INQUESTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17132, 11 October 1917, Page 7

INQUESTS.

FATALITY ON THE RAILWAY. INQUEST CONCLUDED. Mr H. A. Young, S.M., yesterday mornJug resumed the inquest on the body of James Douglas, of Athol. Deceased was 62 years of age, and had como to Dimedin from Gore by Saturday's express, and had been run down by some carriages at the Dunedin railway station. His leg had to be amputated, and ho had died in tho Hospital subsequently. Sub-inspector Mathieson represented the polieo. Alex. Henderson Waugh, guard, said he was assistant guard on tho south express on tho evening of the 6th. Ho saw deceased in a second-class smoker after the train left Gore. Ho was all right, but showed a little excitement later. When he paid for Ids ticket ho produced a pocket-book containing notes. He got out at Caversham, but was put back. On arrival at Dunedin witness saw Constable Amies, and asked him to find accommodation for the old man, because he had a roll of notes on him. The constable said be could not do that —witness would have to lay a charge. Tho old man was sober bo far as could bo seen. Witness next took deceased to an expressman, Carter, and asked him to get accommodation for the old man. Tho expressman said ho would, and took him away. Tho roll of notes produced in a pocket-book (£6) looked about the same as tno roll of notes witness saw on the train. Win. Joseph Carter, express proprietor, said that on the evening of tho 6th the last witness brought an old man to him and asked him to find accommodation for the old man. The old . man appeared feeble, but had his senses about him. Deceased said he wanted to go to tho Railway Hotel, but when the express got there he ssid that was not the place. Witness then tooß. him to the Leviathan HoteL Deceased climbed doK« mth witness's assistance, and went inside tho of tho hotel. Witness saw him no more. Mr Young- said the position was that deceased, who was 82 years of age, had not been to Dunedin for some 20 years. On the 6th he set out for town, and at Gore the guards noticed that he was not altogether in a fit condition—by reason of age —to travel alone, and they evidently kept an eye on him during the journey. At Caversham deceased got out and asked if this was InvercargilL but was put back. On arrival at Dunedin tho guard drew the attention of the constable to deceased. The constable seemed to have satisfied himself that the man was all right, and the guard then took him to the south end of the station and handed him over to an expressman, who conveyed him to the Leviathan Hotel. Some time between 6.35 and 7.20 p.m. he must have wandered back to the railway station, evidently entering at tho north end, since it was there the accident took place, Tho evidence showed .that deceased was suffering from senile dementia, and was really not fit to travel alone. No blame. was attachable to the railway officials, who seemed to have acted reasonably in all respects. Tho only question was whether the constable had made an error in judgment in not taking deceased over to the station, and there making inquiries, when, if he had no friends, he could have been sent to the public institution. The .constable, however, was evidently satisfied that the man was sober and all right, and the guards had not told him of any of the events that had occurred, stating only that the man had money, and for that reason should be found accommodation. The constable, in the light of after happenings, had made an error of judgment, but it was an error' of judgment which was not blameable, and which even an expert might have made ■with the small amount of information placed at his disposal. The evidence showed that deceased was sober, and that all the money he had. was accounted! for. Being an oldage pensioner, it was not likely he would have more. The formal verdict would bo that deceased met his death as the result of injuries accidentally received on the 6th inst. through the wheel of a railway carriage passing over him. VA DANGER TO THE COMMUNITY." ■ The coroner, Mr H. A. Ybung, S.M., held an inquest at the Morgue yesterday afternoon into tho circumstances surrounding the death of Michael John Sheehan, a single man, aged 37 years, who died suddenly on Tuesday afternoon. Acting Senior Sergeant M'Kenzie appeared on. behalf of the police. Plain clothes Constable Kelly stated that he had known the deceased for the past six or seven years. For the past two years deceased had done little or no work. He was fond of drink and had no fixed place of abode, sleeping in stables and any other place. Mabel Jessie Finlay, of 48 Harrow street, said she had known deceased for about 18 months. Deceased had lived at her house for the past three months. He did no work and was not in good health. On Tuesday deceased became suddenly ill. Witness sent for Dr Roberts and the police, but deceased died before their arrival. Witness had wanted him to go to tho hospital, but deceased had always refused to go. Plain-clothes Constable Beer stated that he had gone to Mrs Finlay's residence in answer to a call. The man was then dead. The body was in a very filthy condition. Dr Roberts said he had made a post mortem examination of the body of deceased. It was extremely emaciated and very dirty. Both, rungs' were in an advanced state of, consumption, which clearly was the cause of death. Deceased, before his death, was. a decided danger to the community by reason of the state of his lungs. The coroner found that deceased had died from consumption. DEATH OF MRS MEAD. The coroner (Mr H. A. Young) held an inquest yesterday on the body of Margaret May Mead, an elderly woman who was admitted to the Hospital _ late the previous afternoon in an unconscious condition and who expired at the institution later in the evening. Mrs D. Brown, a married daughter of deceased', stated that her mother lived alone. Witness did not know if her father were alive, or dead. She occasionally saw deceased, the last time would be about three weeks ago. She was always unwell from rheumatism, but did not complain of any other ailment. Rose O'Donnoll. employed as a maid at the Hospital, said that she found deceased in an unconscious condition. She had known Mrs Mead for years and knew her to (suffer from rheumatism. Constable M'Collough stated that, with Constable Campbell, he conveyed deceased to the hospital. Medical testimony was given by Dr Bowie, who received deceased at the hospital. She was unconscious on arrival and remained so until death, consequently a certificate of death could not be issued. Dr Drennan, who, with the previous witness, conducted a post mortem examination, said deceased's death was caused by the degenerated conditipn of tho heart muscles consequent on diseased kidneys, and probably accelerated by chronic alcoholism. The coroner returned a verdict in terms of Dr Drennan's testimony. *