CORONER'S INQUEST AT PAPAKURA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7693, 19 July 1886, Page 5

CORONER'S INQUEST AT PAPAKURA.

An inquest was held at the Courthouse, Papakura, on 15th July, ISS6, before Thomas Jackson, R.M., and a jary of six, upon the body of Andrew Sturgeon, of Bombay settlement, who had died suddenly in the Papakura Hotel on the evening of the 13th July. The evidence showed that the deceased left Bombay on the morning of the 12th July with a number of others to join the Orange procession held that day in Auckland, took his place in the procession, and attended the soiree at St. James' Hall at night; was up betimes in the morning, had a good breakfast ; went down town and transacted business, finally leaving with his party to return about noon on the 13tb, reaching Papakura about four p.m. The day was very wet and cold, and though sheltered by an umbrella being held over him, deceased complained of cold, and particularly his hands, and was recommended to put his hands into his breast to warm them. After arrival at Papakura, while awaiting dinner, deceased tried to warm himself by stamping his feet and holding his hands to the fire without success. He had a small glass of spirits at the Harp of Erin, but bad no other liquor. Dinner being ready, accused sat down, and had but commenced eating when he dropped his knife and fork, shrugged his shoulders, and appeared to be choking. This alarmed his companions, who sent for assistance, and took him into the open air, and tried restoratives without success, death taking place within a few minutes. Dr. Erson deposed that he had made a post-mortem examination, and found the body fairly nourished, with no external marks of injury. On examination, he found the lungs much distended with venous blood, and they had been the seat of long-standing disease. lie found an aneurism of the pulmonary artery of long-standing, and the cause of death was the rupture of this anourism. Exposure to cold would have been sufficient to have caused the rupture. The jury brought in a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. Deceased was a settler at Bombay for the past 21 years. His age was 64 years. He leaves a grown-up family of three sons and three daughters, and numerous grandchildren,— Correspondent.] (