INQUEST.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11988, 15 September 1904, Page 10

INQUEST.

At the , morgue yesterday, 'before Mr W. It. Haselden, District Cwroner, an inquest was, held touching tjie death of ilaiy Home, who was found dead oa Tuesday in a gutter at Spreydon. : James William Home, husband of the deceased, wtated that she wae 49 years of age, and had been subject to epileptic fits all her life. She went out nearly every day to visit her sister at Sydenham, and it was a common thing for her to have a fit on the road. He laeb saw her alive on Tuesday morning, at 10 o'clock, and lie heard of her death about 1 o'clock.

Emily Quick, a domestic servant employed by the laefc witness, stated that Mrs Home left home at 10.45 a.m. on Tuesday, when she appeared to.bo as well as usual. Witness heard of her death about 11.20, and as it occurred about five minutes' •walk from the house, ehe'went aiid found her lying in the gutter, face downwards. She wa» pulled out five or ten minutee after witness got there. The sexton of the Sydenham cemetery told witness not to touch the body, and-etopped others from touching her. William Harry, a butcher's assistant, employed by Mr J. Forrester, rteted that whilst on hie rounds in Spreydon ho saw tlve deceased lying face downwards in the gutter. Witness went to the cemetery, and told Mr French, the sexton. It would bo about five minutee from the time witness saw the woman until Mr French , and ho got back to where deceased "wa> lying. Mr French took hold of her arm, but did not take. her. face out of the water, and uhe was left lying in the. gutter ■ until Sergeant Bourke arrived. Witness did not pull deotae-ed out when ho first caw her becauws he thought she was dead, and .thai it would be best to let her-be. She was lying along the gutter, in which there were about two inches of mud and water Witness went for Miss Quick, as he knew, the woman was Mrs Home. "

William Henry French, sexton at Syd«iham Cemetery, stated that the last witd«« did not tell him whether Mrs Home was dead or not. .Witness took her by the arm and lifted her face out of the water. He found she was dead. He shook 'her arm, but ehc took no notice, and he let her face return .to the water and kft-her. After telephonmg to Sergeant Bourke he remained by the body, keeping guard over it. ' He did not allow anyoiM to .touch,it. ." ~

Sergeant Bourke etated that Mrs Horne> face was sunk in the mud up to the ears. He asked the last -witness why he did not remove her out of the wnter, and he replied that she wae dead,' and it wae no good. When iritnee arrived Mrs Home was iiuite dead. • V ■,-\ .* V.'•.-'.' '■'' Dr. Symes etated that he had made a

poet mortem examination. The bronchial tubes contained • frothy fluid, .and the heart and large reins were filled with fluid blood. Death was unmistakably due to drowning.- ■■■.-. • .;■-■... ■;- ■'...,- '^^.^i::-'4, A verdkt ; wae returned that the deceased was accidentally drowned, the-jury adding that"they were of opinion that the witnesses French and Hatfry.shoMd: fcava, removed the deceased from I the water' Jm-. mediately they saw , her, and attempted 'resuscitation.; •■'■; ;?.'.V:.--' , 7' j y.Vyv"- , ~-vV' v :'