A CARRIER'S DEATH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 316, 1 October 1908, Page 4

A CARRIER'S DEATH.

INQUEST CONCLUDED. "ACUTE ALCOHOLISM." Tho adjourned inquest 011 the death of Samuel Bolton, carrier, who died at tho hospital 011 Sunday evening last, was coneluded before Dr. W. A. M'Artliur, City Coroner, yesterday afternoon. The evidence of A. B. Fitchett, of Brooklyn, showed that deceased had been steady in his habits until tho end of 1901. Since then ho had drunk heavily at intervals. Witness sold a property for deceased for £375. Jeremiah Sullivan, licensee of the Princess Theatre Hotel, Tory Street, deposed that deceased came to his hotel about 4.30 p.m. on September 23, with two others, and they had a drink each—a brandy and port wine. Bolton thereafter Vent upstairs to tho bathroom for a wash. Ho appeared to have been drinking a little. As deceased did not come downstairs after a lapse of half an hour, they went up and found him in bed, apparently asleep. He stayed there all night, and talked a great deal during the night, being very restless. Bolton only had the one drink that night. Witness saw deceased every day after that until Saturday, ivhen 110 left the hotel. Deceased drank very sparingly while at tho hotel, but gavo tho impression that ho had recently got over a heavy drinking bout.' Edward Logan and Daniel Ward, barmen at the Brunswick Hotel, Willis Street, testified to deceased's visits to the hotel. He was not, on these occasions, intoxicated, but looked ill and miserable, a fact, to them', satisfactorily accounted for by deceased's explanation that 110 had been fivo months in tho hospital. . Charles Ocean Thompson, gold-prospector, deposed to deceased's intcmporato "habits while in Blenheim. Witness understood that deceased had altogether,'at different-times, received £235 from Mr. Fitchett, a considerable portion of which lie presumed had been squandered in liquor. Subsequently, witness, in returning to Blenheim after a visit to Wellington, found deceased in a pitiable condition of alcoholism. 011 Friday last witness met Bolton in Wellington. Ho looked unwell, but witness could not say he : was intoxicated. Deceased told him that he had gone to Island Bay and .'! knocked down" about £4 10s. in three or four days. Ho had then about_ ss. in his possession. Deceased was addicted to prolonged drinking bouts. Evidence was also given by Joseph Bradcook, of Mitchelltown, and Mrs. Minnie M'Cleland, wife of T. M'Cleland, proprietor of the boarding-house in Ghuzneo Street. Tho jury returned a vordict to. tho effect that deceased died from acute alcoholism.