INQUEST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12158, 23 March 1900, Page 6

INQUEST.

An. inquest into the circumstances connected with .the death of William Bailey, aged about forty years, who died at the Samaritan Home on Wednesday night, was held at the institution yesterday afternoon, before Mr R. Beetbam, coroner, and a jury, of which Mr J, 0. Sopp, was chosen foreman.

Dr Orchard said he received a telephone message on the evening of March 20 with regard to the state of the deceased. He gave instructions what to do, and attended in person as soon as possible. Remedial measures, were taken, and it was thought that the stomach of the deceased'had. been thoroughly cleansed of poison. . The deceased became worse, however, and died next morning; -

’William Manyard, an inmate of- .the Samaritan Home, said that he and the deceased occupied the same rooip. Witness had been using a carbolic lotion. On the evening of his death the deceased applied the lotion for witness, and afterwards attended a concert held in the women’s part of the house. He returned at about 9.15 p.m., and prepared to go to bed. Deceased looked as if he was going to have a fit, and witness told him to go and get a drink of water. The next thing witness noticed was that the deceased held two bottles in his hand’—one was his own medicine bottle, and the other, which was empty, was that which had contained the carbolic lotion. The deceased remarked, “I’ve finished that,” meaning the carbolic lotion. He then became very ill, and stated that he had taken tbe poison in mistake. Remedial measures were, applied by the matron, and medical aid was immediately summoned. A verdict was returned that: death was accidental, and a rider was added,deprecating the dispensing of poisonous lotions in the institution without distinguishing labels., - -