that his (Mr Norris's) instructions were not to send him without an order. He had known the man for some yeara off and on. Latterly he had seemed to be in a low state. Ho had never seen him drunk. Deceased had :<aid that wheu his son was in Christchurch he looked after his father well. The morning he went to Court deceased said he was all right, and had had a very good night. As far as witness know ho had never been up previously before the Court.

To the jury- -He did not know whether Mrs Herrick had seen him.

William Ramsay, Secretary to Herrick's Home, said he saw deceased at the Home on Wednesday, Bth September. Ho had been at the Homo two or three hundred times in the last seven years. In his more recent visits he had been very dirty in his habits until the late Mr Herrick had said he must not come any longer, though he had helped him with clothes and in other ways since then. On the Bth witness told deceased for Mrs Herrick he could not admit him. Mrs Herrick knew who he was thoroughly well. To the Foreman—The Charitable A : d Board have an arrangement to take in cases that are not known to them unfavourably. Herrick's Home did not always receive payment from the Charitable Aid Board except in helpless cases. The Board allowed them 6s for the men discharged from the Samaritan Home. He had no hesitation as to the identity of the man. He had sometimes been the worse for drink.

Margaret Beveridge, matron of the Samaritan Homo, eaid deceased was in a weakly and dejected stato when brought to the Home, but ho had said he did uot feel ill. Next morning he seemed much weaker and slept most of the day. She sent for the doctor, who said he was suffering from pneumonia.

To the Foreman—He had as much attention aa is given to Hospital patieuts. Thomas C. Norris, Secretary to the Charitable Aid Board, said deceased came to him on September Ist and asked for admission io a Home. He was told there was no vacancy in any of the Homes of the Board, hut witness suggested if ho went to Mrs Herrick ahe would give him temporary shelter. He seemed to resent the proposal. Witness drd not see him again until Thursday, September 9tb. On the previous day Sergeant Wilson informed "him of the man's condition, and detailed what had occurred at Mrs Herrick's Home. He told the sergeant he was not authorised to send men to the Samaritan Homo, but if any arrangement could be made Tor the man until the- following day, the case would be dealt with by the Committee of the Board. According to the letter produced by Sergt.Jrißjor Ramsay, he considered that there was no obstacle to deceased's going to the Home, and ao made arrangements with the Chairman of the Samaritan Home Committee, Mr HastingeJßridge, that lie should be admitted. To the Forfiq&n—He was authorised to givo aid cases, at hie discretion. If an orderlplpvcn the Samaritan Home authorities payment at the rate of Dβ a week, was no provision made *>y the OhanUble Aid Board for urgent casw after ofSofc hour*.

To Mr Mannings—He knew the man by eight, but he had never applied to the Board before. To the Coroner—He was empowered to deal with urgent cases at his discretion, bnt he was not authorised to make provision to send them to the Samaritan Home. The Board had not encouraged the reception of men into the Samaritan Home. They paid £300 a year to the Samaritan Home authorities for female cases. To the Foreman—Had the Board not been meeting on the following day he would have consulted the Chairman for instructions re temporary r»Hef. To Mr Alunijinjjs—He had no arrangements with the police. This was all the evidence. The Coroner said that the jury would have no difficulty in deciding as to the cause of death. He had no doubt aa to the doctor's certificate, but as he understood there was some friction about the matter it waa for them to add a rider if they chose. After retiring for about twenty minutes the jury returned a verdict that "Death was caused by pneumonia." Riders were added to the effect that the action of Mes-dame-s Jzett and Fanning and the authorities of the Samaritan Home was to be highly commended; that it was to be strongly reconimend'iil to the Charitable Aid Board to make arrangements with the police for the temporary treatment of urgent cases which come under their notice.