NATURAL DEATH

Northern Advocate, 12 October 1928, Page 4

NATURAL DEATH

INQUEST ON ALFRED DENT. CORONER'S VERDICT. Before the Coroner, Mr .1, H. Luxford, an inquest concerning the demise of Alfred Henry Dent, labourerwho was round dead in his bed on the morning of October 11, was held in the Whangarei Courthouse this morn-

mg. Lionel Sands, a shipwright of Whangaroi, with whom deceased Had boarded for about two years, stated that on the 10th inst. ' deceased had retired to bed at about 7.45 p.xn., apparently, in his usual state of health. He was sharing a room with another boarder, 'William Bisset, at the time. In the morning witness' son took a cup of lea to deceased at about 6.40 o’clock, but he returned and said that he could not wake him. • Witness did not go straight up to the room, but sent over for the doctor, who pronounced 1 life extinct. Deceased had complained at times that he was not' feeling in the best of health and! stated that he was suffering from high blood pressure. William Conway Bisset, single, a carpenter residing with Sands, stated that he shared a room with deceased and on the night in qiestion went to bed at about 9.30, o'clock. Deceased was then asleep. Mr Sands’ son came in at about 6.45 next morning with a cup of tea, but witness was asleep. The boy wakened him and exclaimed: “Look at the ‘Captain'! Look how pale he is!” referring to deceased, who was known by the name of “Captain.” Witness then saw that Dent was dead. There were no signs of a struggle, and nothing was disturbed before the doctor’s arrival. Witness had known deceased for 15 years. Dent was not a drinker. He was a general favourite with everybody and was perfectly contented in his surroundings. Albert Dent, a brother of deceased, a liftman of Auckland, certified that Alfred Dent was his brother., % was a native of New Zealand, and was married. He had a family, all ift occupations in New Zealand. Dr. Yentry Smith said that He was called on the morning of the 11th and found Dent on his back in bed, in a natural position, nothing being disturbed. The eyes were slightly distended, but everything was ccnsistent with a case of syncope. He had evidently been dead five or six hours. The Coroner returned a verdict that the cause of death was syncope.