INQUESTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13077, 13 September 1904, Page 7

INQUESTS.

Two inquests were held yesterday afternoon before Mr C. C. Graham, coroner, at the Shamrock Hotel, Maclaggan street. The first was in connection with the death oi Bessi; Mary Josephine M'Kcllar, a child aged eight weeks, discovered dead in bed at 7 a.m. yesterday. Medical testimony was given by Dr Gordon Macdonald to tho effect that he had visited the residence oi tho child's parents in Maclaggan street by direction of the coroner. He saw there tha body of s. wellnourished and well-developed female child quite dead though rigor mortis had not set in. lie made careful inquiries, as he could see no external marks to indicate the caase of death. From what he learned he was convinced that the child had been overlain in tho night by its mother. When he saw the body it was fully dressed.—Josephine Mary M'Kellar, wife ot John MlKellnr, cook on the s.s. 'Warrimoo, stated that she was tin mother of the deceased, and resided in Maclaggan street. Ihs infant had been somewhat restless in the night, and she had given it some milk from a bottle. In the morning, about 7 a.m., ?he'awakened to find the child dead beside her. She could not account for the death, and she was accustomed to nursing children. She had !.sked a neighbour to tolephone to Dr Blomfleld, but she understood ho wantsd some more particulars. At anyratc- he did not arrive till about'noon, just before Dr Mscdonald arrived.—The Coroner said he was not aware Dr Blomfte'.d had been at the houso or he would have been called.—A Juryman: Why cannot these doctors be compelled to go in such cases.— The Coroner: Tha child being aead, I suppose there was not the same urgency. If the child had been still breathing all haste would, no doubt, have been made.—After hearing further evidence from the mother, who stated that. tho, child was dressed in the same way during tho night as in the day, the jury returned a verdict to tha effect that deceased met her death through being accidentally and unconsciously overlain by tho mother.

The second inquest was :n connection with the death of Jessie Cochrane Strachan, aged 78 years, n widow and an old-age pensioner, who CUd early ye?terdav morning at the residence of her daughter, Mrs Mary Ann Jacobs, Maclaggan street.—Dr Stephenson stated that lie ha;', been called about 6 a.m. yesterday, and upon arrival at Mrs Jacobs'.? shop and residence he found the deceased lying in bed and quite dead, liigor mortis had not then'set in. He found a slight blucness of the lips and tho face was pale, otherwise deceased's appearance was normal. Witness attended her some time ago for asthma. Deceased had been very weak and of advanced age, and her's was a case that might, end fatally at any time from weakness of the heart and blood vessels. He concluded that death wa3 occasioned by failure of tho heart's action owing to the continuance of asthma and advanced age.—Evidence was also given by Mrs Jacobs, daughter of the deceased, and the Jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.