DEATH OF A POSTMASTER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 111, 7 November 1906, Page 8

DEATH OF A POSTMASTER.

THE INQUEST. An inquest concerning the death of Mr. | Bart Chitty Dean, postmaster at Palmerston South, whose death is recorded elsewhere, was held before Mr. Jsss. Aihcroft, District Coroner, this afternoon. Dr. Boyd deposed that he was called to a private hospital in Willis-street about 8 o'clock this morning. In ay upstairs bedroom he found deceased dead, death having occurred a few minutes prior to witness being called in. Deceased's throat was cut, all the blood vossels having been severed. • An open pen-knife was lying in a basin which contained a quantity of blood, and witness ivas of opinion that the wound on the throat was inflicted with the knife. Nurse Lucas gave evidence 'to the effect that deceased was a patient at the private hospital. > He entered the institution last evening for rest, and appeared to be a little depressed. This morning one of the other nurses and witness visited him. He was given water to wash in, and a. quarter of an hour afterwards was found lying in 'a pool of blood on the floor. Several doctors were summoned and they pronounced life to be extinct. Richard Henry Edwards, J.P., said he had known deceased from a lad at Laun. ceston. About five years ago he was in the Wellington Post OfEce, and recently was postmaster at Palmerston South. He was a steady sober man, and came up here on the advice of a doctor for a rest. His head troubled him. He stayed with witness prior ( to entering the private hospital. Witness had to call m Dr. Henry to see him. He was not rational. He seemed as if he would do what he had done if left alone. The doctor recommended him to go into the hospital. (Left sitting).