WATERSIDER SUCCUMBS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 15 June 1920, Page 5

WATERSIDER SUCCUMBS

ATTACK ByTj&IDENTIFIED MAin The death of David John Stanley, a waterside worker who was injured in a fracas on the Central Wharf on April 19, and who died at the Auckland Hospital on Mav 14, was the subject of an inquest held by the coroner, Mr J. E. Wilson, S.M. . Frank Harkus Diver, a waterside worker, stated that on the night of April 19, prior to starting work on the steamer Canadian Raider, Stanley and another man had an argument with two sailors of alien nationality. One sailor went away and the other pushed Stanley, who warned him to be careful. Witness walked between the two, and told the sailor not to hit Stanley. The sailor then struck Stanley in the face, and upon deceased's companion comiin'g to his assistance the other sailor came back _ and struck the second man. Witness went for assistance, and on returning saw Stanley lying on his back with the sailors standing about ten feet away. Deceased stated that he had been kicked and hit on the head with a bottle, The sailors went away to the barque Rothesay Bay, and witness commenced work. Later in the evening he went with Sergeant Brown and two constables to the Rothesay Bay, where he pointed out two men, one fair and one dark, whom he alleged were the sailors concerned in the assault. These men denied all knowledge of /the occurence. When Sergeant Brown asked if he were sure they were the men witness expressed doubt. On April 21 witness again went to* the Rothesay Bay with deceased and two ■constables. .Witness, then identified the same two men as on the previous occasion. He then had no doubt about the identity ofthe men. The deceased said he would not like to accuse a ipan unless he were certain of his identity. The dark sailor who was accused said *That at half-past six o'clock on the night of the assault he> was at the steamer Manaia. The constables said they could' not do anything unless Stanley could identify his assailants. Stanley said that as the place of the assault was dark lie could not definitely identify his Assailants.

Constable Nesbitt gave evidence regarding the search for the sailors and said that the previous witness, Diver, was not sure about the identity of the two sailors he picked out from the crew of the Rothesay Bay. James Francis Cleveland Moore, resident surgeon at the Auckland Hospital, said the decased was admitted to the institution on May 9. He was suffering from,* intense headaches, a slightly impaired vision, and was unable to walk without a tendency to fall to the right. He was in a drowsy state, and _ t^ % relieve his condition an operation* on the head was performed on the afternoon of May 13. He died suddenly on May 14, and the post-mortem examination disclosed a large abscess in the right frontal lobe of his brain.’* Witness was of opinion that the abscess was of recent growth, and probably had its beginning in the injury received on April 19. . The coroner found that Stanley died as a result of an abscess on the brain, the result of a blow from a man who had not been identified.