AN OLD MAN’S DEATH.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 265, 25 October 1916, Page 2

AN OLD MAN’S DEATH.

INQUEST ON .DENNIS McCarthy.

The inquest touching the death of the late Dennis McCarthy was held iit Napier yesterday afternoon before Mr. S. E. McCarthy, coroner. •Sergeant Fraser conducted the case for the police. Mr. Arch King, postmaster at Eskdale, deposed that at 5.20 p.m. on Friday he was driving along Petane road, when about 100 yards this side of the hotel he saw a gig approaching with the driver on the wrong side of the gig. His sister who accompanied witness drew attention to the man lying on the driver’s side, and asked what was the matter. Witness replied, “He is either dead or in a fit, but am practically sure he is dead.” The position of deceased was helpless and his body was jolting about with the motion of the. vehicle. He considered medical aid should have been obtained for anyone in deceased’s posi tion. He believed the driver to be Francis Morrow. Francis Saunders, licensee of the Petane Hotel, said he had known deceased for many years. He last saw him on Friday morning between 11 and 12. He was serving drinKS in the bar at the hotel when he noticed the late Dennis McCarthy and two other men. In friendly conversation the latter told him he Had

come out about a willow contract, but was not feeling very well and (felt faint. Witness thought he lookied very ill. Deceased asked for _a ; drop of whisky, remarking that it (might do him good. He also re- ; marked, “I don’t take as much of I this as I used to.” Witness then ’went to serve other customers and

’) returning, deceased asked for \ano- ■ ther whisky, with which he was i served. A few minutes later he had the hotel. He could not have : been in the hotel for more than ten minutes. He could not say if the two men had actually come with i McCarthy because he had not seen ■ them enter. He thought one man’s name was Burrows. Decetsod bought no liquor whatever to take off the premises. He later discovered that the man he thought to J be Burrows was Murrow. If was I about nine on the Friday morning I when he learnt the name of Bur- i rows, the man now known to be Murrow having come into his hotel to question about some painting. He had only remained a few minutes on that occasion, _ during -which time he had one drink. He again saw him in about a quarter of an hour, when Murrow said -he had forgotten to deliver a message. He

took a bottle of whisky away with him, stating that it was for a Mr. Mormdnd, who was to'o busy to come for it, but would call later and pay for it. He again saw Murrow when deceased was there. He did not remember whether he had one or two drinks. He did not see him leave the bar, which was circular, thus making it impossible to see both sides at once. When he taxed Mormond about the whisky, the latter said he had never ordered whisky th/ough a man named Burrows. He said it must be a mistake and possibly it v,-as a paintei- named Murrow who went for the whisky. When he last saw Murrow on Friday he appeared to be perfectly sober. Edward McMillan, in charge of the livery stables at Petane, said he did not know deceased or Murrow. At 2 o’clock on Friday afternoon last he saw a trap with two men in it near the Petane Hall. The older man was then on the ground trying to get into the gig. The other occupant assisted him. The man appeared to be either drunk or badly hurt. At 2.45 he again saw them going up towards Petane river way, and they both appeared to be the worse for liquor. About 4.45 he again saw them near McGlashan’s gate, headed towards Napier. The driver asked witness to pick up deceased’s hat which was on the road. The old man was then on the right side of the driver with his head hanging over the back of the seat. Witness asked the driver what he was doing and why he didn’t take the man home, to which he received a reply that he didn’t know where to take him. The driver appeared quite sensible then and was holding a rug over the old man as it was raining. Murrow said he had his bike to ride home , on, and had only got in with the old man because the latter could not drive. Witness then asked why he had been driving up and down in the gig all the afternoon. He then drove back to the i stables and ten minutes later the trap drove past. When witness gave I the old man his hat, he was bleeding from three places—at the back of the head and under each eye. Witness had tried to make the old man speak, but the driver had said, “He’s too drunk.” He also told witness deceased had fallen out of the gig twice, striking himself on the steps. To Timothy McCarthy-: The driver was driving up and down the road all the afternoon. He could have brought deceased home straight away. At 4.45 deceased was alive, but looked more like a man v ery ill than one intoxicated. John Beagley, blacksmith at Pute. nno, said the late Dennis McCarthy was his father-in-law. He had arrived in Petane at 3 o’clock on Friday with a five horse team from Waikare. He stopped till about 3.35 to have some harness repaired. He then set out on his return to Tohgoio, and when about a mile from Petane he noticed a gig containing two men approaching. One man had no hat on and he recognised him as his father-in-law. He pulled up and examined the man and found him in a dazed condition. Witness questioned the driver as to how the accident happened, and was told that he (the driver) found him lying on the road. Witness asked where, but Murrow did not answer that and said he had fallen out of the gig. He then told him that the man was ill. Witness again tried to make deceased recognise him, and said he

was a nice sort to be out there when his daughter was ill. The old man then seemed to recognise witness and shook hands. He wanted io drive himself home, but the driver would not permit this. Deceased agreed to let Murrow drive him home. Witness asked Murrow to mind his team while he went to get a car, but he said it was useless, t > which witness argued that he must be got home and if he didn’t do it, he would get the police to take them both home. The driver then consented to take him home, but raised an objection about his bike, which he couldn’t take in the gig. Witness told him to hire a bike from Sutton and Balfour and charge it up to him. Murrow agreed and they then started for home. Murrow appeared to be sober. Deceased had a cut on his head and a bruise under one eye. _ Francis Murrow, painter, residing at Port Ahuriri, said he was coming from Petane beach near the beacons when he met a gig—this was about 12.15 p.m. He recognised the occupant as deceased and asked what he was doing out there. His Worship: The licensee of the Petane Hotel has sworn that he saw; you in the hotel between eleven and i twelve. i Witness: It was 12.25 p.m. I was also in there at 9 a.m.

Continuing witness said the de-: ceased seemed excited about a wil-; low cutting contract, and said he' had been speaking to the chairman) of the Rivers Board. A young man | named Smith was to enter the con- j tract with deceased, but had “re-' negged” on it. Witness asked about: the job and deceased said “all, I right” and asked witness to go to’ the place with him. They both drove, to Petane. On the way deceased I complained of not being too well! and said he would Eave some whis-i ky to see if it would help him. { To His Worship : Did not see de-1 ceased having anv whisky in the' hotel. ‘ I Witness was driven to the scene! of the contract and alighted. Deceased again complained, of feeling; unwell and said that going out to ; the Show the day previosuly seem-! ed to upset him.. He then looked I very ill, so witness told him to rest 1 ia little and he would be better. He I did so and seemed to improve. They) : then looked at the trees that were i to be felled and deceased exolained how they were to be done. He then asked witness to go over the Esk bridge with him, as he wanted to see something and give the pony a drink also. At. 5.45 p.m. the enquiry was adjourned till 2.15 to-day.