A FATAL FALL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14681, 12 May 1908, Page 4

A FATAL FALL.

DEATH THROUGH DRUNKENNESS.

An inquest was held at the Christchurch Hospital yesterday afternoon concerning the death of a man named Turley, who was taken to the hospital on Friday in an unconscious condition, and who died on the following night. Tho Coroner (Mr H.' W. Bishop. S.iVI.) said that so littlo was known of the'deceased that tho police were unable to discover his Christian name.

Dr T. L. Crooke, house surgeon at the Christchurch Hospital, said that the deceased was taken to l the hospital between noon and 1 p.m. on Friday, unconscious and suffering from a wound on tho left side of the head. He smelt very strongly of alcohol and was suffering from a fracture at the base of tho skull. Ho never recovered consciousness and died at 10 p.m on Saturday. A post mortem examination' was made and >a fracture of the skull was found which was quite sufficient to account for death. Duncan Fraser, dealer, said that lie had known the deceased fourteen or fifteen years. Ho.knew him, only as “Harry.” Ho was a labourer workig on farms, stations and threshing mills. Witness mot him at 11 a.m. on Friday near the Prince of Wales Hotel while driving. The deceased was under the influence of liquor but was not helplessly drunk. _ Witness and a friend had drinks with him at the Prince of Wales, New Zealander, Grosvenor and Royal George, four hotels, each having a small glass of beer on each occasion. 'The trap was then driven to Essex Street as witness had left his whip ill a liouso there. Witness and his friend Devlin drove the deceased to a house in Essex Street and got out, leaving him in tho trap. On coming out of the house they found the deceased lying across tho gutter, his neck being across tho kerb,, and found he was bleeding profusely from the head. They put him on tho cart and took him to Strathmore Hospital. Mr Bishop: Now you told us that when you first went to the Prince of Wales Hotel the man was not sober. .

Witness: I did not say that. Mr Bishop: Of course you did. You told us so most distinctly. , What was the effect of these sundry beers upon him P

Witness: I could see no effect

The witness in reply to a question by tho foreman of tho jury said that he was perfectly sober all the time. He had had no iiquor prior to meeting the deceased.

Walter George Devlin, painter, gave similar evidence, stating that he was quite sober all the time. The deceased had no appearance of drink upon him when they first met him. . He had known the deceased a long time, but only knew him as “Harry.” The deceased was quite fit to look after himself when they left him in the trap. . Ellen Emily Green, a resident of Essex Street said that she saw the deceased at about 11.45 a.m. on Friday in a trap with two other men. The other men got out of tho trap, leaving the deceased standing up in tho trap. The deceased attempted to get out and , missing the step, fell heavily into l the gutter. She believed that ho was drunk. The Coroner said that the case was a pretty clear one. In all probability the deceased had been drinking before lie started the round of the hotels. Whether tho men who were with him appreciated the position or not he did not care to eav. He did not know how many small beers it took to make a man drunk, but Mrs Green, the only reliable witness who had seen tho deceased before tho accident, said that the man was helplessly drunk.

The jury retired for a few minutes , and returned with a verdict that tho deceased died from the refill!t of injuries sustained by accident, while ho was drunk.