ALLEGED CALLOUS HOTELKEEPERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14213, 14 May 1908, Page 11

ALLEGED CALLOUS HOTELKEEPERS.

sick man rejected. (Fitoji Our Owx Correspondent.) A UCKLA_X D, May 12. Details in connection with the sudden death of the man Win. Amos as ho was about to start for Wellington on Sunday were supplied at- the inquest, yesterday, which revealed what looks like extraordinary callous behaviour on the part of several hotelkeepers and others. . Stalion Serjeant Heaidry, who appeared for the police, stated that deceased, was a plumber, and was-about 40 years of age. On arriving at the police' station on Saturday evening he saw deceased sitting t.hero in a chair. Amos asked if he could bo looked up or provided with shelter for tho night. Witness gathered from deceased that ho had been trying at Onohunga and Auckland to get- accommodation, for which he had plenty of noney' to otter, and ho could travel *o more. He had, he stated, been at Rotorua for a month on account of somo stomach irouble. He had been at five or six houses at Onohunga on Friday, and bad bogged for shelter until he nearly dropped. At lengthj ho obtained a shakedown in ii shed. Ho considered the reason why hotelkcepers refused to give him a bed was because he looked very ill. When ho came to. Auckland on Saturday ho went to a number of hotels for accommodation, but was refused, and a pentleman w(io had attempted to find cover for him had been unable to do so. ' Deceased, continued the sergeant-, declined to have the services of a doctor, and witness eventually got him away : n a cab, together with a constable, and they procured lodgings at the Clarendon Hotel. Here Amos received every attention.

Di' Parkes said tliai when the man was brought to his surgery ho was (load. The hotly was ninth emaciated, lie subsequently made a post, mortem examination, and found evidence of advanced tubercular disease and other complications. The cause of death was heart failure from exhaustion, due to the disease mentioned. Robert Clarke deposed that, on Saturday evening saw deceased in Kara'ngahape road, wTieti he asked where King's Court. Hoarding-house, in Upper Queen street, was. Witness took him to the place, but when application was made for accommodation Amos, was refused, it, beijjg stated that the bouse was quite full. Lie-f-eased offered to lie on the floor or anywhere under shelter. The manager, however, absolutely refused fo receive him, and referred witness to the People's Palace in Wellesley street East. " Ultimately I got, deceased, as far as tlu> People's Palace,"' continued the witness. "There I saw ihe matron. She said she hail 'oiirpcnny beds, but she rcfused'lo take this man in. Then wet tried at a hotel. I saw (he licensee and bis wife, and I fold them that Ames had flic means of paying for bis accommodation. They said .they could not accommodate him. Dcceasod said he would shakedown anywhere, but was refused. The deceased was wholly free from drink, and, -except for his invalid appearance, I know of 110 valid reason why the hotolkeepers should have '-efiised him accommodation." Mrs Nora. Lynch, licensee of the Clarendon Hotel, said she had at onCe agreed to take Amos in when tho constable told tier he was ill. He was well looked alter, and remained until 11.30 p.m. on' Sunday, when her brother cscorted him towards the Onehunga ear. Both Mrs Lynch and her brother gave evidence as to. deeeascd's sobriety. The jury returned a verdict "n accordance with Dr Parkcs's evidence, and added a rider recording their appreciation of/ the kindness shown t.he deceased l)y Mm Lynch and Mr Robert C'arlte. "We trust,"' the rider continued, "that the fact that certain hotolkocpers refused to allow the deceased shelter and accommodation .will be 'invostipitcd ar.d dealt with by the proper tribunal."