A CARRIER'S DEATH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 314, 29 September 1908, Page 8

A CARRIER'S DEATH.

INQUEST ADJOURNED. "THE MATTER, NEEDED THE FULLEST INQUIRY." 'An inquest concerning the death of I Samuel Bolton, a carrier, who died at tho hospital on Sunday evening, was conducted by the City Coroner (Dr. M'Arthur) at tho hospital yesterday afternoon, Mr. Peter M'Kenzio being foreman of tho jury. Dr. Pidgeon, who attended, deceased at 62 Ghuznee Street, stated that when he paid the visit deceased in a semi-unconscious state, suffering from something similar to epileptic fits. Efforts at resuscitation proved unavailing. Witness came to the conclusion that deceased was suffering from acute alcoholism. ' The house surgeon, Dr. S. E. V. Brown, said that when deceased was admitted to tho hospital he was in a comatose condition and suffering from acute alcoholic poisoning and epilepsy.. He was roused somewhat from this state, but'.he gradually sank, and died at 5.30 p.m. on Sunday. Witness conducted a postmortem examination yesterday morning, at which Dr. Pidgeon was present. There was acute congestion of the kidneys, liver, and brain due, probably, to alcoholic poisoning. There was nothing to show that deceased was a chronic drinker, but he ha'd no sign of any other disease about him.

A contractor named Hall Carr Dowman deposed that- he knew deceased for about ten years.' They met at ten o'clock on Saturday morning at the Brunswick Hotel, Bolton being perfectly sober. Witness gave him two shillings at his request. Deceased complained of being unable to eat, and witness mixed him an egg with some port wine. Witness next saw him at about six o'clock at the same hotel. Ho was in the same condition, aiid as ho desired to change his. quarters, witness- took' him to tho boardinghouse in Ghuznee Street. Deceased did not spend Anything at the hotel so far as witness blew, and when they parted Bolton was perfectly sober. , Thomas JTCleland, keeper of the boarding-, house at which deceased resided, stated that when Bolton entered the house he was not drunk, but he seemed stupefied., Deceased .was heard to be_groaning about nine o'clock next morning. He was straggling and kicking violently, and witness could not restrain him.-' - ■' ; ' | •; The Coroner: Was he in a state of delirium tremens ? , Witness:. I.thought he was in a,fit. . A. B.''Fitchett, dairy farmer of Brooklyn, said he knew deceased for. about six years'. He had been drinking very heavily during the past two and a half.years, but previous to that he was a steady, sober man. ,He saw deceased about noon on Friday, and he seemed sober. Witness lent him a sovereign on that day. . Witness proceeded to explain about a property transaction that' had taken place, and as the time was getting late, the coroner remarked that the matter needed the fullest inquiry/ and'that they had better adjourn. A juror: Yes. I think so too. - The coroner said" that ,he would not make any comments," but the evidence seemed contradictory) arid the matter should' be probed to the* bottom. . ■ The inquest was accordingly adjourned to, 4 p.m.'on Wednesday.' \