INQUEST PROCEEDINGS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 May 1943, Page 4

INQUEST PROCEEDINGS

LATE MR J. D. CULLEN

Ah inquest into the death of Mr John Donovan Cullen, of Greymoutn, who was found dead in his bed on Sunday morning, was he id at L»rey~ mouth Mei day afternoon, before Mi M. J. Fogarty, J.P., sitting as Coroner. ■Senior Sergeant G. F. Bomsch conducted the proceedings for the police. Frederick William Bayley, oi Greymouth, storeman, said that he ana deceased had been close friends for the past 20 years, having been nextdoor neighbours. He was with deceased on February 15, 1943, fiom 7.30 p.m. till 9.15 p.m., and witness mentioned to deceased that he did not look well, but deceased said he felt alright and was merely tired. About three weeks ago while at the Public Works Office deceased had had an attack from which he took about half an hour to recover. He usually kept fairly good health, and apart from being partially deformed by rheumatism, he suffered no serious Ej lments as far as witness knew. Deceased, who was a widower, lived alone. Witness had not seen anything of deceased on Sunday morning up till about 11 a.m., and he thought this strange. He investigated and found deceased dead in bed. He identified the body as that of tae deDr. H. S. Ray said he was called to the residence of deceased abom 11.30 a.m. on Sunday and found him dead. Death had occurred at least six hours previously. Later he performed a post mortem exam.nation. He detailed the results of the examination, and said the heart showed very extensive disease. There were no external marks on the body. Death was due, in his opinion, to heart failure, the result of advanced coronary artery disease. Constable A. H. Smith gave evidence that on information received he went to the residence of deceased about 12.15 p.m. on Sunday. He informed the Coroner, and on his instructions the body was removed to the Grey Hospital morgue for a postmortem examination. - The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased died at Greymouth on May 16, 1943, the cause of death being heart failure, the result of advanced coronary artery disease.