INQUEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16782, 25 August 1916, Page 7

INQUEST

DEATH UNDER SAD CLRODM STANCES.

An ianjacst was held yesterday allernooii by Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M , concerning tho death of a- man named 1 .lincL Steele, who died under somewhat peculiar circumstances on Wednesday morning. Mr C. W. Whito appeared for Messr.s booth and Macdonald, by whom dcce-ased had been employed. . William Brew, engineer m the employ ot Booth and Macdonald, Mid dccea<=ed lnd woiLed for the firm named. Ho was manager of the establishment, in Duncdin. Witlast saw deceased alive about 10 minutes past 12 on Saturday. On Mondav morning witness found a business noto from deceased. On going into the offico ho found that tho window had been broken by some boys, and there was a note from deceased lo get it mended. He wont upstairs on Wednesday morning and went half wav across tho floor, and there found tlio bod\ of deceased near tho lift. Tho top framing of tlio lift had caught deceased, and there had been sovere pressure on tho neck. Deceased could havo manipulated tlio lift so as to cause what had happened. Witness did not know that deceased had over had financial worries. llp had not appeared despondent. Tho note produced wis in deceased's handwriting. Tho jamming of Ihe body would stop the lift without anything else The pull of a ropo either way operated tho lift. F.very ring on tho telephone made witness think it was deceased ringing up. His absence was quite unexplained. Dr Evans said the body was well nourished, tho ears bluish in colour, and the pupils of the eyes ordinarv size. Thcro was a. recent broiso on the left leg, and across the front of tho neck thcro was a diagonal mark about 6m in length. Tho skin was depressed, and evidently a big pressure had been exerted on tho windpipe. It seemed to witness that tho pannikin produced had contained ,an opium preparation, flavoured with liquorice. Witness's opinion was that the cause of death was asphyxia, produced by tho mjurv done to the windpipe. Ernest Reed, clerk with Booth and Maodonald. said he last saw deceased alive about 4.30 p.m on Sunday, in Loith_ street. He was walking with his hands behind his back. Witness had not noticed anvtliing unusual in deceased's manner of Late. • Charles Joseph Payno, solicitor, stated that deceased had been a client of hi«. and bo Icnew him well. He had consulted witness in regard to his financial position. Within tho last four years deceased had lost about £5000. Ho didnot thoroughly appreciate his position until August 10. On that date ho called on witness, .stating that ho was very worried and that his nerves had givon way so much that ho could not think sufficiently well to ascertain his position. Ho said ho oould not sleep, and asked witness lo go into his accounts, and produced certain memoranda to assist. Ho said ho could not sleep, and asked witness to tell him his position. Witness advised deceased that ho had lost everything. That seemed to bo a great blow to*him. Between August 10 and Saturday he consulted witness on several occasions, and witness advised him to go to tho solicitors who had acted for him in connection with a" purchase, and who wore really financing him; give them & list of his creditors and try to compromise. Deceased did this, and tho solicitors took steps 'to try to arrange a composition with his creditors. Deceased also ppoko to witness about being worried and not feebng fit for his work. Ho mentioned that he was oat of town travelling for five or six weeks, and on his return he had had a lot of back work to make up. Ho said he was not in a condition to do the work, and oould not think clearly. He said Mr Booth had arranged to send someone down to assist him. Deceasod was in a very nervous state, and that could only be brought about by worry. Witness understood that everything was in order in connection with the firm. Witness saw deceased motoring with Mrs Steele on Saturday. Sergeant Thomson stated that when he saw the body of deceased the top bar of the lift was jammed tightly on his neck, his head lwing somewhat forced back. His head was about a foot from the post whero the rope was that controlled the lift. There was a deep compression on deceased's throat and his face was much disooloured. Tho body was still warm. A rug and a motor car cushioo. were near by, and on the rag iras tho note produced, which was written on a leaf torn from dooeased'e pocketbook. On a box near tho rug was tho pannikin that had been produced. Witness found a small cork recently drawn, which he understood was similar to those used in bottling Browne's chlorodyne. No bottlo was found. Deceased was a married man with one child. Mr Bartholomew, in giving his verdict, said that from tho evidence it was clear enough that deceased was in a somewhat abnormal mental condition, duo to money worries. The evidence was not sufficient to satisfy him (Mr Bartholomew) that deceased had been of unsound mind. The formal verdict would be thai death was duo to asphyxia owing to injuries self-inflicted.