Accidents & Offences

New Zealand Mail, Issue 705, 4 September 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

Accidents & Offences

THE LATE FATALITY AT PUKERtJA oAn inquiry touching the cause of death of Richard Price, who was found lying dead in the bed of a creek near Pukerua, by a miner named John Annear, on Monday last, wa3 held before Mr O. P. Lynch, Acting Coroner, at Pukerua. on Tuesday. The first witness called was John Annear, a miner employed in the tunnels on the railway works, who deposed that he was cutting poles on the bank of the creek, at 11 o’clock on Monday last, when he saw the body of deceased lying in the stream. Had since recognised the body by the trousers, which were those worn by Price. Had not seen deceased since his return from town about three months ago. Malcolm Mclntyre, a blacksmith, said he had seen the body, and recognised it by the clothes as that of Richard Price, who had been working with witness for some time. Last saw deceased alive on the l7tn of June. Price told witness that he was going to Woodville to work on a bridge. When witness la3t saw deceased he was suffering considerably from the effects of drink. Had made inquiries as to the whereabout i of Price, since be disappeared, in Wellington and Woodville ; but had received no reply. Witness had said “ Good-bye ”to him when he last saw him. Pirst made inquiries for Price about eight days after he disappeared. Some pairs of boots belonging to witness had been stolen from Price in the middle of June, and witness wished to let deceased know the boots had been recovered by the police, so that they might fee returned to him. Deceased was a very quiet man, and generally well liked. Chas. Edwards, a lad employed at the brickworks, recognised the remains as those of Richard Price. Witness saw a box of “ Rough on Rats ” in Price’s hut after he disappeared. Had last seen Price after he returned from town, in the middle of June. Deceased appeared to have been drinking. He was very “ shaky,” but was not drunk. Prank MeLachlan had seen the body lying in the creek, and recognised it as that of Richard Price by various articles of clothing on the corpse. Mclntyre, the second witness called, was re-called at this stage. Witness said that he knew deceased had some “ Rough on Rats ” in his possession about the end of May. The poison was kept in deceased’s whare, which was “ alive with rats.” The box of poison was about three-parts full when witness saw it. Patrick O'Malley said he had recognised the body a 3 that of Price. Last saw deceased alive in June last, when he was trembling as from the effects of drink. Price bad been “ on the spree ” in Wellington a few days before he came back to Pukerua. Had seen deceased drunk in Wellington on two occasions in June. When witness last saw deceased he seemed in a curious state of mind. Constable Roche gave formal evidence as to the finding of the body. Witness said there were no marks of violence on the body.. There was nothing in the pockets but a few matches and a piece of rag. Had found since that there was a sum of £2 12s due to deceased by Mr S. Brown, for which Price had not applied. The stream in which the body was found had only about three inches of water in it in ordinary weather. The body was found about seven chains from deceased’s hut. Prom the position of the body, witness concluded that Price had fallen into the creek backwards. Deceased had no friends or relatives in the colonies, as far as witness could ascertain. This was all the evidence, and the jury returned the following verdict :—“ That the deceased, Richard Price, was found dead, but how he came to his death there is no evidence to show.” •