FOUND DEAD

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 32, 7 August 1919, Page 6

FOUND DEAD

DR. FYFFE SUSPECTS FOUL PLAY

FURTHER IIfVESTIGATIONS TO BE MADE.

An inquiry was opened by Mr. W. 'G. Riddell, S.M., this morning regarding the death of George M'Kinty, a wharf labourer, whose body was found in a right-of-way in the Parliamentary Building grounds at 7 o'clock yesterday morning. Sergeant Wade conducted the inquiry for the police. T Dr. W. Kington Fyfie said that he had held a post-mortem examination of tie body of deceased. There .was an abrasion on the right foreleg and ove* the left occipitalbone of the skull was an irregular depression, about two inches long, but the skin was unbroken. After romoval of the scalp, a- large circular depression of the skull was found. The brain was much compressed. Death was due to fracture of the skull, causing compression of the brain. The fact that the scalp was not cut through pointed to the injury having, been caused by direct violence with a biunt instrument. In his opinion a fall was unlikely to have caused this condition. The absence of fresh blood round the injury was very notable, pointing to the fact that the blow probably caused immediate death. Exposure was certainly not the cause of death. . : / Sergeant Wade: Do you consider that the injury could not have'been caused by deceased striking his head on a concrete step as he fell '!— l think that most unlikely. If he had fallen on a rough surface the scalp must have been torn. Tremendous violence must have been used to cause such an injury. Had the man fallen from a height the injury might have been caused by his head striking the step, but even then the blow would have cut tthe scalp. Constable William Philps aaid that shortly after 7 o'clock yesterday morning he was called to the Parliamentary Grounds, and there found the deceased lying in a.right-of-way between the new and the old Parliamentary Buildings. The body was cold, and was lying across the right-of-way at full length, face upwards, the hands being by the sides. Witness conveyed the body to the morgue, where a wharf labourer's booklet and the sum oi 4s 8d was found in de->' ceased's possession. As the body was lying, the head was about two inches from a concrete step. - You examined . the step? asked the Coroner.—Yes, it had a rounded edge, and. in my opinion deceased's injuries might have resulted from his falling and striking his head on the step. The Coroner: Was there any hair on the edge of the step'f—No. Witness gave formal evidence as to the removal of the body to the morgue. William Hagan, waters'ifier, residing aV 202, Sydney-street west, said thi* the deceased had lived with him for about . two years. Ho was a single man, about , 65 years of age. A cousin of the doceased resided at Wanganui. Witness last saw deceased alive at midday on Tuesday, wnen witness had a drink with him in the National Hotel ' He was sober at that time and mentioned that he was going; to the wharf atl p.m. to be engaged if work was offering. He did not always return to the house, for his meals. He was a fairly temperate man. • As a rule he took a short cut through tyie Parliamentary Building Grounds and through the right-of-way where he was found; Witness did not discover that M'Kinty had not returned to the house till yesterday morning, and was' then somewhat alarmed as he had always returned previously. "Was he;of a quarrelsome disposition, or do you know if anyone had a grudge against him?" asked the Coroner.—"No, he was argumentative and talkative, but not quarrelsome. I don't know that he had any enemies." At this stage the inquiry wae adjourned till 9.30 o'clock on Saturday morning in order that further inquiries might be made as to deceased's move-) ments after'he was last seen alive by the witness Hagan.