INQUEST ON THE BODY OF JOHN FROST.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2717, 2 April 1866, Page 5

INQUEST ON THE BODY OF JOHN FROST.

On Saturday afternoon, Dr. Philson and a jury (Mr. Vialou, foreman) held an inquest at the Trafalgar Hotel, on the body of a man named John Frost, who was found dead, under the circumstances described in the following evidence: — Constable Bond deposed : About ten o clock on Saturday I was informed by a man named James Goodacre that there was a man lying in an out-house at the rear of the site of the new Bank of New Zealand very ill, and that he thought some one should see to it. I went immediately to the place pointed out, and found deceased lying dead on some straw, in a corner of the out-house above mentioned. I did not touch the body, nor was I able to identify the man. He was covered with an old rug, and he had on his clothes. He lay on his back, with his hands bent across the body, outside the rug. I did not see any marks of violence on the body, nor any appearance of blood. His death seemed to have been quite natural. At the side of the body I saw a piece of bread and a pannikin of tea. He appeared to have been a very old man. Ido not remember to have seen him on the streets. James Goodacre accompanied me to the house where deceased lay. He said that he had brought him the bread and tea. James Goodacre deposed : I am a cooper, and live in Barrack-street. I have known deceased about two years. He was a cooper by trade, and was between 70 and 80 years of age. He had been living at Kaipara till within the last six weeks. He had no settled place of abode, and was not able to work. I last saw him at half-past seven o'clock this morning. I had just come to my workshop at the rear of the Trafalgar Inn, when I was asked by Mr. Hasirell if I had seen John Frost. He mentioned* having been told by Mr. Barry, the landlord of the inn, that Frost was looking very bad. Accompanied by a Mr. Milner, I went to the out-house at the rear of the site of the new Bank, and on entering I saw deceased lying on some straw in a corner of the floor. I observed that he looked very ill, and I asked if I should fetch in a policeman to see him taken care of. He wished me particularly not to do so, and said that he felt stronger, and that he meant to get up. He asked for some water, and Mr. Milner brought him some bread and tea. I did not think that his death was so near. I then left the place, and about an hour afterwards I mentioned the state of Frost to constable Bond. The constable went and saw him, and on coming out of the house he told me that Frost was dead. I went back to the house, and saw that he was dead, and lying in nearly the same position a3 when I saw him previously. It is my impression that his death was caused by destitution. I have seen him frequently during the last few weeks, and he appeared to me to have been in want of the necessaries of life, in addition to which he was very old and infirm. I did not notice that the gut-house in which deceased died was flooded by the heavy rain which fell last night. I have not lately seen deceased in liquor. The out-house belongs to the Bank of New Zealand. Sergeant-major Molloy deposed: I have known deceased for four years. I have frequently seen him in the streets, and so late as Wednesday last. He seemed to me at that time to be very feeble, and in great poverty. I have never seen him intoxicated. I have never known him to be in the lock-up, Ido not think that he has ever applied for relief to the police. I believe he was not receiving rations lately. When I saw him on Wednesday I recommended him to go into the Provincial Hospital, as he was in a filthy state, and he promised to do so next week. I have this morning seen his dead body in an out-house off Queen-street. The jury returned the following verdict : — " That John Frost, on the 31st March instant, died in an out-house off Queen-street, through the inclemency of the weather and the want of the common necessaries of life, and by no violent ways or means whatsoever, to theknowledge of the oaiJ jurors. The jury call the attention of the authorities to the inadequacy of tlie means at present existing in Auckland for the relief of distressed persons whose infirmities or misfortunes render them unable to obtain a livelihood by their own exertions."