INQUEST CONCLUDED

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 110, 3 February 1938, Page 12

INQUEST CONCLUDED

Man Whose Body Was Exhumed STRONG COMMENT BY CORONER By Telegraph—Press Association. Hokitika, February 2. The inquest was concluded this afternoon into the death of Richard Kennedy, at Karangarua, on November 6, 1937. Following police information and inquiry, the body was exhumed on January 9 and a post-mortem examination made by Dr. Bird and Dr. McKay, Greymouth. Evidence showed that Walker Thorpe had a fight with Kennedy on the morning before his death in the evening but medical evidence was to the effect that the heart’s condition was such that the slightest exertion was likely to cause death at any moment. Medical witnesses were positive no injury was done by the struggle ami that death resulted from natural causes.

The coroner returned a verdict accordingly, adding the death had been precipitated to some extent as a result of a struggle earlier in the day. The coroner condemned strongly the action of Frederick Gill and Thorpe in endeavouring in collusion to hush up the facts, Gill deliberately lying to the police in endeavouring to prevent news of the fight leaking out, an action resulting in heavy expense to the department in the action that had to be taken later.