SUDDEN DEATH IN A COACH.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 7490, 30 May 1885, Page 2

SUDDEN DEATH IN A COACH.

Dr Johnston, Coroner, held an inquest yesterday morning on the body of John Wilding, who was found dead in the Foxton- Wellington coach on Thursday evening. Inspector Gondall conducted the inquiry, and Mr J. D. Telford was chosen as foreman of the jury. Dr Collins stated that the police had telephoned for him, and on his arrival he found the deceased lying quite dead oa the floor of the constable's room, though the body was still warm. There were no marks of violence, except a white line round the neck. There was no evident cause of death to be seen at that time. Made a post mortem examination next morning. The cause of death was suffocation caused by the diseased condition of the heart and longs. The white line round the neck was caused, in witness* opinion, by the deceased wearing a tight collar or other band round the neck, while the vein was in a very engorged condition. The heart was enlarged. John McConville, coacbdriver, deposed that deceased got in at Otaki, and told witness he was going to the Wellington Hospital Deceased got out of the coach at Waikanae by Himself, and did not appear to be ill or want any assistance. He bad travelled in the coach the previous Tuesday from Foxlon to Otaki, and appeared quite a* well oa Thursday as he did then. Witness asked him at Paikakariki if he would not get out and have some d-noer, but he would not do so* Witne a sent some soup and bread out to him, but he d ; d not partake of any. Deceased was gene* rally a very qniet man, and witness did not think there was anything seriously the matter with him. From his appearance, witness thought that he might have been drinking. When the coach arrived at Parramatta, deceased was still sitting in the coach, but witness did not speak to him. After leaving Pahautsnui there was no other passenger in the inside of the coach till it arrived near Ngahanranga. Deceased got ont of the coach at Johnsonville without assistance, but was carried back by three men. Mr Liddell, who got into the coach at Otaki, told witness that deceased did not have an} drink. Witness spoke to deceased, but he did not answer him. Witness assisted to pot him in the coach, and placed a cushion under his head. When the coach arrived at Ngahauranga, a la-iy got on to the box, and Mr Hoy, who had been sitting there, went to the back seat, as witness did not like to pat the lady inside, believing that witness had been suffering from the effects cf £rin?k Witness would have left the deceased at Johnsonville, had he not seen the doctor near Pabautanui. (jailed at the Police Sta? tion, as he did not know where to leave deceased for the night. Mr Liddell, one of the passengers, went into the station to teT the polios. A constable came out soon afterwards, and said deceased was dead. Witness was not aware that death bad taken place till then. On coming down the Ngahauranga hill witness looked into the coach, and saw deceased lying in the same position that be had been placed in at Johnsonville. Richard Barton Roy, surveyor, residing at New Plymouth, stated that be was a passenger by the coach from Foxton to Wellington. Heard decaased call to a man belonging to the hotel at Parramatta to bring him some beer, and witness saw a bo'.fe of begr and a glass taken o.nt to him, bat coaid not. say whether he drank it, witness wa)k«d. gv/ay. Deceased gave him Impression tfhat be * was fe6ovrelng f&m th’a effects of a Johnsonville witness bold the rdns ; whilst the driver L Deceased ‘got put With tpe driWr!s permission, and walked through fte hotel w*/,ic. . a lew minutes. afterwards the

landlord called to one or two people for assist* ance, and deceased was conveyed Into the coach. Between JobnsonvUle and Ngahau* range witness gave np his box*seat to a lady, and went to the back* Heard deceased breathing just as a man might do if he were asleep. Did not notice him again till the coach arrived at the Police Station. Up to that time witness did not think deceased was at all dangerously ill

Constable Christie said that he knew the deceased, who was 'a laborer, aged 48 or SO, about five years. He ! lived at Oaxnafn, where witness saw him two years ago. When the coach arrived at the Police Station witness went oat and found deceased' sitting in the coach, with his head bent over his cheat There was a large muffler round hia neck, which witness loosened, -and also the shirt Ex* amiued him closer, bat found .that the heart had ceased beating. Witness then removed him to the station, and telephoned for‘Dr Collins, who arrived soon afterwards, and de* dared the deceased to be dead. Witness then

searched tha body, and found a silver watch, two knives, a pipe and tobacco, two notebooks,' a pocket-book containing £1 17s 61, a conditional Government Life Insurance receipt (dated February 6.1885). four letters, a photograph, and some other small articles. Inspector Goodall banded ia the following telegrams from Constable Carr.Otaki“ John Wilding, formerly a ganger on the Ohau railway contract, is well known to O. R. Seymour, now in Wellington. Hai a daughter at Marton, a schoolmistress. Wilding had been drinking heavily. Vomited blood'on Wcdueed..y. Looked very ill, and wanted to go to Hospital. Wilding arrived here on Wednesday morning last, suffering from the efftcts cf drink, aud was ia a bad state of health. Seymour’s address is Harbor Boird, Weilington.’’—“Wilding’s daughter’s address ia Fern Flat, near Marton. His wife his Elizibeth Wilding, of Oamaru, opposite Catholic Church. *’ Inspector Thompson, Oamara, telegraphed as follows : —“Re deceased John Wilding.— Wife and son will proceed to Wellington per first steamer from Lyttelton, and will probably arrive on Sunday forenoon. They are most anxious that the body should not be burled till then.” The jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes.