INQUEST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11921, 19 June 1899, Page 2

INQUEST.

THE ' CASE * OF’ JOHN DREW.

An ihquest touching the' death of John Drew. who died in the Christchurch Hospital on Wednesday morning, was held, at the institution "& Saturday. " Mr R. Beetham/’ coronar, presided, and .Mr Edward • Eastwood was chosen foreman of the jury. William Sleeman, boarding-house keeper, said he had known the deceased for soma months. He had been boarding at witness’s place for the last few days, and on Thursday evening he went out at about seven o clock. There was then no discolouration about his eye. He was of a Very quiet dis- , position, and had been a widower for some y«ars. ' . .

■Constable M’Connoek said that on the evening of June 15 he saw the deceased ■sitting near the Hereford Hotel. He appeared to be helplessly drunk, and. witness got a cab and took him to the Station. Dr . Symes was sent for at once, and he ordered the man’s Immediate removal to theh-ospitaL He was well wrapped .up and taken car© of bn the way. He was, unconscious all the ’ ’ There was’ hordiscoiburarion- about yylipai he .was under the,obser- " Vation of witness. ~,. ■., pn sta-ble - Hampton,■ watch house-keeper, said-the deceased was brought into the Police Station .about 10.45 p.'m.,-and; bis'condition. was- so serious that'. he was removed to the hospital. Upon searching him, witness could find no money, but a watch and chain was in his pocket. There was no smell of alcohol upon the deceased, and witness diet not notice an injury to his eye. . •d Dr T. L. Crook, assistant surgeon,’at the hospital, said the deceased, when admitted, was in. a state, of ’ complete collapse, and his respiration was hardly perceptible. . His breath, smelt strongly -of alcohol. , Witness concluded that he was suffering from the effects of drink, and took measures accordingly. He was given an emetic, and the stomach-pump was applied. His breathing then .became stronger and more regular, and witness, seeing that lie was in a fair way to coming founcr, left him. He died, however, at seven o’clock next morning. Witness held'a post-mortem examination, which revealed a fracture of the skull, above the, right ear, about an inch and a hall fn length. Death had resulted from concussion of the brain. The eye was not discoloured when deceased was brought in, bub it. got so afterwards. It was a black eye. The fracture was a recent one,. and might have been caused by a fall. The skin was n'of cut or bruised-over the-fracture, showing that the injury had been sustained by coming in contact with something blunt. Constable, Perniskie said he had arrested the deceased twice for drunkenness within the last two months. ... ■ i The boarding-house keeper (recalled) said that the deceased should have had about £7 oh him on Thursday night. He knew he was in possession of about that sum because. he was wanting to pay for his board, and had no change. ’ ■ • Nurse Brooke-Smith said she found 15s in a side pocket of the deceased after his admission to * the hospital. The police had not found any money on the deceased. - - - . . Verdict, was returned that the, deceased met his death through the effects of a fractured skull, sustained whilst in a state of. helpless drunkenness, but how he came by it no evidence to show. j