VERDICTS AT INQUESTS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26264, 8 November 1950, Page 10

VERDICTS AT INQUESTS

MAN’S DEATH FROM POISONING A verdict that James Patrick Madden, aged 45, died on or about June 25, tne cause of death being respiratory failure due to barbiturate poisoning, was re turned by the Coroner (Mr Raymond Ferner) when he concluded an inquest into Madden’s death yesterday. Madden was found dead in his bed In a bach, where he lived alone, on June 25. Constable Frank Flanagan said that Madden had gone to three doctors .n Christchurch and by describing the same symptoms to each and taking the pre scriptions to different chemists, he had been able to obtain 78 nembutal tablets within 19 days. When found. Madden had apparently taken a number of the tablets. An empty container was found on the bed. Struck by Tram "I am satisfied that this unfortunate man’s death was purely accidental,” said the Coroner when returning a verdict that William Henry Gardiner, aged 67, died on May 11, the cause of death multiple contusions of the brain associated with a fractured skull, sustained when he was< struck by a tram in High street. The Coroner said that Gardiner had ap< parently not noticed the tram when he was crossing the street. He was deaf and it seemed that his hearing aid was not turned on. Every precaution seemed to have been taken by the driver of the tram and no blame attached to him. Motor-cyclists’s Death A verdict that Donald Stephenson Lawrence. aged 18 died on February 17 from -a fracture of the skull and cereb.a) lacerations sustained when his motorcycle struck a telephone pole on the mam road at Tai Tapu was returned. Other Verdicts Verdicts were returned as follows in other inquests:— Harry Ernest Smith died on May 30, the cause of death being shock due to multiple injuries suffered when he was struck by a car driven by Wallace Keith Henry on the Main South road at Sockburn. Ada Dorothy Haydon, aged 47, died or. March 6, the cause of death being heart failure resulting from myocarditis ana hypertension precipitated bv anaesthesia. Hubert Stanton, aged 67, died on October 20, the cause of death being asphyxia by drowning. Robert Napier, aged 65. died on May 30 from heart failure. Alice Renton, aged 65, died on or about June 23 from congestive heart failure. Thomas Herbert Allen, aged 55, died on May 15 from asphyxia caused by conger tive heart failure. Edward John Trewem, aged 69, died on May 17 from heart failure. Thomas Joseph Thomson, aged 49, died on May 11 from heart failure. Michael Thomas Alexander, aged foui months, died on May 27. the cause of death being asphyxia due to a convulsion resulting from acute virus infection. Sergeant L. P. Ricketts conducted proceedings for the police.