DEATH UNDER PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12044, 16 May 1901, Page 7

DEATH UNDER PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

A mau named James Campbell died in the Hospital nt 4 o'clock on Wednesday morning under rather peculiar circumstance?. Campbell ra to have apptr.vcd at the City Police Court on Tuesday morning to answer charges of drunkoi-.npss and win '.ow-breaking, but the police then staled that he was too ill to Wins before the court, and the Keyring of the cute?, •was adjourned. Later hi brcame worse, and it was fount! nece-siry to remove him to (lie Hospital.

An inquc:t was held ye. icrclay concerning bis death by Mr C. C. G:;t!;n:u icnnwier) and » jury of fix, 01 whom )fr J. M'Donald was chosen foreman, and a', ihe outset there seemed to be sofne doubt about establishing the identity of deceased. Sergeant Hisgins plated that the letters /0:1 ml upon him bore the address of .Tame* Campbell,' cjre o( Mr M'Lennan, Kirkland Iliil.-Mornington. Sub-ifispeetGi: Kiely, who watched the proceedings on bchali of the police, said it was a serious case. becaubs the man had bt-en turoug:! so many hand* before he arrived at the .Hospital, and the police wanted to make the inquiry as upon, fair, and above board as they could. It was then decided tint evidence of identification should be taken. Dr Hall, resident surgeon at the Hospital, deposed thai he identified the bodv as that of James Campbell, who v:as brought to the Hospital on the 14th 111 st., about 11 a.m. lie va* brou-'iit to the iintitot : on by the nolice, and was complaining of a pain in the abdomen. He was taken to a ward and examined bv witness, who found that he was apparently suffering from symptoms of acute general peritonitis. He remained in much th»» same condition nu to the time he died, which was nboul 4 o'clock in the morning. He never rallied. Witness preferred not to say anything about the cause of death dntil lie had heard the result of the post mortem. Deceased was conscious when he came iuio the Hospital. Witness made inquiries about his condition, and he said that he ha'.d had a few drink', and made a statement that he had been knelt on, but did not Ray by whom. Ho also stated that his father worked at ftlfnek, and that he had relatives at Kirkland Hill, Mominglon. He was also seen by the assistant house surgeon. When his condition became threatening after 12 o'clock midnight Dr Hoberfs was informed by telephone, but death supervened shortly after and before Dr Roberta saw him.

The Coroner said the jury could see from the statement made by deceased that the inquiry would require very cateful investigation by the police, so that it would be necessary to adjourn the inquest 20 as to get all possible evidence.

The inquest was here adjourned to "Wednesnt 11 °' cloc k» the silting lo be iieid lit the City Police Court.