CORONER'S INQUEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 231, 9 August 1864, Page 4

CORONER'S INQUEST.

[Before T. TVT. Philsox, Esq., Coroner.] Av inquest was held at the Boyal Hotel, at noon yesterday, 011 tho body of Henry Holfoni, who <liod Suddenly in Queen-street on Sunday last-. A jury of twelve having been sworn, 3lr. ,T. C. lilcLeod was chosen foreman. Police. SeijeantMollov, sworn, deposed:—l was in •Queenrstreet between 5 and 6 o'clock on Sunday last, about oO.yaids from where deceased fell, opposite Somervillo's corner. I observed hiin stagger and then fall. He was walking down "West Queen-street by himself. I immediately went to him, and he was then lying upon the ground, On his back, apparently working heavily in a fit, his limbs agitated, and his eves fixed, A: •-Tfiwd quickly.gathering around him, if did ,not take particular notice of his features. I .saw Drs. Keen and Riddel on the spot, and they :assisted deceased, Dr. Keen going for a draught, -which was administered to the deceased. Deceased 'then begnn to froth at tho mouth heavily ; but I saw :iio-blood upon his face. Ho died within ten minutes from the time I first observed him. The body was ihen removed to the dead house, where it now lies. I searched the.deceased, and found in his pockets one silver watch, one gold Albeit chain, one silver chain, ■one gold pin, one gold ring, one sovereign, and 5/6 in silver, also a pocket book containing some papers, purporting to belong to one Henry Holford. The deceased had the appearance of being a very respectable young man, and apparently in good 'health. I -could , not discern the slightest sign of his having Tieen drinking. I sent to the General Cameron Hotel, where he whs lodging, for some one to come :aml identify him, und a young man now present ■came and identified him at once as Henry Holford. .After.he fell he asked for water, and said he felt ihad; ... •

Henry Kersten deposed:—l am a civilian, residing lit.-tho'General Cameron Hotel. I know the deceased, }ie was a fellow lodger. 3 saw him about 2.30 p.m. ■on-Sunday last; lie ivas in the house at. that, time, and appeared to bo in his usual health. "We had all dined together between one and two o'clock. Deceased was perfectly sober, and was always a temperate man. Deceased's name was Hemy llolford, and came from Dnncdin. Ido not know what occu-pation-he followed. I believe he whs either a. native of Essex or Surrey. I should say he was about 30 years of age. I heard of his death between 5 and G o'clock yesterday afternoon. By the Foreman : —I never knew hiin to have any fits before, or appear to be ill. Dr. Keen, deposed :—I am a legally qualified medical practitioner; residing in Auckland. I was c-omine: down West Queen-street about 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, wlien my attention was attracted bv a mob collected at the corner of the ttreet, and thinking that, something was wrong I went to ascertain, and found a man (deceasad) lying upon the ground on his back. He was quite white, und there van no pulsation beating ot the heart. He was nearly dead. Deceased did not appear to have had convulsions. I gave him a draught of ammonia, which he . swallowed. lie died, within two minutes after taking the draught. W hen ho was dying he emitted a large . quantity of yellow froth from the nose and mouth, but l did not perceive any blood. His features were pallid, and covered with a cold clammy perspiration. He did not emit the slightest sound or groan. My opinion, is in the.absence of a post mortem examination, that deceased died from disease of the heart j or the brain. It was either through that or the effects of .a strong draught of injurious fluid. [Here the foreman, was asked whether the jury would: wish, to have a post moirtem held upon the body, but they were of opinion that it was not necessary.] Thomas Farrej-, sworn, deposed: I know the deceased. _He camo to Auckland in the * Lord Ashley,' the trip last. He was lodging with me at tho ' General Cameron Hotel. Ho was a digger by profession, and came from Invercargill. He told me he intended bying a farm.. ■ He was, to: all appearance, a_healtby man, and quite temperate. I dined with him yesterday, 1 and he drank no liquor. I saw him last .between three,and four o'clock, in tho General Cameron Hotel, and ho was then in his usual health' and quite sober. He left to go out with a .friend, whom I did not-know, and who he said he had not teen- for four years ; : not since ho had left Now South Wales. ,;By the foreman :—I do not know who this friend was. - Dr. Keen, by the Coroner:—l did not perceivo any marks of violence upon his body. . ,'£*"9 being all the evidence the jury returned the following verdict: —" That the deceased, Henry llolford, died suddenly in a. fit of apoplexy, on Sunday, August 7th, 1864."