Man’s Death in Lock-up After Drinking Ether

Grey River Argus, 20 April 1948, Page 7

Man’s Death in Lock-up After Drinking Ether

HAWERA, April 19. Placed in the lock-up at the Havvera police station on Saturday night a man who was arrested at the public hospital on a charge of being unlawfully on the premises was found at midnight to be in a condition other than what was believed earlier to be the result of intoxication. A doctor was called, but the man died before he could be removed by the ambulance. He was Arthur Francis Mun ton, aged 45, whose last known address was .Mercer. He is, believed to have died as the result of drinking, ether. Munton called at the hospital at 8.30 with a request that he be admitted for the night, but as there was nothing to warrant his entry as a patient he was turned away. About 10 o’clock the night staff reported a prowler about, the premises and Munton was found lying on the floor of the laboratory. He was taken to the police station and put in a C Ht was ascertained to-day that a bJttle of ether in the laboratory had been opened and some of the contents 'consumed by the intruder.