INQUESTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17218, 22 January 1918, Page 6

INQUESTS.

MR DEATH

Before Mr H. A. Young, S.M., the inquest was resumed yesterday touching the death of the late Mr William J. J. Charters, who died on the 11th inst. from blood poisoning, as the result of a scratch from the thorn of a tree known as the "monkey puzzle." Mrs Catherine Shannon, sister of deceased, deposed that her brother visited her at Woodlands last December, and went into tho garden for a smoke. In bending down to pick up a straw to clean his pipe, his head came in contact with a branch of a "monkey puzzle" bush. A thorn on it pricked him above his ear. They thought the result was only a pimple or a boil, and applied Jeyes fluid to it. On his way home by train to Mosgiel deceased complained of throbbing in tho head. He consulted Dr Peteta, who lanced and dressed the wound. For a day or two deceased seemed better, but subsequently became excited, and his temperature rose. Dr Church was called in, and ordered the removal of deceased to the Dunedin Hospital. Deceased was not a very strong man, and suffered from bronchial asthma for years. Dr Wishart, hones surgeon at the Dunedin Hospital, said deceased, when admitted to the Hospital on January 11, was in a semi-conscious condition, and his pulse was very weak and irregular. Deceased died the same night. The cause of death was septicemia. . A scratch from a " monkey puzzlo " thorn would, having regard to the condition of deceased, be likely to cause death. Witness could not say that_ there had been any want of care shown in the treatment of deceased before his admission to the Hospital. A verdict was recorded that deceased died, from septicasmia, accidentally caused by the prick of a thorn of the "monkey puzzle" bush. MR ALEXANDER HAMILTON. An adjourned inquest was held in tho courthouse, yesterday concerning the death of Alexander Hamilton, veterinary surgeon, who was knocked down by a horse at the entrance gate of Tahuna Park Show Ground on the first day of last Dunedin Show, and subsequently died at the Dunedin Hospital. Mr H. A. Young, S.M., was the coroner. Senior Sergeant Murray represented the police, Mr J. M. Gallaway appeared for the deceased's relatives, and Mr B. S'. Irwin for tho owner and rider of the horse.

Elizabeth Ellen Trotter deposed that on November 28 she was present at the Dunedin Show, and rode a horse belonging to Mr Docherty. Whilst in tho ring the horso became very restive, due, she thought, to too many horses being in the enclosure. The horso refused to jump, and she was called off by the stewarde. When she came out of the assembly enclosure the horse made off 'toward; the outer gate, and got out of control. 'Just as she reached tho gate she saw an elderly man ahead of her, and called out "Look out!" and the next instant the too of her boot struck the man's elbow. She did not see what happened to him. She shortly afterwards got the horse under control. She had ridden the horse at the Taieri Show at Allanlon the week previously, on which occasion ho behaved splendidly. She had a good deal of experience as a horsewoman, having been accustomed to horses for 14 years.— To'Mr Gallaway: The horse she rode was named Dr Bill. She used an ordinary enaffle bit. She Ininted him all last season, and used the ordinary snaffle bit, and he showed no signs of bolting.

Dr Wishart, house surgeon, Dunedin Hospital, deposed to tho deceased being admitted to the Hospital. Ho was in a dazed condition, but conscious. Ho had a cut about an inch long above the left eyebrow* He attended tho «asa tip to tha-d©.

ceascd's death on January 11. The cause of death, in his opinion, was senile decay. The accident to some extent accelerated his death.

Robert Mercer, registrar of electors for Dunedin South, deposed that he was one of the gatekeepers at- tho Dunedin Show, and assisted to pick up tho deceased after ho fell. He did not see him knocked down. He saw tho horeq bolting. It was out of control when passing through the gate. \ William Blackford, commission agent, deposed that he was sate supervisor at the show, and witnessed the accident. He heard the rider of the horse call " Look out!" Tho lady seemed to manage the horse very expertly. The deceased being fair in the middle of the gateway wheji the horec camo up, it was impossible to avoid an accident. The gate was a double one, half of which was closed at the time.

Edward James Docherty deposed that ho had owned Dr Bill for about 12 months. Ho purchased the horse from Mr Keith, in Canterbury. Ho bought tho horse for his girl, who was 12 years of age. He was an exceptionally quiet horse. Questioned on the wisdom of having tho enclosure at the show ground, witness stated that he passed tho remark to Mi as Trotter that "the enclosure was the silliest, thing he had ever seen." He considered that it unduly excited horses. They were herded too closely together. The Coroner, in giving his verdict, stated that the deceased died on January 11 from senilo decay, his death having been accelerated as the result of injuries received through being accidentally knocked down by a horse ridden by a lady, the horse having got out of control. The horso was under ordinary circumstances a qniet_ one, but, by reason of the unusual conditions existing on the show ground, became excited. The evidence showed that the enclosure provided for tho horses was altogether unsatisfactory, and the matter was one requiring consideration by the officials of the Otago A. and P. Society. The lady riidng the horse exercised all care and skill, and no blame was attachable to her.