INQUEST AT AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1747, 30 August 1905, Page 42

INQUEST AT AUCKLAND.

JAMES BOULTON’S DEATH. AUCKLAND, August 28. The adjourned inquest touching one death of the old man named James Poulton, who died at his residence in Wellesley street on August 19th, was resumed this morning. Adjournment had been ordered in consequence of evidence given as to the alleged visit of two men just prior to Poulton’s death, and also that these visitors committed an assault on deceased. Mrs Primrose said she had been Poulton’s housekeeper for some years. For about a week prior to his death Poulton had not been in very good health. In the evening on which he died deceased retired to his room, and sat reading there. He fell from his chair to the floor at about 10.30. Thinking he had fainted, witness sat beside him till about eleven o’clock. Poulton made no sound, and witness called Mrs Posselwaite and Mrs Denham, and they lifted Poulton on to the bed. Mrs Mo Pike also came into the room. A doctor was sent for at about 11 o’clock, but he could not coipe, and a constable was brought in. With the exception of herself, no one entered deceased’s room prior to his death. She contradicted the statement made as to two men forcing their way in and assaulting Poulton. The only way she could account for Mrs McPike’s statement was that she had been dreaming. The Coroner: Do you think Poulton’s death was in any way connected with the visit of any people during the evening on which he died? —No. It had been coming on him for a long time. Dr Murphy expected it long agoTo the Sergeant of Police witness said two men could not have entered Poulton’s room without her seeing them. Deceased had made a will in witness’s favour, but it was no good. She did not think she had heard of two men named Alf Watts and Bert Moore. She was sure she knew neither of them by name.

At Mr Hackett’s suggestion the men were brought in. Wit ness said she had seen Moore formerly, though she did not know his name. She had never seen Watts before. She had not seen either at the house.

The sergeant: On the night of Ponlton’s death were you drunk or sober ? I was softer. We were having a “ singsong.” I was sober, for I was singing. Ella Agnes Posselwaite said when her husband opened the front door between 11.30 a.m. and midnight in order to go to his work, two men came into the passage, and her husband called to witness to oome to the door. Witness remained in her room until her husband went to work. Afterwards she saw the men, neither of whom she knew. One asked for Mrs Primrose, and witness renlied that Mrs Primrose had retired, and he could not see her. She then informed Poulton. Shortly after, she heard someone say “ Are you going out?” She heard no reply, and no scuffle. Before she knocked at Poulton’s door her husband had tried to push one of the men out, not caring to go to work leaving two strange men in the house. In about a quarter of an hour Mrs Primrose came to her, and said Poulton had fainted. Witness went into deceased’s room with several others, and tiiey got deceased on to the bed. About 1 o’clock a doctor was sent for. Beyond her husband trying to push one of the men out, Witness heard nothing in the nature of an altercation. She did not in any way attribute the death of Poulton to the visit of the two men. Mrs Primrose knew what she was doing, but she was muddled with drink. Witness identified Watts as one of the men who visited the house on the night of Poulton’s death. Albert Matthew Moore, a driver, said on the evening of Friday, the 18th, he and Watts visited Poulton’s house at about 10.30 —no later. The Coroner: Evidence has been given that someone visited this house about midnight. Where were you atthat time? —Watts and myself were home in bed. They did not stop at the house longer than five minutes. He had called to see Mrs McPike. They were both slightly under the influence of liquor. They did not enter the house. Alfred Watts, tailor, corroborated the evidence of the former witness. He had never seen Mrs Posselwaite, and oculd not account for her saying that he was one of the men whom she saw in the passage. Mrs McPike, recalled, said she had known Watts for years, but did not know Moore. They were there at 10.30. Two men visited the house after midnight, and one of their voices sounded very like Moore’s. The voice of the man who remarked “ I think we have done for the old ” was like the voice of Moore. The jury, after retiring for a quarter of an hour, brought in a verdict that deceased died from a diseased heart, and that he came by his death in a natural way.