INQUEST AT BALCLUTHA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19957, 26 November 1926, Page 2

INQUEST AT BALCLUTHA.

VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH

Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., district coroner, conducted an inquiry touching the death of Victor Mark Hansen, aged 39, which occurred in the Balclutha Public Hospital early on Monday morning last. The inquiry was held in the Balclutha Courthouse on Wednesday. Detective Farquharson (Dunedin) represented the police, and Mr R. R. Grigor (Balclutha) appeared on behalf of the officials of the Balclutha Card Club. The widow of the deceased was not represented jby counsel. The first witness called by the police was Angus Stewart M'Diarmid, taxi driver, Balclutha, who said that on Saturday, November 6, ho went to the house of deceased at 2 p.m. and invited him to go to witness’s place, where there was a two-gallon jar of beer. Hansen did not come with witness then, but came about 4 p.m. There w'ere two other men present and the four of them drank nearly all the beer. They then went with Hansen to his place, where witness had tea, and left about 8 p.m. for the Dalton Hall, where the Card Club was holding a party. He did not go in with Hansen, but followed him a little later. Hansen was not very sober, but he was quite sensible. On arrival at the card party they had a few more drinks of beer. Witness had four, but could not say how many deceased had. Witness had occasion to leave the hall for a little while, and when he came back the deceased was making a noise about a glass not being filled for him. This glass was one that witness had left on the table half-full. The president of the Card Club (Mr T. Milne) called Hansen to order, and told him he would either have to behave himself or leave the hall. The deceased took off his hat and coat and gave them to witness to hold, abusing everybody and offering to fight. He did not abuse Milne in particular. He was persuaded to put on his coat, and then went towards the door leading to the cloak room. There he attempted to strike Milne, and grazed the side of his head. Milne edged in, and witness next saw Hansen lying on his back on the floor. Witness saw him fall; his feet slipped and he fell backwards. He could not say whether he fell in the cloak room or out of the door on to the path outside. Detective Farquharson-explained to the coroner that the outer door was at an angle to the cloak room door. _ Witness said Hansen was-lying near the door leading from the hall to the cloak room when lie saw him. Witness at this stage was asked to leave the hall, and went to Hansen’s to get his (witness’s) car to take Hansen home. When he got back to the hall, however, he found that Hansen had bebn taken home. While in the hall he did not see Milne or anyone else push or strike deceased.

William Carter, butcher, Balclutha, gave evidence that he had attended the Card Club’s party in the Dalton Hall, and had noticed the deceased going in ahead of him. Hansen was then threeparts drunk. Witness played two games of single cribbage with Hansen before they all started progressive crib. Hansen became abusive on account of his glass not having been filled. Witness noticed him having two drinks before that. It was really M'Diarmid’s glass that he wanted refilled. Mr Milne (the club president) asked deceased to keep quiet, and he did become quiet. , The next time witness noticed Hansen' he had jumped up and had aimed two or three blows at a man named Cameron, who was sitting alongside. He missed Cameron, who paid no hoed to him. Milne again asked Hansen to be quiei, and told him that if he did not he would have to go out. Witness some little time after noticed a scuffle at the door of the cloak room, and saw deceased lying on he broad of his back in the doorway. Deceased got up immediately and made a “swipe” at Milne, who closed with him. Milne got in close in order to escape being punched. Milne did not strike, deceased. As Milne closed they went back to the wall, and Milne pushed himself cle-r. Hansen was punching at Milne, and as Milne got clear Hansen made another swing at him. Then, as far as witness could see, Hansen overbalanced himself and fell through the outer door on to the ground. Witness saw him fall out backwards, but did not actually see him hit. the asphalt. He saw W. M‘Donald and another man pick Hansen up, and take him away. He did not see any blood or sear on Hansen during the evening. Ho saw no one strike him. He could not say whether deceased fell through the outer door as the result of a blow or a push. He thought that what happened was that Hansen overbalanced as he swung his fist at Milne, and fell out on to the asphalt. To Mr Grigor: There were two steps, each Gin high, at the door where deceased fell.

William John M'Donald, a stockman in the employ of the South Otago Freezing Company, gave evidence corroborating that of the previous witness. When witness saw the deceased lying outside he was on the broad of his back, and was breathing very heavily, and seemed partly • unconscious. Witness called to another man, and they lifted Hansen and carried him part of the way along the path to the street, which was 60 yards from the Dalton Hall. They could not carry him further, and witness asked M'Diarmid to go for a ear. Witness then went back to the hall to get hie coat, and returning to Hansen, found he had roused up a bit, and with the assistance of a man named Ash well, took Hansen to his home, at the latter's request going in the back wav. Hansen was a bit unsteady, but talked all the way home. Before leaving the path at the hall deceaeed vomited. Witness put him to bed, and noticed blood on his moustache. He did not notice a scar on the bridge of his nose or on the left ear. While witness was in the hall he did not see anyone strike or push Hansen, and on the way home the latter did not make any complaint, and did not accuse anyone of having assaulted him. To the "Coroner: He had no knowledge of the deceased's disposition. Thomas Alexander Milne, stock drafter employed by the South Otago Freezing'Co. said he was president of the Balclutha Card Club, which held its parties every Saturday night during the winter and spring. Only members were admitted. On Saturday. November 6. from 25 to 30 men were present. There was a supply of beer lor tho use of members. He could not say from memory what quantity there was, as tho secretary attended to that. Every now and then —perhaps every 20 minutes —the jug of boer was taken round and the glasses refilled. He noticed deceased at the party after the tournament started, and saw he was under' the influence of liquor. After he had been playing a while he becamo abusive because the steward had not refilled a glass for him. It was M'Diarmid's glass. The latter had gone outside. The steward refused to (ill the glass, and witness took the jug and filled the glass himself, and asked Hansen to bo quiet. Ho was quit't for a short period, but soon becamo abusive again. Witness then went to the top of the table and called for order, and told Hansen he would have to be quiet or go out. He did neither. Hansen jumped up quickly from his seat and fell on his hands and knees on the floor. Then he became _ very aggressive and several of the committee tried to pacify him. Witness went to him and asked him quietly .to go outside. Hansen was then at tho bottom end _of tha hall near tho cloak-room and he aimed a blow nt witness, which grazed the right 6ide of his head. Witness then leaned against him to avoid any further blows. Witness left deceased and went to the other end of the room. When he went back Hansen was in the cloak-room and was still abusive and was waving him arms about. Witness spoke to him again and Hansen aimed a blow at him which missed. Hansen lost his footing, staggered back, and fell through tho door on to the asphalt path outside. Witnoss then closed the door to keep him out. The committee immediately held a meeting and the secretary was instructed to write to Hansen and tell him not to return to the club. Ho did not see the deceased again that night. He was informed he was all right and had been taken home. At one stage tho deceased was "fitfhting drunk." Ho had never behaved that way previously at the card parties. At no time during the evening did witness strike or push the deceased, nor did he seo anyone else do so. Ho did not see any abrasions or blood on deceased's noso or ear whilo ho was in the hall. To the Coroner: Tho club membership subscription was ss. To Detective Farquharson: A levy was struck weekly on the members for beer, biscuits and cheese, rent of hall and sundries. To tho Coroner: Tho money was collected in the hall from those present. The prizes'' played for were trophies presented by shopkeepers and others. Douglas Gordon Radcliffe, medical practitionor, Balclutha. said that at 1.30 a.m. on Sunday. November 7, ho received a call to attend to deceased at the latter's home. Witness was unable to go until 5.30 a.m. He was told by deceased's wife

that deceased had been brought home about 11 on the previous night with his face covered with blood and under the influence of liquor. He examined deceased and found an abrasion on his nose and one on the left side of the forehead above the eyebrow and another on the left oar. Ho was then unconscious. The abrasions were quite superficial. He examined his head but did not find a fracture of the skull. His face had been washed when witness saw him and there was no sign of blood issuing from ears or nose, although witness was informed that he had vomited some blood. That could only have come from his ears or mouth, and suggested a fracture of the base of the skull. Ho did not disturb deceased, as he hat) been told he had been trying to get out of bed. He did not show signs of concussion or fracture. Witness next visited the patient at 11 a.m the same day and found him a little better. He spoke quite naturally, and when witness asked him if he had fallen over and hurt himself he said yea, and also that his head was soreHo visited him again at 10.50 p.m. and he was still in the same condition, which was caused partly by alcoholism Witness believed ho was suffering possibly from concussion, but ho was not alarmed at tins condition, which did not seem at all grave. On the following day ho visited the deceased at 2 p.m. when the latter/ spoke quite rationally, but complained of a headache. He considered that as deceased’s wife was the only in charge it would be better to send him to the hospital, and he was taken there by ambulance. He refused to be carried, and walked to the stretcher, which was outside the bedroom door. On the day following his admission to the hospital he relapsed into unconsciousness. The abrasions on his face might have been occasioned by a fall. In falling he might have grazed something, but he would not say they were caused by a man’s fist. The position of the injuries would bo quite consistent with striking the ■ orner of a step. Concussion might, result from a blow from a man 5 list; it sometimes happened in boxing matches. Some time previously he had examined deceased for insurance purposes, and found him perfectly sound and healthy. He would “ay the cause of death was oedema of the brain, which was one of the complications of concussion due to a fracture of the base of the skull, also loss of blood and alcoholism. , . , To the Coroner: Witness did not think t here was a fracture of the skull. Ihe heavy breathing and the blood from the nostrils did not indicate that. Arthur Cecil Barker Biggs, medical superintendent of the Balclutha Hospital, said that on November 8, at 4 p.m., deceased was admitted to the hospital. He was not unconscious, but was m a hazy state of mind, and bad abrasions on the nose forehead, and lobe of the left ear. He found no other injury on the head or the body. He would say he was suffering from concussion. He could answer questions, but it was doubtful if any reliance could be placed on his answers. He complained of severe headache. Witness asked him what had happened, and he replied that on the Wednesday he had hurt nis head, that ho had been to work, but on the Saturday he had to lie up. It was on the Wednesday morning following his admission to the hospital that he became completely unconscious. The abrasions on face and head were superficial, and were consistent with falling against a sharp edge or wall. If caused by blows from a fist, witness would have expected to see more discolouration and swelling. The deceased regained consciousness before he died, but not sufficiently to answer questions sensibly. He made no intimation that he had been assaulted in any way. Witness did not find any trace of fracture of the base of the skull. On Saturday night last deceased suddenly relapsed into unconsciousness and died on Monday at 2 a.m. The cause of death was acute oedema of the brain following concussion. To the Coroner: Witness had hearer that the accident happened on Saturday night, November 6 .and did not believe deceased when ho 'aid it was on the Wednesday. His mental state was such that he was not reliable in his statements.

Tlie Coroner, in giving his verdict, said that there was no evidence of the injuries to deceased having been caused by blows. It seemed that he had slipped and overbalanced. and that no one was to blame but himself. The verdict would be that deceased died from oedema of the brain following concussion.