DEATH OF G. B. KERR.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 58, 4 March 1913, Page 3

DEATH OF G. B. KERR.

THE INQUEST,

An inquest touching the death of George B. Kerr, traveller, who died at the Coffee Palace on Thursday morning, was held iu the Coffee Palace on Friday before Mr G. W. Wood, ,J.P. (actingcoroner), and a jury consisting of Messrs I). T. Fleming (foreman), Chas. Bragg, F. .1* Anderson and .las. Gawue. Henry Kirby> boarding-housekeeper, Balclutha, deposed that the deceased George Clarke Brown Kerr was his son-in-law. He arrived at. Balclutha on Wednesday evening by the 5 o'clock train from the south, and was then in his usual state of health, and made no complaints. Deceased retired to bed about 7 o'clock. Occasionally in the past he complained about rheumatics, from which he suffered a good ileal. Witness never saw or heard anything about deceased till a few minutes after 8 o'clock next morning, when on being called to his bedroom he thought there was something seriously wrong, so he .sent for Dr Brugh, who arrived a few minutes after.

Thomas B. Anderson, agent, boarding at the Coffee Palace, gave evidence that about 8 o'clock on Thursday Mrs Kerr, called him into deceased's room and said she thought her husband had taken a fit. As soon as he opened the door he was under the impression that the man was dead, but as Mrs Kerr still seemed to be under the impression that deceased was in a fit he did not tell her his opinion, but went downstairs and called Mr H. Kirby, who returned to the, room with witness. Mr Kirby immediately went out to send a car round to the doctor, while witness rang him up. •The.-.doctor was on the spot in 10 to lo ■ minuses the time lie had seen the. body first. Witney had met deceased frequently, and.jiever heard him making complaints his health. Dr .las. Brugh said that on Thursday morning-hp was called to the Coffee Pnh\ce, and foifnd deceased lying in bed.; lie wap seemingly, aui! witness attempted, resjiscitatxoti bjr. ajvtiijcial respiraypii am.) other ineajis,: blit .tjtp man ilijJ not reviv?. Witness hfid bjpi informed that deceased forjwfrly from rheumatic fever, and that this left him with a crippled heart .Judging from the appearance of the body and the above inforinat,i.oii witness. ha,d .no hesitation in saying that, thg cause of, death was syncope, due to heart disease. Even one attack of rheumatic fever would be sufficient to account for the condition of deceased's heart. From the appearance- of the joints witness, would say that Kerr had suffered from rheumatism over a period of years. He examined the body and found nothing else to account for death. There were | no marks of violence found.

Galbraith .7. L. Kerr, Waikouaiti, recognised the body as that, of his brother George, who was bom in Dunedin, and his age was either 42 or 43. He thought his brother had had rheumatic fever on three occasions, and Dr Closs had advised him not to nse any undue exertion. His hands ana feet bore |ividence of rheumatic troubles, the joints being badly swollen.

The jury decided, after hearing the foregoing evidence, that it was noli necessary to call Mrs Kerr.

The jury returned a verdict that deceased, George B. 0. Kerr, died from syncope duo to heart disease.