IN QUARRELSOME MOOD

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 54, 27 November 1926, Page 10

IN QUARRELSOME MOOD

MAN INJURED AT CARD PARTY ...... _ DIES IN. HOSPITAL Dominion Special. Dunedin, November 26. The death of Victor Mark Hansen in the Balclutba Hospital on Monday, which was made the subject of police investigation, was inquired into at aninquest presided over by Mr. 11. J. Dixon, S.M., yesterday at Balclutba. William Carter, butcher, of Balclutha, gave evidence that he hnd attended the Balclutha Card Club’s party in the Dalton Hall and had noticed the deceased going in ahead of him, Hansen was then three parts drunk. Witness played two games of single cribbago with Hansen before they -all started progres sive crib. Hansen became abusive on account of his glass not having been filled. Witness noticed lim having two drinks before that. . Mr Milne (the club president) asked deceased to keep quiet, and he did become quiet. The next time witness noticed Hanson ho had jumped up and had aimed two or three blows at a man named Cameron, who Was sifting alongside. He missed Cameron, who paid nn heed to him. Milne again asked Hanson to he quiet, and told him that if ho did not he would have to go out. Witness some little time after noticed a scuffle at the door of the cloak room and saw deceased lying on the broad of his' back in the doorway. Deceased got up immediately, and made a "swipe’ l at Milne, who closed with him. Milne got in close in order to escape being punched. Milne did not strike deceased. Milne closed, they went back to the wall, and Milne pushed himself clear. Hansen was punching at Milne, and r, 9 Milne got clear - Hansen made another swing at him. Then, as far as witness could see Hansen overbalanced himself, and fell through the outer door nn to the ground. Witness saw him fall out backwards, but did not actually see him hit the asphalt. Witness saw W. McDonald and another man pick Hansen up and take him away. He did not see any blood or scar on Hanson during the evening. He saw no tne strike him. He could not snv whether deceased fell through the outer door as the result of a blow or a push. He thought that what happened was that Hansen overbalanced as he swung his fist at Milne, and fell out on to the asphalt. The Coroner, in giving his verdict said that there was no evidence of the injuries to deceased having been caused by blows, ft seemed that he had slipped and overbalanced, and that no one was to blame hut himself. The verdict would be that deceased died from oedema of the brain, following concussion.