INQUEST.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18310, 18 February 1925, Page 13

INQUEST.

An inquest was held last night by Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., concerning the death of Henry James Hcnden, who was found dead in an empty house at 106 Hawke street, New Brighton, ! on Monday. Henden, who was fifty years of age, was in business in Greymouth as -a jeweller. Constable J. Hislop appeared for the police. Evidence of identification was given by the Eev. T. N. Cuttle, Presbyterian minister, Greymouth, who said he had known Heuden. for five years. He understood that Heuden came to Christchurch for a short holiday. He had been in ill-health. Witness had no doubt that the letter left was from Hcnden. George P. S. Howard, collector and valuer employed by the Public Trust Office, said that he f had received instructions to go to the property at 100 Hawke street, which belonged to one of the Public Trust estates. The previous tenant had left about three weeks, and the houaa r"ds empty. A

report had been received that one of the windows had been unlocked. He found several windows unfastened no went into tho scullery and found the body of a man lying on his back. There was a newspaper blocked near each door. Witness notified Constable Hislop, who proceeded io the house immediately. ! Daniel Neil, licensee of the Shades Hotel, said Hcnden stayed at the hotel from February sth to the evening of the 7th, a Saturday. Ho brought a portmanteau to the office and asked witness to take charge of it. He paid his account, stating'that he was going to Lyttelton, and that he might be back. A woman, who he understood was Henden's daughter, had called at the hotel twice since, and enquired if anything had been heard of Mm., When Henden arrived he asked that he be given a room to himself. Witness saw practically nothing of Henden during his stay. Constable J. Hislop gave evidence as to finding deceased lying on a rug on the floor in a seuliery. He was fully dressed except that he had his boots off. In the right hand there was a piece of gas tube measuring nine feet, one end near to hi* mouth, aiid N tho other I end was fitted to a bracket in the wall. The tap was turned, on, but the meter, j which was of tlio shilling in (he slot [ tyrje, had become- exhausted. ' There

was no smell of gas. Alongside the head there was a letter card addressed to Henden's wife. The letter, which was handed to thej Coroner, contained a message to Mis ilcnden, and instructions as to the disposal of his business. The Coroner ordered that a postmortem examination bo held, and adjourned tlie ; inquest sine die.