CASUALTIES.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17941, 8 December 1923, Page 18

CASUALTIES.

COAL GAS POISONING. The adjourned inquest into the death of Ormand Butler, 77 years of age, who died on Monday last at his residence 477 Montreal street, was held yesterday before Mr H; Y. Widdowson, District Coroner. Eugene O'Brien, a waiter, said that he occupied the house next to deceased's, and at about 11.30 a.in. on Monday Mrs A. E. Turner, for whom Butler was gardener, called to him and said that she thought Butler had committed suicide. Witness went over and discovered deceased lying on the floor of his room apparently dead. The gas tube, with the gas turned full on, was about a foot away from the deceased. Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the Christchurch Hospital, said that he had made a post-mortem examination of the body and found that death was due to asphyxia caused by coal gaa poisoning. There was an extensive .cancer growth in deceased's throat, and that would have caused him great pain and have been likely to make, him depressed. He would not have lived more than a few months.

Carrick Butler, son of deceased, said that he last saw his father six weeks ago, and he then seemed very depresadc. He did not appear to know that he had cancer. The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased had committed suicide by inhaling coal gas while mentally depressed through illness. He said that according to a letter addressed to his employer the deceased had evidently taken" to heart a remark made to the effect that he was past work.

Reginald MoSeveny, employed as a jockey at Sockburn, while riding a horse yesterday afternoon was thrown on to the roadway. Tho wheel of a passing waggon went over him. He wa3 conveyed to the Hospital, where he was found to have suffered cuts on his arms and hands and bruises about the body. He was treated as an outpatient and discharged.