CORONER'S INQUEST.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 39, 15 May 1869, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held yesterday at the ¥leece Tavern, on the body of George Richardson, the landlord, who hud died the preceding day. The first witness culled was Mr. C. Wiesenhavern, who deponed that Richardson had been drinking, and that on Monday night last he was suffering from delirium tremens. He had taken a composing draught that day without it producing any effect. On the next day (Tuesday) he took Richardson for a walk, but he still laboured under hallucinations as on the day preceding. In the evening he took another composing draught, and about ten o'clock, on calling at the house, he found Dr. Vickernian sitting near the bed feeling the pulse of his patient, who was breathing heavily. At half-past nine on Wednesday morning he again saw Richardson, who was then spasmodic. At half-pasfc eleven he called again, and found the doctor with his patient. Mrs. Richardson was alarmed about her husband, and wished to have another medical man called in. Dr. Vickerman thought this unnecessary, but said, if Mrs. Eichardson wished he -would send for Dr. Kemp. Witness then went in search of Dr. Kemp, and on returning to the house, Mra. Richardson informed him the doctor gave her little hopes of her husband. On Dr. Kemp's arrival he left, and a short time afterwards a man came to inform him that Richardson was dead. Mrs. Richardson deposed to her husband having been ill for several days, and that he was attended by Dr. Vickerman on Monday. During the night her husbaiid was very restless and excited. On Tuesday the doctor came before dinner, and at her request he procured a person to stay with her husband, as he was not fit to be left; alone. Her husband told the doctor that he should die unless lie got sleep. In the afternoon, about four o'clock, the doctor brought a composing draught, which her busbaud took, but it produced no effect. The doctor called again in the evening, and about eight o'clock returned with another draught which he administered, and persuaded his patient to go to bed. On receiving back the glass which had contained tho draught she noticed a sediment at the bottom, and asked whether it mattered that it had not been drained, when the doctor replied in the negative. In less than an hour her husband fell into an uneasy sleep, but he afterwards became more quiet. Dr. Vickerman returned about eleven o'clock and remained with his patient until two in the morning. When he came back Richardson was breathing hard, with long inspirations. This made her uneasy, but the doctor told her there was no cause for alarm. She went to bed but awoke at four o'clock, and found all quiet. At six she arose and went to her husband's bedside and kissed him. He opened his eyes, but they were destitute of expression. The man who had sat up with him informed her that he had been restless all night. Her husband tried to speak, but she could not understand what he said. His head was very hot, and his extremities warm, and he had a twitching of his limbs. Dr. Vickerman called before noon. On going into the room where her husband lay, aud the blinds being pulled up, she thought from the colour of his face the case was serious. She told the doctor so, but he tried to quiet her feai'e. She wished for another medical man to be summoned, but Dr. Vickerman did not think this necessary; on her bocoming urgent, he suggested Dr. Kemp, and Mr. Wioseuhavurn, who was present, went in search of Dr. Kemp. Dr. Kemp came after a short time, and after seeing her husband went back to the hospital for an instrument. He returned very quickly, but her husband died Boon after his arrival. . The inquest was adjourned until noon to-day.

Accident. —On Thursday evening, Mr. John Moore, in returning from the Beach, and while standing on the stage in front of tho railway omnibus, after passing the Saltwater Bridge, became suddenly giddy, and fell to the ground, the wheels of the vehicle as it passed, just catching one of his heels. The extent of the injury cannot at present be fully ascertained. The West Coast for West Coast Residents. —We take the following paragraph from the Westport Times, of May 1. It needs no comment :—" We understand that a Nelson tender for the work of making the track along Hawk's Crag has been accepted. The successful tenderer is Mr. Charles Bray, and the amount of his tender is £198. It appears that tenders were received at Nelson as well as at Westport, but those received at Weeport were, as has been stated, considerably higher than tho estimate. We can scarcely suppose that the Government has acted otherwise than in good faith with tho contractors, but the ignorance which prevails as to whether the tendei'3 were opened simultaneously, and as to the fact of tenders having been received in Nelson, is the cause of considerable dissatisfaction among those who sent in tendero." Laying Stones on a Railway. —Four boys, ranging from six to eleven years of age, were recently had up before tho Resident Magistrate in Chrietchurch, for placing stones on the railway line near the Christchurch station. As the boys were not seen to commit the ofl'cuce, but were only found near where the stones were found they were discharged wilh au admonition.