EXCESS OF MORPHIA

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 124, 19 February 1929, Page 13

EXCESS OF MORPHIA

BLAMED FOR MAN’S DEATH EVIDENCE AT INQUEST Dominion Special Service. Auckland, February 18. Morphia taken in too large a quantity and heart failure were said to have caused the death of Harold Jackson Clark, a young man, into the circumstances of whose death an inquest was opened in the presence of Miss Beryl Palmer, of Grey Lynn, with whom he had been keeping company for three years.* Deceased died on the evening of January 24. On behalf of the relatives of deceased, Mr. Johnston said a verdict of suicide was not desired. Counsel suggested there was not sufficient evidence in any case to warrant the verdict. In order that Dr. D. Murray, police surgeon, who made a post-mortem examination, could be present, the Coroner adjourned the inquest. Clark was in business on his own account as an outfitter in the city. “For about a fortnight I noticed Harold had been depressed,” said Miss Palmer, who is aged 22. “I often asked him what was the matter and he would say, ‘Just a little bit Of worry; we business men all have our bits of worry.’ ” She visited him on the evening he died about 8 o’clock. He left the room, but he returned a few minutes later and sat down. Taking hold of her hand, deceased said: “Beryl, if anything should happen that would separate us, you will not think harshly of me?” She asked him what would separate them and he said: “You never know; there might be some worry or other” He had not been back many minutes when he said he fglt ill. He lay on the bed and at first she thought he had just taken too much liquor, but as soon as he was on the bed he commenced to breathe heavily. Doctors were telephoned for, and his people were told of his state. When a doctor arrived he could only pronounce life extinct. Miss Palmer said that a few days prior to that day she found a small blue bottle under the .cover of a table in Clark’s room. Written on the bottle was the word “Morphia.” Deceased took it next day. When she questioned him he said it was only a sleeping draught. He had got it from a chemist. “In my opinion death was due to heart failure following an overdose of morphia,” said Dr. Murray in his report.