INQUEST ON THE BODY OF GEORGE DARE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 642, 2 December 1865, Page 5

INQUEST ON THE BODY OF GEORGE DARE.

An inquest on tho body of George Daro, a sottler, I who was killed hv a blow of a man's fist, at Waiwora, ] on the 2'2nd of November la-t, was held at the Waiwora Ilotol, on the 23rd, beforo Carlton H. J. Hill, k lisq., Coroner, and a jury. ( Tho following ovidenci was taken : — ( Francis Thomas Bannatyno, being sworn, said, I am a legally qualifiod medical practitioner. I was ' culled by Iloury Svm : i. I found tho deceased pulso- ( less, and in a stato of svneopo. I ordered him hot n wator and mustard to his feet immediately. A few minutos aftor I told Mr. llonry Svras that he was do:id. Whon I found him in a stato of sincopo, I ( p illed his tongue out. I have just uow viewed the s body, and found no marks of violence whatever ex- c tnrnally. I cannot state what caused tho death of k deceased. 1 Honry Joseph Syms, being sworn, said, lam ( proprietor of tho Waiwera Hotel. About seven o'clock on tho evening of tho 22nd of Novomber. 1 the deceased camo to my houso in a state of intoxication, and was vory quarrelsome. I got out of his I way as much as possible, in consequence of tho , apparent animosity hoj had towards mo, for what" reason Ido not know. I immediately closed my bar in ronscquence ofiho intoxicated state of tho deceased and others. Tho deceased left my houso, and ( returned in about a quarter of an hour, and insisted up in my opening tho bar, which I refused to do, rj whoreupon ho threatened to break my faco, by placing his clenched fist against my face. Throe times •- I plac»d my hands in my pockots, and told him they I were there, and not to strike, as I would not take ( them out. Ho thon called mo somo idle names which I don't think propor to mention, whoreupon a young man who was Btanding by, whose namo I do ] not know, stopped forward aud said, "D— you, you seo ho does not want to fight with you," suiting tho action to tho word, struck him (the deceased) with tho right hand on the loft side of tho nock; as ho was . filling, apparently from tho effect of tho blow, he . struck tho deceased with tho loft hand on tho faco. Tho doceascd then fell down on his back and groaned ; ho thon turned on his right sido and breaihod rathor heavily. I called for assistance from thoso who wero standing by, who assisted me to place him on a seat in a lying position under the verandah noar tho ] bar door. I immediately undid his necktio, and applied cold water to his head, and sent for Dr. Bannatyne, who was on tho premises. In the moantimo, ( with assistance, I removed him to tho room ho now ( lios in, as to all appearance ho wai dead. Dr. Bannatyno ordered hot water and mustard to be applied to 1 his feet as a hath, which I did myself immediately, and continued ituntil Dr. Bannatyna pronounced him as dead. I. then loft off and took chargo of tho body until tho Coroner arrived to-night. In about five minutes from the timo ho rocoived tho blow I myself believed him to bo dead. It was so dark I could not tell whether tho person who inflicted tho blow had any weapon in his hand. As I was not abovo a yard from him, tho blow was given bo instantaneously that I had not timo to interfere. The man who Btrnck tho blow appeared to bo about five feot six or less with smooth faco and light complexion, and dressed in dark clothing. As soon as ho struck tho blow ho passed through tho paddock and disappeared. If I thought for a moment that death would have onsued I would have arrested the man, but thinking it was a drunken squabble, I considered it my duty a3 a public mto look after tho helpless, and to allow thoso that could go home, to do so, which I did. Tho man that struck tho blow did _ not appear to bo undor tho influonco of liquor ; as much as 'the deceased, from the manner in which ho walked away. So far as lam aware, thero was not tho slightost provocation for the assault directly givon. I firmly bolieve that I could recogniso tho man that struck tho blows, but I would not undertako to swear to tho man, as tho night was exceedingly dark. Mero, an aboriginal native, on being sworn, said, last ovoning, abiut eight o'clock, I was in Syms's Hotel, and heard blows given, but cannot say who gavo tho blows. John Hunt, on being sworn, said, I called at Syms's Hotel hist evening, about eight o'clock. I was Mr. Syms sitting outsido the bar door. The deceased was standing in front of Mr. Syms, with his fist in Mr..Syms's face. Tho docoasod said to Mr. Syms, " You aro a two-facod scoundrel," and just at tho timo a man camo up and struck the deceased. I think ho struck him tho second time. As the de-eca-ed foil the man that struck tho blows wont away towards tho beach. I was talking to Mr. Syms, and wanted somo spirits from him ; ho would not give mc any, as he would not open tho bar for anybody. Mr. Syms told the deceased that "his hands wero in his' pockets. It was not possible for him to have struck tho doceaso without my soeing him do so. Anno Eleanor Dare, on being sworn, said, the deceased is my lato husband. He left home yesterday morning iu good health. He went to Mr. Anderson's, to vote at tV election. Whon I cnme down the river ho had loft Mr. Anderson's. I then came djwn tf Mr. Syms's. I found tho deceased. Ho whs rathor oxoitod. He was under the verandah, in front of tho bar. The bai- was closed. Thero wero two or three persong wrangling, and the deceased wanted to make peace. I wanted him to come home. Ho told mo ho would como whon lis liked, and ho would allow no woman to rule him. Kvojy time I went noar him he avoided mo. He went and asked Mr. Syms if it was to be an open houso. Mr. Syms repliod if they called for anything, and had tho money to pay for it, they could havo it. Ho (the deceased) thon said if the girl and boy would go homo with him, he would go. Ho would not allow me to go homo with him. The boy and girl took him away to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, as thoy were just at tho end of the paddock. It was about dark when they wontaway. I came upstairs to the dining-room. In about three-quarters of an hour Moro came upstairs to toll tho girl to go down and see after hor father, as ho was dying. Young Joseph Syms came up and ! called the doctor. I followed. They wore just carry- I ing tho deceased to lay him on the bed as I got down. ; It is tho same bed he now ließ on. I flaw instantly thfit bo wus deftd- Tho doctor felfc liis pulso and 1 ordered musj-ar l and wator to his feot. Mr. Syms ' applied it. I have known the deceased to havo fits three times. The last time he was attacked was on Easter Monday last. It was when he was unaer the 0 influence of liquor that ho had fits. It is likely that 1 tho irritation of his mind would bring on a fit. ; Tho iury returned the following verdict: r ; the decease!, Georgo Daro, on tho 22nd day of JNo- ; vembor, in the year 1865, came by his death from a » blow or blows given by aomo porson unknown, ana • secoid their verdiot of manslaughter agaroii ths taid unkaowa p«wn»"