CASUALTIES

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14665, 14 May 1913, Page 11

CASUALTIES

OLD WOSIAN'S END

An inquest was held at the Hospital yesterday afternoon, beforo Sir T. A. »• Bailey, Coroner, touching the death or Anna West, of 141 Caledonian roadDeceased, who was 72 years of age, dieel in the Hospital on Slonday. Edward West, of Cnristchurch, mc insurance agent, identified the body oi deceased as that of his mother. Ho deposod that deceased was a widow, se-ventv-two years of age. Witness saw deceased last at about 'J a.m., she was then in her orelinarv stato of health. De-ceased had been kept to bed for about a fortnight by the cod we at her j and had seemed eomewliat confuseC mentally. When witness returned home about fl.-lO deceased wa.s in her btdre>oin, bleeding from cuts on the lett arm. Witness bandaged the cuts. His wife had gone ior the doctor. Afterwards witness found the razor with which the outs bad been made. Hie only remark deceased mado was to ass to "bo put into bed because she was ce>ld; this was after she was in heel.

Kdwarel W. Sinclair, house physician at the Christchurch Hospital, deposed that deceased wa.s admitted about two o'clock on .Monday. She seemed very weak and collapsed. There wero wounds on the left clltow anel left wrist. Tho arteries were not severed. A younger person would probably have recovered. The wounds were stitched and .stimulants given, and all efforts made to revive her, but she died shortly before six o'clock. Death was due to general weakness, accelerated by tho shock of the wounds.

Christina West, wife of Edward West, deposed that when she took in deceased's breakfast about nine o'clock deceased seemed as usual, but about ten o'clock witness saw deceased half dressed and apparently preparing to go out. Witness advised her not to go out after having been in bed for a fortnight Some time after witness's child reported that granny had gone outside. Deceased went to the lavatory, and witness hearing groans went after her, and found her lying on the ground, wounded as describeel. Deceased did not speak. Witness was not surprised to see deceased lying clown, as she smoked and often grew giddy so thai, she fell and cut herself.

Tho Coroner returned a verdict that death resulted from weakness, accelerated by shock caused by wounds self inflicted by deceaseel while temporarily of unsound mind.

A man named Obadiah Fletcher, a resident of Upper Riccarton, was admitted to the Hospital yesterday suffering from injuries to his head and arms. He was stepping into his cart, in the yarel of the Westport Coal Company, when ho ,slipped and fell, tho wheel passing over him. His hurts are not regarded as serious.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION* TELEGBAAI3.)

AUCKLAND, Slay 13. The Superintendent of Police received a telegram from Constable O oonnor. at Maunganui, this afternoon, stating that a gumdigger at Tokeohia, named Charles Deikus, was choked to death while at tea in his wharo last evening, through swallowing a piece of meat. Deceased, who was a singlo man of about 50 years, was a native of Germany. INVERCARGILL, Slay 12. J. M. Cochrane, an accountant, aged 42, was drowned at New River on Sunday afternoon through a boat swamping. His companion, Cecil Hazlett, made .a' plucky effort to rescue him, and got him ashore, but life was extinct. WELLINGTON, Slay 12. Florance SlcCarthy, a young man, aged 22, died suddenly while breakfasting at Petono this morning. The cause of death is unknown, as he was in good health previously. WANGANUI, Slay 12. A young man, Spencer. Abbott, aged 21, a fireman on the river steamer Wairau, fell overboard on Saturday, and was drowned, about fourteen nu.es abovo Pipiriki. There was a flood in the river at the time. • BLENHEIM, May 13. On, Saturday a waggon loaded with coal and stores was proceeding from Renwick to Glengylo. At Wairau ! Valloy Slichael Hunter and. Arthur Reay jumped into the waggon and lay on top of the load. It is alleged that they were under the influence of liquor. After going ten miles Hunter was missed, but the waggoner continued his journey. Next morning the driver, Clemens, returned to search for ! Hunter. Hunter was 5 miles away on' the track, dead. He is supposed to have fallen off the waggon. At the inquest a verdict of death from exposure, accelerated by his alcoholic condition, was returned.

HASTINGS, Slay 13. Mr L. de Pelichet, of the firm of de Pelichet, SlcLecd and Co., was found dead in a bedroom at the Pacific Hotel ,this morning. Deceased was in a sitting pos ( ture on the bed and was half undressed. He had apparently expired when removing his clothes. He had been suffering from heart trouble. Deceased was sixty-one years of age and was unmarried.