INQUEST

Evening Star, Issue 17350, 12 May 1920, Page 7

INQUEST

An inquest was held at the Hospital yesteruay afternoon by the Coroner (Mr H Y. Widdowscm, S.M.) regarding the death ot Frederick Green at North-east Vallev on Monday. \ Sergeant M'Kenzie represented the noh'ce . r * C \ Hanlon was present on 'behalf ot tne relatives of the deceased, and Sir 'x>. B. Adams on behalf of the deceased's employer. John Green, son of the deceased, said his lather was 59 veins of age. As far as witness knew, Ids father had alwav* enjoyed good health. Dr Scanned, assistant medical superintendent at the Hospital, eaid that deceased was admitted to the institution at 2.30 on Monday afternoon, suffering from superficial injuries on the right parietal region and on the right ear. There were no .other external marks of injurv. Deceased was very cold, collapsed, shivering and an ashy-grey color. He was slightly but was conscious, and answered questions, but could not give an account of how he came by the accident. After his admission the condition of shock increased, and the heart become irregular and weak. The deceased died at 4 p.m. Martha K. Been said she saw deceased sitting in the creek at 1.50 p.m. on Monday. She asked him what he was doins there, but could not understand what he said. She then went to her brother'* men and told them, and thev got deceased out of the creek and rinsed his mouth. The deceased then recognised her and asked what had happened. Witness communicatee! with her brother, who arrived 10 minutes later with Dr Fulton, who ordered him into the Hospital. Paul Williams, an employee at the fellmonger.y. gave corroborative evidence. The bank of the creek was grassed, and about 10ft high. If a man fell from the water tap he would fall into the creek where the deceased was.

Dr Dreiman, who conducted a post mortem examination, said there was a lacerated wound an inch long on the right side of the head. The right ear also showed lacerated wounds. ' There was bruising with hemorrhage into the muscles of the upper part of the right shoulder blade, at the base of the skull, and on the lower leftlibs, and hemorrhage along the aorta as it passed down the chest. No fracture of any bones was found.' There was engorgement of the right auricle of the heart. The lungs were congested and dropsical, hut- the other organs were sound. He was of opinion that death resulted from shock, following the multiple injuries mentioned. A fall on to the boulders in the creek would cause the injuries, and these were sufficient to cause death. There was nothing to indicate a seizure of any kind, and no evidence of chronic heart "trouble. To Mr Adams: It was possible the fall mieht have been caused by some minute internal happenings which." the post- mortem would not reveal.

William Begg, employer of the deceased, said Green was a. very steady man. He was away from work for about three days in February with influenza. Deceased* had complained of indigestion, but in the'main he had very good health. The deceased's duties would take him to tho tap. which the men constantly used. He examined the bank, and found marks of someone having slidden or rolled down. A verdict was returned that deceased died from shock, following injuries received through a fall intfc the' creek at the fellmongery.