INQUEST.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 91, 4 June 1912, Page 5

INQUEST.

DEATH OF JOSEPH MARTIN. ! An inquest was held in the Court House, Balcluiha, on Friday afternoon, touching tho death of Joseph / Martin on Thursday, May 30th, before Mr G. W. Wood, J>. (Acting-Coron-er), and a jury consisting of Messrs ('. J. Wood (foreman), John Allen, It. J'. Sharp and Joseph Parker. Henry Kirby, proprietor Coffee Palace, sworn, said the last time he saw deceased alive was about 7.30 on Thursday morning, when he complained of a pain in tho stomach, which he thought was indigestion. Witness gave him a cup of tea. Witness went into deceased's room about 11.30, a nd found deceased lying dead in bed, and l)r Brugh was immediately sont for. By the Acting Coroner : Deceased had not been well for two or three weeks and had not done any work. , By the Police : Two or three times previously deceased had complained about having a pain in his chest As far as witness knew he had no friends ir. tho Dominion, and he received tho old age pension. i Dr Brugh, sworn, said that on receipt of message, when he arrived at Kirby's, he found that Martin was dead. Witness had never attended deceased in his life. Examined the body on Friday morning and found no marks of violence. In his opinion deceased died of heart failure, which, Ihe doctor concluded, was borne out as much from Mr Kirby's evidence .as from the appearance of the body. It was a common mistake, to suppose the pains of an incompetent heart to be indigestion. On these grounds witness concluded thnt deceased must have suffered from a weak heart for some time previous to death. , To the Police: '-he sum of fVI 9/11 was foundj in deceased's v,i ( mon the, police searching it. By Mr Allen : Was quite satisfied that a post mortem examination was i unnecessary under the circumstances, and there was no suspicion of foul play. ' The jury, without retiring, recorded the verdict : "That after hearing the medical evidence, we decide that the deceased Joseph Martin, died of heart failure."