DEATH IN COURT.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14524, 28 November 1912, Page 5

DEATH IN COURT.

.MARRIED WOMAN EXPIRES. During the hearing of a by-law case in th© Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, a married woman named Amelia Nicholas suddenly expired in the corridor. She collapsed when sitting with her husband, and Dr. Anderson shortly afterwards pronounced life extinct. _.lrs Nicholas, who was thirty-eight years of age, and reside.! in Chester street, was awaiting tho hearing of another case in which sho was ono of the defendants.

COUNSELS CRITICISMS

Subsequently the case came before tho Court, Win. Henry Nicholas and Mrs Nicholas being charged, on the information of John Bridgeman, with false pretences. Bridgeman immediately stepped forward and said that ho desired to withdraw the charge. Mr 0. T. J. Alpers: I appear for the defendants. They are charged with an offence under tho Loans and Chattels Act—the case is a gross breach of the proceedings of this Court. It is an attempt on the part of this man to recover a sorry little debt by means of criminal process. Unfortunately the woman, under the stress of illness, made the mistake of going to this man and borrowing money. She gave him a bill of sale over goods valued at £25, and got £'IG. Her books show that sho paid back £1G 10s, and sho told mc sho was prepared to come into Court and swear "that she paid Bridgeman £27. When this man discovered that ho could screw no more money out of the woman ho tried criminal process. She committed an offence in ignorance by including articles in tho bill of salo that were in another bill of sale. I saw Bridgeman before tho caso came on, and ho said the woman had died of a bad conscience, and that ho would not withdraw tho charge against tho man. . , , . , Bridgeman at this stage became highly excited, and was ordered to keep Mr Alners: I want theso people's character vindicated from this prosecution. Had this man not laid tho charge against the woman she would be alivo now. . Bridgeman muttered something about "making mc a murderer." ___~. Tho Magistrate (Mr T. A. B. Bailey): I havo had occasion before to notice your method of doing business. These documents are in a state of muddle. The chasso was withdrawn at # this stage, and another case gone on with.

THE INQUEST. An inquest concerning the death of Mrs Nicholas was held later in tho afternoon by Mr H. W. Bishop, i-.M. William Henry Nicholas, husband ot tho deceased, said that his wife was 38 years old. ' She had been in good health but on ono occasion, she had consulted Dr. Lester. Witness said that ho accompanied his wifo to the Magistrate's Court that morning, and they awaited a charge of false pretences that was to bo preferred against them. Witness was sitting with his wife when suddenly she appeared to faint. She caught hold of witness and fell in his arms Dr. Lester deposed that he saw tho deceased once at the end of September. Witness noticed that sho was very short of breath, and on making an examination of her heart, witness found sho had a dilated heart, with valvular disease. He thought that the excitement of coming to Court to answer a criminal charge was sufficient to cause sudden death. Witness considered the cause of death was heart failure.

The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical'evidence.