INQUESTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 481, 16 February 1861, Page 5

INQUESTS.

SUICIDE.

On Saturday, the 9th inst., an inquest was held at the Green Island, before J. H. Harris, Esq., J.P., on the body of James Warnock, a settler in that district, who had committed suicide on the previous evening, by hanging himself in his own house. From the statement made by Mrs. Irvine, a neighbour, it appeared that she and her husband along with deceased, proceeded to Dunedin on the forenoon of the day referred to, and returned home about two o'clock without him. Witness observed him standing at the door of a store in Dunedin about one o'clock, apparently not quite sober, and saw him again, about four o'clock, in the afternoon, in Air. Ballantyne's house, on his way home, much the worse of liquor. He had about half a bottle of whisky with him, of which she and Mrs Ballantyne partook at his request, and then assisted him home— about half a mile distant — where they had a cup of tea with him and his wife and children, after which witness and Mrs. Ballantyne went home. Witness heard Mrs. Warnock blaming her husband for coining home drunk, but he did not seem to get out of temper while witness was there A little time after witness left the house, she heard the children crying at Warnock's house, and the wife screaming and crying also. Witness then saw her running away from the house, and Warnock running after her. When he saw witness, he left off running after his wife, and went towards witness's house. He went into the house in a wild confused state ; he said " what am Ito do ?" He had been striking his wife, and hoped he had " not done it ower sair " He asked some one to take hold of him and take him away before he did any more ill. Witness told him to sit down until the drink wore off him, when he replied, v Oh ! its not the drink." He then went to sleep for half an hour, after which witness awoke him and told him there were two men wanting him, with whom he rose and went away; About half-past seven witness went over to Warnock's house to see if all was right. There was no light in the window, and she asked if they were all in bed, but receiving no answer, she opened the door and beheld the deceased hanging by the neck. She immediately ran and called her husband.

Richard Irvine, husband of the previous witness, stated that he had known deceased for about two years, that he was occasionally given to drink, but not a habitual drinker. When his wife informed him of what had occurred he ran over to the house and cut down deceased, who was hanging by the neck from a joist with a piece of stout rope, his toes touching the ground, and a chest on the one side and a small barrel on the other of where he was hanging.- He was quite dead and the body nearly cold. A knife, a razor, and a small sum of money was found in the pockets of deceased. , He seemed quite sensible in the morning on going into Dunedin. Information was immediately forwarded to the police.

Mary Warnock, wife of deceased, corroborated part of the evidence of the first witness, and stated that deceased having pushed one of the children down, she remonstrated with him, upon which he began tormenting her, when aba threw, a drop Of tea in his face. • She went outside ;. deceased followed and struck her several times. She then gave baby to her boy,, and ran to Mrs. Johnstone'e, where she remained until she was informed of what bad happened.

The Jury returned a verdict of insanity." The deceased leave* & widow nad

four young children to mourn the tash act which hurried him from their midst. * ATAL AdClDfiNt. On Tuesday last another inquest wad held before J. H, Harris, Esq , at Mr. Stoddart's in the Green Island, on the body of John Docherty, who was killed on the previous evening, by the cart on which he was riding capsizing on the top of him. The particulars are given in the following evidence :— Martin Davids being sworn, stated : — I knew the deceased John Docherty. I was in Duuedin yesterday, the 11th Feb., mat. I saw John Docherty there about two or three o'clock in the afternoon. He asked me if I was going tcthe Green Island Bush ; I said I was. He asked me to go out with him. He had a horse and cart in town, and was going to return to the neighbourhood of the Green Island Bush, where I knew he was staying. He was a carter by trade, and was working on the roads with his horse and cart. He was very drunk when I saw him in town. After we had left the town, at about eight o'clock in the evening, we overtook a man named Andrews, who got into the cart with us. I drove the horse, walking by the side of him. Docherty and Andrews rode in the Cart. Both were drunk. I don't know where Docherty was between three o'clock and eight o'clock in the afternoon. I met in with him just as he was starting home. I was not quite sober myself, but was Hot so drunk as the other two. "When we got near Mr. Stoddart's house-^-about a quarter of a mile from where the accident occurred — I found that the bit was not in the horse's mouth. I stopped the horse and tried to put it in. A short time before I discovered that the bit was out, Peter ! Crawford overtook the cart. -I asked him if he would ride He got on to the cart. ' While I was trying to put the bit in the horse's mouth, it bolted. Almost immediately afterwards I hea d a smash. I went to the spot and found the cart capsized Crawford was standing by it. Andrews and Docherty were under the cart. Crawford ran to James Scott's house for a light. I remained by the cart until Crawford came back. I tried to find Docherty and Andrews, but I could not. It was very dark at the time. Crawford came back with a lantern, accompanied by James Scott and his wife. We found Docherty under the cart. The cart was lying upon him, the guard-iron over the wheel being pressed into his neck. We lifted the cart and got him out. He was quite dead. Mrs Scott felt at his heart, but there was no sign of life. Andrews had got out. from under the cart before the lights arrived. He did not seem to be much hurt. The body was afterwards taken to Mr. Scott's barn. Crawford, Andrews, and Docherty, were all on the cart when the horse ran away. Peter Crawford and James Scott having also been examined, the Jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death, caused by the upsetting of a cart while the deceased was in a state of intoxication." Of ago Building^and Lani> Societt. — The quarterly meeting of this society was held on Monday, the 4tli instant, when," the cash on band was disposed of as follows: —

To the Editor of the Otago Witness; North-east Valley, 15th Eeb , 1861. Sir, — I was much surprised, on reading the Cftago Colonist (to-day's issue,) to find myself of so much importance as to be the subject of a leading article. All along I considered myself as the humblest of the humble, and really after such an opinion of yourself, to find your name in the public paper as a most conspicuous person is certainly most gratifying to your feelings. I find lam not a myth — I am something. Now, sir, as to the report in the Otago Colonist of the meeting held at the School-house, I do not know whether ifc was his own reporter that communicated it ; if so he had better discharge him, as it is all, with the exception of the resolutions, a tissue of lies. Ist. Sir, It was no hole-and-corner meeting. Placards were posted at Knox's Store, Walter Simpson's Store, opposite Cameron & Hastie's, on both sides of the Water of Leith Bridge, opposite Mr. Lindsay's house in the Valley, and at the School-house. If this is not intimation enough, I do not know what is -especially when one of our representatives, the only man who signed the request for his Honor's dismissal — a professor of medicine — was constantly, in the nature of his avocations, passing by, and must have seen the placards ; yet it was beneath his dignity to attend. 2d Mr. Douglas did not propose the first resolution. It was proposed by Mr. Miller, the late candlemaker, and Mr. Douglas never spoke on the matter. This resolution was carried. 3d. Mr. Douglas did not propose the second resolution. It was proposed by Mr. Feger, and Mr. Douglas never said a word to the resolution. This resolution was carried. 4th. Mr. Douglas did propose a resolution condemnatory of the conduct of Mr. M'Glashan, one ot the representatives of the Western District, in his capacity as treasurer, this was not carried, as the parties present considered the appointment of the Select Committee a mere political job. Hoping you will give insertion to these few lines, I am sir, Sec , J. S. Douglas. DISCOVERY OF THE GOLD STOLEN FROM THE AIREDALE. By a gentleman, just arrived overland from Nelson, we learn that the specie missed from the steamer Airedale has been discovered sunk, with a loop of about nine or ten feet attached alongside the Government wharf, in about 20 feet of water. The loop itself was weighted to prevent its floating and so lending to fts discovery. The sovereigns were contained in two boxes, each of which was sunk in the manner described. Several persons in connection with the steamer are still in custody on suspicion. — Lyttelton Times. Hollow ay's Pills and Ointment.— Flatulency — r,A'a»«ea— Indigestion. — Nothing depresses the mind inorp rapidly, or wears out the body much faster,, than a stomach incapable of folly digesting it* food. Indigestion renders life so miserable that fiom it spring most V the suicides which daily shock our nerV«s. If ' Hollowly 's Pills be taken regnUrly for a time, and his Ointment b$ twice daily rubbed over the digestive organs, these raelan* choly symptoms will noon cease, and pleasurable thoughts succeed the diptnai forebodings engendered by Dyspepsia, whieS drive ibe sufferer to misery and «le»|>air Holloway's piicele«a prrpnations have long stood |)rottiin>ntly forward in the wonder* ful oures effected over this Protean disorder which, beginning with flatulency; namea? lUOeuoeuk tad Ue*#cUe,ofwueadjf»tfcUj. '

(From the General Government Qdxette.) The official returns, of the Customs department for the quarter ended 3Uth September, 1860, are published, from which we take the following items '.—. — Customs' fcEf enub. -

Of the total revenue Of the September quarter of 1860/ £20,246 was collected from spirits alone* IMPORTS AT THE PORTS OF EACH PROVINCE.

Of the total amount of import 9 into the colony during the September quarter, 1860, JE195.427 was the Value imported from the United Kingdom, and £220,000 from the Australian colonies , against £225,586 and £179,000 respectively in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, snowing a large increase in favour of the colonial trade. Exp"oafsi.

New South Wales received more than one-half of the total exports in each quarter. SHIPPING OTJTWABDS. Return of the Numbers, Tonnage, and Crews of Vessels cleared outwards during tire quarter

Drunkenness in Scotland. — Another" thing which ought in fairness to be considered, is that whisky-drinking in Scotland has long since reached its climax. For the last twenty years, the Scotch have been becoming less and, less deserving of the name of an intemperate people. Thy is a fact, for which every sort of evidence can b6 furnished. There js the cvi* dence of figures for example. The' number of pnblic-bousea has diminished. The number of commitments for drunkenness has greatly decreased; and from the parliamentary returns, it seems clear that there is a greatly lessened consumption of intoxicating drinks. But it is not needful to consult the blue hooks to be satisfied that great improvements have been taking place. This is patent from the character of the public sentiment, and from the changed customs of ordinary society. Lord Cockburn, in his "Memorials of his Times," tells us what the higher classes were in his day. For a lord or laird to get drunk then, waa noble ; that is not a common opinion now. A similar change for the better has taken place among the middle classes \ and if things are far from satisfactory yet among the lower orders of the community, the tendency of the times is all in. the direction of their elevation. — Eclectic. Sambo bought a patriarchal turkey. "I took him home," says he, * l my wife bile him three hours and den him crow 1 My wife den | pop him into the pot wid six pound o' taters, and he kick em all out ; — he mus a bin as old as dat Kefooselum." A cheap and handy remedy for diarrhoea is simply to take a tumbler of cold water, thicken it with wheat flour to the consistency of cream, and drink it. This is to be repeated several times during the day, or as often as you are thirsty; and it is not very likely you will need it on the second day. Rustic Simpicitt — A country girl, trho had lived in a small farmhouse where bells vfete unknown, went to live as parlonr maid in a geutleman's fanily. The bell war rung which it waa her duty to answer, and as she did not rise to go a fellow servant said, '-Why, Mary, don't you answer the bell -, don't you know missus wants yOUy OU ?» — «« No I" replied the girl ; "if her wants me why don't her holler /" A vender of •' notions " was offering Yankee clocks, finely varnished and coloured, to a lady ' not remarkable for her personal beauty. " Why it's beautiful 1" said tf>e Vender. " Beautiful, indeed—a look at it almost frightens me !" said the lady. " Wai, ma'am," replied the Yankee, "I guess you'd better buy one that haint no looking glass." The lady called to her maid to bring the old broom from the kitchen ; and the Yankee, having a knowledge of broom-handle virtues, thought it best to retreat. Wellington never Lost a Gwn.— lt it « singular fact in this man's history that he never lost a gun to the enemy. " Returning with him one day from the hunting field," says Lord Elle»mere, " I asked him whether he could form any calculation of guns he had taken in the course of his career?" " No," he replied, ''not with any accuracy ; somewhero about 3000, I should guess At OporlOi after the passage of the Douro, I took the entire siege train of the enemy; 'at Vittoris and Waterloo I took every gun the enemy had |n_ the field j and what, however, is more extraordinary, I don't think I ever lost a gun in the field After the battle of Salamanca," he went on to explain, " three of my guns, attached to some Portuguese cavalry, were ■captured in a trifling affair near Madrid, bot they were recovered the next' day In the Pyrenees, Lord Hill found himself obliged to throw eight or nine guns over a precipice', but these were all recovered, and none fell into, ths . eneni)'s bands at all." — Eriafmont't Ltft qf Wellington. ' ■ Hours of Cou&fsfliP. — A public meeting o/ the young men of Dollar waa held on Wednesday evening. A .resolution,, nearly in the fallowing terms, was unanimously adopted by the" meetings ; " —'♦That the young men comprising this meeting •' conscious of the great evils resulting; from meat- '-' ings at late, hours .with the . opppdte sea, reiplW .-, that henceforth Jihey will observa • eldetf^Kg^? \l in the visitation of their sweethearjts an^Kniije'al- : quain tat»ct«, — Edinburgh OfrraHt^l ' --" - W^^Sz^C? < Neat. — A foolish yoanf'^a^^^ghf^i^^^^J^ popular preacher by^k^isingA^'w^U^P £ffilPcalf of the parable wa» male of fom«j^ii|'p^^^^fe to "b,e sure/ was tfeTrstfy T •S&MiM&fimßti& -looking hi. questioner full f n ; Uje-f.^^^p^l? .*Uv© in the flesh before : -'f-:^ ?^y<iW^^m

em iepi em POEIS. Vessels. Tons. Crews. Auckland Russell Mongonui New Plymouth Wanganui Wellington Nelson Lyttelton Dunedin Invercargill 23 4 2 4 1 8 g 12 14 1 7614 1579 967 1553 99 2395 2426 2851 5788 - 118 319 101 73 93 .7 80 153 124 239 10 Total 77 I 25,390 1201

FROM 1860. 1859. Auckland ['araimki Vellington kelson 3arttett>ury « )tago - £10,234 103 4770 9480 7976 7343 £10,234 103 4770 9480 7976 7343 420,184 1740 9444 12,176 11,644 4510 I Total £39,906 I jg59,698

PROVINCES. 1800, Corresponding Quarter,, ♦ 1859. Auckland Fai'anaki Wellingtofi .<. Hawke's Bay 4.. Kelson Marlborough „ Canterbury £140,560 5270 63,794 1467 34,039 370 61,399 90,458 £ 149,890 6700 85,613 637 37,173 Nil. 77\340 72,692 [)tago Total 397.357 £43i>,06£

1860. Correspond* Ing Quarter* 1859. PORT OP Auckland - $ew Plymoutn" Wellington < Napier kelson t > Wairau ....» tyttelton » Dunedin jei2,'iO2T 2,542 7,137 1,483 3,417 301 £14,644 931 lfii\ 1,222 2,919 '209 6,081 5,437 7,»80 8,108 Total "IncladingSttfo-Vorts) £43,270 £39,084

sum Sold. Premium £25. Total Premium. £50 £6 13 0 £13 6 0 50 6 4 0 12 8 0 50 6 2 0 12 4 0 75 6 1 0 18 3 0 75 6 3 0 18 9 0 25 6 8 0 6 8 0 250 6 8 0 65 6 0 £575 £144 18 0 3a hand at commencement of sale 447 11 0 £592 9 0 Sum sold as above 575 0 0 Balance in hand £17 9 0 Propei-ty Investment Society. — The Quarterly Meeting of this Company was held mi Tuesday last, when the cash was sold a: follows: — Amount Sold. Prem. per £20. Total Premium £40 12s. £1 4 40 10 10 40 10 10 40 7 0 14 200 8 4 0 360 £7 18 Amount on hand when Sale commenced 331 16 10 Sum Sold in excess 20 5 2