STRANGE DEATH OF A COLONIAL PREMIER.

Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 44, 20 August 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

STRANGE DEATH OF A COLONIAL PREMIER.

On Monday afternoon, at the St. Clement Danes Vestry-hall, Strand, Mr. John Troutbeck, the coroner for Westminster, held an enquiry with reference to the death of Mr. John Robson, aged 68 years, the Premier of British Columbia, who died under extraordinary circumstances on the 29th June. Miss Kathleen Macfarlane Lazarres, residing at the Norfolk Hotel, Harrington-road, South Kensington, identified the deceased as her uncle, and stated that she was his secretary. She last saw him in good health on the morning of Monday, June 20, when he left his hotel to transact some business with Mr. Goschen, at the Treasury. On his return she heard that he had met with an accident in Whitehall. When she saw him later on he told her that he had hurt his finger while driving in a hansom cab. The injury had been dressed at the Westminster Hospital before ho returned to the hotel, and no doctor was called in till the following Sunday. Dr. Ogilvy then attended him, and was with him when he died. Major William Clarke, in the Canadian Service, stated that he was with Mr. Eobson on the 20th of June, and they drove in a cab from Northum-berland-avenue to Parliament-street. They had an appointment with Mr. Goschen at the l'reasury at 12 o'clock for the purpose of negotiating a Government loan. The cabman when opposite the doors of the Treasury office pulled sharply round by the refuge in the middle of the road, and in so doing caused the right-hand door of the cab, which was open, to close suddenly. Mr. Eobson had his right hand resting on the door near the hinges at the moment, and the top of his little finger was crushed. ' By the Coroner— The work of the session in British Columbia had been very heavy, and had tried Mr. Robson very much. The trip to England was on official business, but was aho made by Mr. Eobson for the benefit of his health. Mr. Eobson was exceedingly nervous, and he suffered very much pain from the injury. Dr. George Ogilvy, phyaician, practising at 22, Welbeck-street, Cavendish Square, said that he was called in to see Mr. Eobson on Sunday evening, June 26th. He found him very ill in bed, with a temperature of 102 degrees. On examining the injury to the finger he found that absorption had taken place. He consulted Dr. Watson Cheyne, of King's College Hospital, who saw Mr. Robson on the following Monday, and in consequence of bloodpoisoning having supervened, it was determined to amputate the finger. This was done, but" it was found that the poison had affected the entire system, and death resulted in consequence on the Wednesday. The Coroner Baid the case was an extraordinary one, and the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."