AN OPEN VERDICT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8646, 3 February 1914, Page 8

AN OPEN VERDICT

GEORGE HENRY'S DEATH. After hearing a considerable amount of evidence the coroner, Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., yesterday concluded the j inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of George Stewart Henry, the elderly man who died at the Wellington Hospital on January 24th. William Burns said he was employed as a labourer at the Bellevue Gardens Hotel, Lower Hutt. On his way home on the evening of January 22nd, he came across deceased lying on the ground. Henry made an effort to rise and witness helped him up and assisted, him to the hotel. Just before they reached the hotel the deceased fell down. Witness raised him up, but did not quite succeed in getting him to his feet, for he fell again. He tried to get him to come to bed, but Henry said, "Leave me alone for a -while and I'll be all right." Witness went away, and when he returned Henry was nowhere to be seen. He concluded that Henry had gone to bed so hei went also. To Chief-Detective'Broberg: Henry and himself were slightly intoxicated at the time. Henry had only two falls when in his company. He uttered a cheque for £3 10s 6d -with Henry's name to it. He filled it in on the 23rd and uttered it the same day. On January 25th Detective Rawle saw him at, the Terrace Gaol, and he made a statement regarding his movements on the 22nd which was untrue. His reason for that was that he was afraid of saying something which would incriminate him. He was on friendly terms with Henry, and had no recollection of saying he woul d"slosh" him. He did not know Henry's age. Detective Rawle gave evidence as to making an examination of the pTace where Henry had fallen. He carefully examined the ground in the vicinity and found near a »tone what appeared to be a lot of blood. The coroner said that the circumstances connected with the death of the deceased had been fully gone into. Evidence had also been given as to his movements. When he was found by the licensee of the hotel he had a cut on his head. The licensee did what he could to make Henry comfortable under the impression that he was intoxicated. Instead, there was concussion of the brain, but no fracture. The evidence did not disclose how the deceased fell and received the cut. The verdict must be in accordance with the medical evidencCj that the deceased, George Henry, died on January 24th in the Wellington Hospital.