FOUND DEAD

Grey River Argus, 27 June 1945, Page 2

FOUND DEAD

INQUEST ON COBDEN MAN’S DEATH. A verdict that death was caused by heart failure, the result of coronary arterv disease, was returned by tne acthig-Coronei- Mr, F. W, J.P., and a jury of four, comprising E. Costello (foreman), M. ONeill, tx. White and J. Mundy, when an innuest concerning the death of Wil ham Mason, aged 67, clerk, of Cobden, at Seven Mile Beach, on June 18 last, was concluded at Greymouth yesterday. Sm geant R. C. Mcßobie conducted proceedings for the police. Dr H. S. Ray said that about seven, vears apo he attended Mason foi a severe attack of acute thrombosis. He recovered li om this attack with a severely damaged heart which necessitated his, retirement from active work. In his condition he was liable to have a similar or fatal attack, at any time. Witness performed a post-mortem examination on the body on June 19. It bore no external marks ot injury. With the exception of the heart, all internal organs appeared' healthy. An old scar on the anterior surface of tjhe heart was apparently tne site of his previous attack. The coronary arteries showed marked atheroma and were extensively diseased. Death was due to heart failure, the xesult of coronary artery disease. Thomas Arthur Howard, cartage contractor, said he had known Mason for a number of years. Qn June 17 he had had tea at Mason’s home when he appeared to be in good health. During the evening it was arranged that witness should -take him next day to Seven Mile Beach, where Mason intended to gather some drift wood. They left Greymouth in witness’s truck next morning at about 10.30. Witness left Mason at Seven Mile Beach and arranged to return for him later in the day. Later when returning from 10 Mile with William Anderson he stopped and picked up some wood at a place where he had earlier left Mason and then looked on to the beach for Mason, whom they saw lying down. He thought him asleep and, with Anderson, went to wnere he lay and found him dead. He last saw Mason alive at about 11.30, when he was standing by a heap of wood’ which he had stacked near the road. Witness notified the police. At no time while he was with Mason in the morning had Mason complained of not feeling well. The body, when found, bore a natural appearance and it appeared Mason had oeen lining a bag of wood when he had fallen back and expired. A few of the pieces were fairly heavy, and Mason may have strained himself in dragging them from the beach to tug, roaa'.- TT , „ , William Anderson, Harbour Board employee, said that at about 2 p.m. on June 18, he went tor a ride to the 10 Mile with Howard. His evidence regarding the finding of Mason s body corroborated that of Howard. Constable J. P. Malloy said that at about 4 p.m. on June 18, he went to Seven Mile Beach, where a man had been found dead. The man had apparently ceen dead for some, hours. His boa’y bore no marks of violence. From the appearance of the body when first seen by him, it appeared that the dead, man had oeen tilling a bag with drift wood when he nad had a heart seizure and expired. At the conclusion of the evidence, the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.