DEATH FOLLOWS FALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19496, 27 November 1926, Page 14

DEATH FOLLOWS FALL.

EPISODE AT CARD PARTY.

VERDICT AT THE INQUEST.

[by telegraph.—own correspondent.] DUNEDIN, Friday

The death of Victor Mark Hansen in the Balclutha Hospital on Monday following a fall was. the subject of an inquest held by Mr. H. J. Dixon, S.M., yesterday at Balclutha.

William Carter, butcher, Balclutha, said he attended the Balclutha Card Club's party in the Dalton Hall and noticed deceased going in ahead of him. Hansen showed signs of liquor. After they all started playing progressive cribbage Hansen became abusive on account of his glass not having been filled. Mr. Milne, lite club president.-asked deceased to keep quiet. The next time witness noticed Hansen he had jumped up and had aimed two or three blows at a man named Cameron who was sitting alongside. He missed Cameron, who paid no heed- to him. Milne again asked Hansen to be quiet, and told him that if he did not he would have to go out. Some lime afterwards witness noticed a scuffle at the door of the cloak room and saw deceased lying on his back in- the doorway. Deceased got up immediately and struck at Milne, who closed with him. Milne got in close in order to escape being punched. Milne did not strike deceased. As . Milne closed they went back to the wall and Milne pushed himself clear. Hansen made another swing at him and then, as far as witness could see, Hansen overbalanced and fell through the outer door on to the ground. -Witness saw deceased fall out backwards. but did not actually see him strike the asphalt. During the evening ho saw no one strike deceased.

The coroner, in giving his verdict, said there was no evidence of the injuries to deceasad having been caused by blows. It seemed that he had slipped and overbalanced and that no one was to blame but himself. The verdict would be that' deceased died from oedema of the brain following concussion.