A FORTUNE-TELLER'S PREDICTION FULFILLED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7650, 29 May 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

A FORTUNE-TELLER'S PREDICTION FULFILLED.

Aln. Wvatt held an inquest at Cambcrwcll on April 7, on the body of Charles Frederick Stace, ag'.-il 39, a farrier, lately residing at 115, Commercial-road, I'ockham. I,'ecea.ied had been a soldier, hail neon a good deal of foreign service, and received a pension of '.) I a day. — Win. Koyou stated that the (ice 'as il worked at a firm of veterinary surgoons in Belvedere-road, Lambeth, where witness waa also employed. (in Friday witness went with tho deceased to a. hotel. The latter was thin drunk, but had three half-qirirtrms of rum. lie told witness that he had taken enough laudanum to kill three horse.M. lie added, " Tis no good sending for a doctor ; it's jrone too far, (jive mo your hand ; it's the last time you will Bee me alive." Toe deceased did not conic homo on Friday night; but, as he had received his pensicn money during the day, witneas thought nothing of it. On Sunday, however, he gave information to the police, and saw the dccpsi3ed'ii body at tho mortuary. Witness added, "I think it ought to be known that sonio time ago he went to a woman near the Klenhaat and Castle who profcsHcd to toll fortunes, and she told him that he would die either in April or May. That has so preyed on his mind that he has been on the drink ever since." Police'constable Welsh, -107 P, deposed that he saw tho deceased drunk in Meeting Hour.e-lane, Puckham, on Friday evening, about half-past neven. He was taken to tho station on tlio ambulance, and was noon by Dr. Ktheridge live times, and at midnight he was removed to the Cambcrwell Infirmary. Ho was then insensible,— Dr. Chabot deposed to tho deceased being admitted to the infirmary. Hβ died soon after. WitDess had since made a postmortem examination, and in his opinion death was duo toaloholic poisoning acting on a diseased heart and lungs. Witiiaju could find no trace of laudanum, and he did not think that tlio deceased could havo taken any.—After considerable discussion the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.