INQUEST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9614, 4 October 1913, Page 5

INQUEST.

Aniinquost death of Walter Henry Folia, on TWidtty last, the result, of drinking a dhtfafectant, was opened *Mh 6 Courthousei this morning, be %. J - f < IPS coroner. .John Thomaa Follas, father of deceaswhom deceased worked, deposed to mat mm him alive at 7.45 a.m. on IJtirsday morning. He was then in his usual health and in good spirits. Deceased man > no* given to excess «T alcoholic liquors. The next witness saw M deceased was at the Phoenix Hotel. Witness assign no reason at all for deceased s act. His domestic relations were of. tlie happiest, he being a married man with two children. ~;To Mr Poynton, witness stated deceased *as * strong, powerful man physically, but a few years ago a horse had fallen on mm and injured one of his kidneys. He WAS not suffering from any ailment at the time of his death.

i*^ 1 ? 1 • Paul, licenßee of the Phoenix Hotel, snid deceased came to his premises at about twenty minutes to twelve on Thursday morning, and was quite sober. He had had one drink to witness's knowledge. Deceased seemed to be in his Usual bright spirits, and was laughing and talking. At about 12.30 witness, on going to his dinner, noticed deceased talking to another man. Ten minutes later witness went to the yard of the hotel and found deceased. Communication was then made to the police, and Dr. Putnam. Dr. Bett, however, arrived later. Close to deceased was an empty bottle which had contained a disinfectant. Deceased was on his rounds at the time he called at witness's hotel, he being a customer of deceased's father.

Dr. Bett gave evidence of being called to the Phoenix Hotel and examining decoased's body, at about 1 o'clock. The body had been dead about half an hour then. There was a smell of a poisonous fluid (named) about the body and mouth. The lining of the mouth and the lips were burned with the fluid, which had also burnt a place above the left eve. Witness could not find any trace of injuries to the head. A cursory examination of the body was made after removal, and witness decided deceased had died from the effects of the disinfectant. Witness saw the bottle (produced). The contents were more than sufficient to kill a strong man.

Harry W. Scott, chemist, stated that he knew deceased very well. He came into witness's shop between 12 and 1 o'clock. Deceased stated that he had moved into a new house and wanted some disinfectant for the yard. Witness gave him a bottle. Deceased paid for it and took It away. The disinfectant supplied was not a poison that need be entered in a poisons book. Witness had made enquiries through Kempthorne, Prosser and Co., Ltd., of Dr. Erengley, on this matter, the communicator! from whom he put in. This was to the effect that the disinfectant, could at present be sold without a signature. Mention was made of a prosecution instituted some time ago against a Wellington grocer, but the Department had withdrawn this, as they could not establish the case in respect to the disinfectant. The company believed the Department had under consideration a fresh regulation which would probably embrace the disinfectant, but that was a. matter of the future. Witness Mated there was nothing to indicate that deceased intended to take his own life, his manner being the opposite. Constable Donoghue gave formal evidence of the finding of the body of deceased, and the empty bottle beside it. This concluded the evidence, and a verdict of death by poisoning, there being nothing to show the state of deceased's mind at the time, was returned.