THE ALLEGED DEATH FROM STARVATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7606, 8 April 1886, Page 6

THE ALLEGED DEATH FROM STARVATION.

THE CORONER'S INQUEST. Ax inquest upon tho body of Arthur Hemmett (tho young man who was found iu a yard off Wakefield-strcot on Monday morning, and died in about three and a-half hours after removal to tho Hospital in the afternoon) was held at the Hospital yesterday afternoon, before Dr. Philson, Coroner, and a jury of whom Mr. B. Rigg was chosen foreman. Constable Dews represented the police. Ellen Hart deposed that she was the wife of William Hart, etoreman, Alexandra-street. She identified the accused aa being a young man sho saw in her yard at 19 a.m. on Monday. She had gone into the fowlhouee, and then heard someone groaning. On looking through a craok sho saw the deceased lying on the ground between the fowlhouee and a watercloset in the adjoining yard. On asking him what he was doing there, ho replied that ha had a severe pain in his etomaoh. Hβ askfld for some cold water. She took him a oup of tea, but he would not have it; he said he would throw it off. She gave him cold wator, which ho drank. He was porfootly sober. She told him to rise and try and walk about, but he said he could not, as he was too dizzy. Sho returned to the house, lnaviug him in the same position. In about an hour she went into tho yard again, and found the deceased in the same place. Ho asked for a drop of brandy, which she gave him. Ho said he would not have anything to eat. It

was about a glass of braudy. Sho did not see him drink it, bu j her nieco told her that ho had dono so. She did not think he waa particularly bad, and did not send for the polioe at tirst. It was poseibly half an hour after the second visit that she sent for the polioe. It was about twelve o'clock that she sent her neice, Harriet George, for the police. Constable MoUovern arrived soon. She pointed the deceased out to him and returnoi to tho house. She did not seo the deceased taken away. She heard of his death about 10 p.m. on Tuesday. She had uevor seen the man before. He was groaning at tirst. She did not see any doctors attend him, but she believed that tho polioe brought two doctors. To a juror : She always thought it better to send for the police, and did not know why she did not send for a doctor.

Constable P. J. McGovern deposed that he was informed of the occurrence about 2.25 p.m. on Monday when on duty in Qneenstreet. A little girl, about 10 years of age, informed him that a m&n was dying iu her aunt's baekyard, Alexandrastreet. He was there at 2.30 p.m. The last witness pointed out tho deceased to him. Hβ hafi heard the evidence of the last witness, 6-nd confirmed her statement relative to the position of the deceased. He was awake and not groaning, aud eaid his namo was Arthur Hemmett, and a native of Herefordshire. He eaid he was a plumber by trade, had been ten years in the colony, and ten days in Auckland. Had no raouoy ; had no work since being in Auckland, and knew nobody. He stated that he had a brother living in Hereford-street, Christchuroh. He seemed very weak but quite sensible. He complained of being very ill with internal pains. His face seemed to change colour very often. His hands were cold and clammy, fie was clothed respectably in a suit of darkish tweed. The witness did not know for what purpose he went into the yard. Seeing that he was ill he sent for Dr. Wine, he being the nearest medical man. As he was not at home he sent for Dr. Moore. Dr. Wine arrived about three o'clock, or about twenty minutes after he had been sent for. Dr. Mooro arrived about five minutes after Dr. Wine, who ordered the man's removal to the Hospital. The witness said he made the deceased comfortable in the meantime. Dr. Moore prescribed a little stimulant for him. A cab was procured and witness handed him over to tbe charge of the House Surgeon in the Hospital. Hβ (witness) did not examine his pockets. Dr. Wine deposed that he was called a little before three o'clock on Monday to visit the deceased. He found the deceased propped up against a wall in a yard in WakefieMstreet. He was in a state of collapse, his features livid, his hands cold and livid, and his pulse very quick and feeble. Hβ complained of being very faint, and thought he had eaten somethiog that had not agreed with him. The witness's opinion waa that he was snffering from ascites or fever. He sent him a draught consisting of two ounces of ammonia and chloroform water. He seemed to be pinched about the face, and those about said he was starving. The witness was not aware that he had been offered bread and refused it.

Dr. Bond deposed that the deceased was brought to tho Hospital about half-past three p.m. on Monday. He was then in a state of great collapje. The pulse was *o feeble that it could scarcely be felt. He said he had taken no poison. He was put to bed, and pearly died when being moved. He never rallied, and died about seven o'clock. He (witness) observed no fever spots on him. Ho was purged several times before he died. lie did not think his appearance was that of a man who had been starved. Ho gave little information, as he was too weak for that. He said hie age was 25. The witness had that day made an examination of the body. His physical condition was rather emaciated. The heart was somewhat enlarged, bloodlen*, and appeared to be fatty. One of tbe Haps to the pulmonary valve was perforated. The lungs were blown out and congested, there having been a good deal of pleuritic inflammation. The liver waa enlarged, and weighed about r>4l ha. The stomach was full of a yellow gruuious matter. On the surface of the mucous membrane there were several patches, having a black scarred appearance. The intestines and kidneys were slightly inflamed. As there were no detinite symptoms when the deceased was brought in, he could not say what he died from. He believed he died from disease of the heart. He did not think he died from starvation, and could not say it was from poisoning. The foreman requested Dr. Bond to give he depositions in such language as the jury could understand.

The Coroner said he would explain to the jury any technicalities when reading over the depositions to Dr. Bond. Dr. Bond said he had need no words that could not be generally understood. The house steware, Mr. S. C. Schofield, deposed to taking charge of the deceased's clothing. There was nothing of any value in them. Before the jury retired to consider their verdict, the Coroner pointed out that deceased could have died from heart disease, or typhoid fever, or from other causes. In his opinion it was from typhoid fever, but it would be for them to say. If they thought proper, a verdict of death from natural causes could be returned.

After a deliberation of two or three minutes the jury returned a verdict, " That the deceased died from natural causes."