INQUESTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18149, 12 August 1924, Page 7

INQUESTS.

EX-SOLDIER'S DEATH. An inquest on the body, of Thomas Sutherland, late of 46 Grange street, Hillsborough, who was found dead in. his hut on Sunday, was opened by Mr H. Y. "Widdowson, Coroner, yesterday. The supposed cause of death was heart disease. rtelen Vincent, sister of the deceased, residing at 48 Grange street,; Hillsborough, gave evidence of indenti- j fication. Her Drother was 47 years of ; age and a single man. He was an Imperial' Army pensioner, and had been about four years back _ from the ; war. Witness used to see him prac-1 tically every day, and be was, slie - said, a steady, sober man. He went i to China and other parts of the world while in the Army, but when> he re- i turned he was suffering slightly from malaria. Latelv he seemed to be well, but a little bilious. Witness went across to his place on Friday morning, but he would not open the door, ( and called out that he was all right, j so witness concluded he was in bed. On Saturday afternoon her husband went over and spoke to him through the door. On Sunday' morning witness's husband went,over again, but on getting no reply to his calls, he broke open the door and found her brother dead. If deceased hurried at all or did any hard work, he suffered from shortness of 'breath, and palpitation of the heart. The inquest, at this stage, was adjourned sine die. FOUND DEAD. An inquest on the body of Richard Blackburn, late of 97 Quarry road, Halswell, who was found dead in a stable on his own property at 7 p.m. on Sunday, with a gunshot wound in the hea3, was opened by Mr H. Y. Widdowson, Coroner, yesterday. Walter Richard Blackburn, eldest j son of the deceased, gave evidence of ( identification. He said that his father was .40 years of age, and was a widower witii seven children. His father had been ill - for the last ■ eleven _ months. He had suffered from gastritis and a nervous breakdown. He was in . the hospital for three weeks, and was discharged a fortnight ago, but he had been in bed practically ever since he came out of the hospital. Dr. Irving bad! been attending him and on Friday afternoon last he told the doctor that he must do something for him or he would go back- to the hospital. On Sunday he got up at about 0 p.m. and vent out and had a look ; at the cows. He seemed to be quite i normal, and witness saw him again ap j 6.30 p.m. About that time he arosefrom a sofa and went outside and said he would speak to the milkman, j Witness did not see his father alive after that. After having tea witness went out to feed a horse, and to do so he had to go into the stable. In front of the stable door he saw his father lying, in a pool of mud and ; blood. A gun was in his hand. The milkman had gone, and there were only girls in the house, „ so witness cycled to'the Addington Police Station and reported the matter to -the police. ! j ' To the Police-Sergeant witness said j [ that his father had been nervy, worries, and depressed during his illness,' but- he had never done or said any- j thing indicating that he might take his life. The gun was witness's, and it; was kept in. the housed It was not j loaded, btit there was a box of ammunition alongside of it. No one saw him I.take the gun out, and no member of the household heard the report of the gun. The side of his father's face was , practically blown off. hj», The inouest,, at thisr - stage, was t adjourned sine die.