DEATH FROM EXPOSURE,

Evening Star, Issue 9774, 2 August 1895, Page 3

DEATH FROM EXPOSURE,

An inquest was held at Hutton’s Hotel, St. KUda, this afternoon, before Mr Coroner Cnrcw and a jury of six, on the body of Nicholas Been, who was found dead yesterday. Mr \V. Wardrop was chosen foreman of the jury. Inspector Pardv conducted the inquest on behalf of tho police, Mr J. F. M. F.a--cr watched the proceedings ou behalf of the family of deceased, and Mr W. M'Gregor appeared for Ur Weir, licensee of the Metropolo Hotel, St. Bather Been, wife of deceased, said her husband was bom in Amsterdam, in Holland. H6 had been about ten years in tho colony, and was fifty-four years of age. She last saw him alive at half-past four on Wednesday afternoon. He left for St. Clair. He took no money with him. He never suffered from fainting fits. He complained of rheumatism eight or nine months go. He sometimes had a pain in bis left side, but never complained of a weak heart. To Inspector Pardy: He was quite sober when he left home. He said he would not stop away long. He had £1 Is in his possession when Woody was found. To the Foreman: Her husband was not in the habit of stopping out all nigbt. Witness and her daughter waited up on Wednesday night for deceased.

Edward Alexander, cab proprietor, residing in Bay View road, stated that he had known deceased since he arrived in the country. Witness got up at about a quarter to seven on Thursday morning. He went to look for hia horse, which had got out of the pad lock. He went along the road at the back of the racecourse, and was about opposite Dr Gough trey's hospital when he saw a big yellow dog sitting on the tide of the road. Witness thought that the dog hiul something, and on going towards the animal he saw a man lying on his right side with hia face in the snow. There was about 2in of snow on the ground, and there had been a very sharp frost. Witness was going to touch the body, When the dog How at him. Sis jacket lay about two yards from Lim. It had been wet, but was frozen. His body Was naked from his knees up to his navel. He had ou a shirt and waistcoat. He shook the man, who made a moaning sound. M itness then saw it was Malcolm Been. He could smell no drink ‘about him. He got his clothes and put the dry part of hia jacket under his Lead. Witness then loft, and On his way along the road ho saw Ins brother and called him. He also met his other brother, and to’d him to harness a couplo of horses and bring two horse rugs. Witness and his brotr ers then returned where deceased was and put him in the cab and drove him home. He appeared to be conscious. There was a small ditch close to where deceased was found. Mrs Been gave deceased a little brandy, but witness did not think he swallowed it. From the time witness saw deceased until the time he took him homo hot more than fifteen minutes elapsed. To Mr M‘Gregor ; The body was not lying in the ditch. Robert Young, warehouseman, residing at St. Clair, said he knew deceased. Ho saw him iii tho Metropolis Hotel on Wednesday night. Ho saw him leave by the kitchen door. Witness thought that he was quite competent to look after himself. During the course of a conversation witness asked Been to have a drink, which he had. That was tho only drink witness saw him have.

Sir Fraser: "Would you dorciibc him as sober ?—He spoke quite rationally, but was a jiecubarkindof a man. Deceased left the hotel before a quarter to ten. Dr Fulton said ho was asked to see deceased on Thursday morning. He arrived at Mrs Been’s house at about half-past eight. Deceased was then dead, and the body was cold. From what witness heard he thought that deceased must have died the moment he was brought into the house. There was no sign of external injuries. Witness was inclined to think that he had been crawling about on his knees He saw his clothes, which were, soaking, and examined the place where the body was found. It had the appearance of deceased having been rolling about. There were marks in the ditch, as though he had been in the ditch and crawled out again. From the appearance of tho body and face ho considered that the cause of death was a shock to the system from exposure. To Inspector Party ; If lie had been drinking heavily it was probable that tho effects > f fold would have been more severe than a tompeiate matt.

I Left sitting.!