SUDDEN DEATH.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 19

SUDDEN DEATH.

A resident of Anderson's Bay road named Thomas Salter, who has only been in the colony for about six months, died somewhat unexpectedly at his dwelling on Monday afternoon. He had been in ill-health for a considerable time, and had been an inmate of a lunatic asylum at Balmain, New South Wales.

INQUEST. An inqnesb on the body was held at Blaney'a Caledonian Hotel ye.-terday afternoon before Mr Coroner Oarew and a jury of six, of whom Mr Charles Fisher was chosen foreman. The followng evidence was given :—: —

Sarah Jane Salter deposed that the body shown to the jury was that of her late husband. Thomas Salter. He was born in Sydney, and at rived here on the 11th of December Inst from that port. He was a coachsmith in Sydney, huh gave up business about five years ago on account ot failing eight. Ha underw nt »n opf-atio-i in y, sincn which he luid never b'«-n abe lo it-tain his loii'l. f'ince his arrival hc> -n decreed had be-Ti out tor n driv--, but was always anxious to g<t tv bed «ua'ri. The last three months h" could not walk wi hour, help. He had been in Ualmain Piulc Asylum, Sydney, and had buen sent home as incurable He was th»re about threp mnn'lu. Dec 'esrd oimo to New Zealand on account of witnoiß' health. Decease J was about 55 years ot age, and wns seen first by Dr Martin, who was telephoned for on the lust occasion, but owing to a misunderstanding lie did not come, an tho girl was thought to say through the telephone deceased was dead. He had bten attended by Dr Teevan. On Monday moi-uing deocased was the same ns usual, and talked quite sensibly Witnets left tho home nt a qua-ter to 2 o'clock, and returned at a quarter-pant 4 o'clock, leaving the servant in the house during her absence. The three children, the eldett of whom was nine, years old, were also in the houae with deceased. Witness gave deceased a drink of wurm brandy before leaving, and he then fippearcd the same as usua'. AMr Po»le givedi'Ri'HßKl a htMo drnp of Tirmrlv !n Ihe morriinj!, bin he hi-[ very I'M Ie filti.gc'Jioi " A'i <U'.m of bifindy would l»i-t ;i\\eek. 'Ah ( rinsed oiid un Monday morning, which v--ai n »t ihuil with him. He was -rt troubled with any piiu. Witneaß thonghh d-c'Hsed uns asli* )> when «h? weul to him on h-r return ho<r>». SMo mhl. •• ileie"s a warm drink for you," and on looking taw h<) wm dead. On witness returning home «he began attendl g to some conking, and about tliree-qutrters < f an hour after Uiis Mr Pool«came in with a bottle of rum. A warm drink was made of this by Mr Poole. who took it into the room where deceased lay Mr Poole said, " Just come and look; ho is all uncovered." Witness said, " Grace (meaning the servant), yon had better onme and help me make his bod. 1 ' Witness caught hold of her^ husband, who Bhy thought must have been then just dying, as ho was quite warm aid there was a warm perspiration on his forehead. Witness said to Mr Poole, " He's dead," and he replied, " Not he." When witness got hold of deiensed'a arm to give him the drink she knew what was the matter. Deceased had left no will. He had no pro..

r

perty, but had been living on witness' means, whioh were derived partly from her father, now deceased, who had been in the 11th Regiment. There was no insurance on deoeased's (witness' husband) life.

To the Police : Witness returned home before Mr Poole, who was engaged to be married to her sister. Mr Poole returned about a quarter-past 5 o'clook. Witness did not go into deceased's bedroom till Mr Poole came, as the girl had said Bhe believed he was sleeping, as he was so quiet.

To the Coroner : Deceased was noisy at times. If there was anything in the room he would catch hold of it and break it. This, witness thought, waß due to insanity. To a Juryman: The door of the bedroom was not kept looked, so deceased could have got up and gone out if he liked. He was given up by all the leading doctors in New South Wales.

Charles Foole, sworn, said he was not in employment at present, but was formerly a groom and coachman in Sydney. Witness came from that city with Mr and Mrs Salter to Dunedin, and had known deceased about three years. He had been living with Mr and Mrs Salter on and off about two years or two years and a-half . Witness had been out of employment nearly 12 months. Deoeased's condition during that time was very changeable. One day he was fresh and well, and at another time the other way. He was not a hard drinker, as far as witness knew, though he was always very fond of a little drop of rum. Witness saw him on Monday morning, when he looked very bad ; but witness had often seen him looking worse. Witness assisted to give him something to eat and drink. Witness offered him something to eat alone first, but he would not take it, and he got the girl to assist him to raise deceased, who was at times unable to raise himself in bed. Deceased took only one mouthful, and then refused to take any more. Witness did not notice what tbe food was, and could not 6ay what it was. Deceased drank three or four mouthf uls of brandy. Witness again saw deceased about 1.30 or 2 o'clock when he was lying very quiet. Witness could not say if l«e was asleep or not. He did not speak to deceased. He appeared to witness to be comfortable at that time, and witness did not see him again alive. Witness went to town about 2 o'clock and returned about 5. Mrs Salter was then at home. Witness took a bottle of rum home with him for deceased, and as soon as he got in the houao he made deceased a drop of hot rum. Witness asked them how the old man was, as he had been very noißy before this and very troublesome. The girl eai& he had been very qiiiet and had not spoken while witness was awny. Witness went to the bedroom door, on opening which he saw the bedclothes were all piißherl down. Witness called out, "What the h is the good ot covering him up; he wont keep the clothes on him," naturally thinking that lie was asleep. With tha*;, Mra Salter and the K'rl came and looked in the room. Witness had seen him in that position many times and thought he was asleep. Witness shook deceased .by the arm and told him to to sit up and have a drop of hot rum. Mrs Salter felt deceased's leg and said, " He's dead." Witness said, " No he's not," and shook him again. He could then see that he was dead. He told them to send at once for the doctor who attended him last. It was about 5 o'clock that witness discovered that deceased was dead. Witnesß knew nothing about deceased's means, and would like to know why the doctor refused to give a certificate. Mr Carew : You are here as a witness. You must behave yourself.

Witness continued that on the Monday deceased just |aaid " Charley," and on being asked if he was all right he said " Yes," after being asked two or three times. Deceased had relatives in Sydney. To the Police : Deceased very often bad no spirits during the week, though he was fond of a little rum. WitneßS could not say how much spirits a week deceased had. The medical men, as far as witness knew, allowed deceased to have rum. Dr Martin himself gave him rum. The rum was taken home at deceased's request. Witness contradicted this afterwards, and said he took it for his benefit.

Grace Cairns stated that she had been in Mr Salter's employ for a month last Saturday, and knew them before that from being neighbours. During her time of service deceased had not been out of the house, because he would not get out of his bRd. It would be between 8 and 9 o'clock when witness first saw deceased on Monday morning He then seemed the same as on previous mornings. Witness heard him speak that morning, but not so freely as usual. He made no complaint and had a little breakfast, but witness could not say if she helped to give him it on that morning. She gave him his dinner. Mrs Salter left the house about a quarter to 2f]o'clock, before which witness gave deceased his dinner. He took very little and left the rest. He fed himself, but never chewed it — swallowed it whole. Mr Poole gave deceased some brandy at the same time. Deceased took the cup in which it was and tlrank the contents. He was able to sit up for his dinner, but Mr Poole helped him to sit up for the brandy. Mr Poole also gave deceased brandy about 11 o'clock in the day. Mr Poole left the house about half-past 1 o'clock, before Mrs Salter. Deceased did not get brandy every day because the doctor said he was not to have it. " Deceased craved a good deal for drink, but was always worse after taking it. Deceased's bedroom was left open when Mrs Salter left so that witness might go into the room if necessary, but she did not go in during Mrs Salter's absence. Mrs Salter came in at about a quaiter to 4 o'clock, and Mr Poole about 5. Witness told Mrs Salter that deceased had been very quiet, and she (Mrs Suiter) did not go into the bedroom, but started making sausages. Mr Poole came home, made the rum hot and took it into the bedroom. Witnesß thought they all went into the room, and Mrs Salter went up to him and said " Sit up," and putting her hand on him found he was dead. Mr Poole said in reply to her that be was not dead. Witness put her hmd on deceased's forehead aud thought he was dead. Mrs Salter went uway for a doctor, but made a mistake in the name. Witneis heard no noise whatever in the bedroom during Mrs Salter's absence in town. Witness thought deceased was kindly treated. Mrs Salter did afl tor him that she could do.

To the Police : Witness could not say how often deceased got spirits In the day. T.) a Juryman : Mr Poole was very kind to deceased, who was very fond of him. Dr Teevan deposed that he first saw deceased, a patient of Dr Martin's, on May 5. Witness found deceased in bed in a very emaciated condition, with bsd sores on both hips, and unable to control his actions. The result of this was that the smell in the room was very offensive. He al»o appeared to lie suffering from a form of insanity called dementia. Witness c>uld get no reply from deceased, who kept calling out for rum He was not capable of carrying rut a conversation Witness tol 1 his wife not to give hi:n turn, and she said sh 3 had to do so in order to keep him quiet and prevent him disturbing the neighpours. Witness told her it was a case in which he could da nothing, and that it was no use spending lnr money. Witness called again on Wednesday, the ''tb inst , to show Mrs Salter how to use a certain thing, and while doing this she Baid, " If I have to do that it's no use your showing me, because it's repulsive." Witness could sympathise with her in Biving this, for it was even repulsive to him. She asked how long deceased would live, and witness replied he might not live six months and he might live some years. She said she hoped he would not live so long. — witness concluded on account of the repulsive nature of the case, which was very bad. Witness shoult eny that dece*sed was a man who Iwl been given to chronic alcoholism, though he was perfrctlv sober on both occasions he visited him. On Monday, the 12tb, about 9 o'clock, witness again saw deceased. He was lying on his right side, with the arms crossed over the chest and the legs bent, the left beit>g on the right. The face was quite calm, as though he had died quietly. The body was cold, and life had been extinct probably about five or six hours, There were no signs of violence, and the bed sores, the treatment of which witness had explained to Mrs falter, were very much improved. This showed that Mrs Salter had attended to deceased well during the past week. Witness was surprised to find deceased dead on the Monday. In cases of poisoning rigor 7>iortis did not, witness believed, stt in. If there had been foul play, he did believe there would have been rigor mortis He saw no reason t suspect foul ulay. He told Mrs Salter that he would h.we to tell the police of the matter, And ehe said she was not afraid. She actoc with perfect nandour throughout. Witness believed thu cms!' of death to Ub premature decay of the vital P'i«eri, dup t* chrouicalcoholism, and also insanity. Witness told Mrs Salter it would be far better to •st'iid deceased to a lunatic asylum, and she said she would consider U. She Baid his ago was 41, and •witness expressed surprise ti*. his not being older. WitiieiS believed Mrß Salter looked after deceased to the test of her ability. Witness had never refused to pivo a death certificate.

Mr Carew said that was all the evidence. The main thing that struck him was that deceased eeenied to have suffered from chronio alcoholism. He teemed to have been supplied with drink by someone in the house, and the reason given for that was that it was to prevent him making a noise and disturbing the neighbours. He thought Mrs Salter had made a mistake in not sending deceased to a Junatic asylum. Dr Teevau had said that Mrs Salter

attended deceased as well as Bhe could, and that he did not suspect foul play, The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony, that deceased's death was caused by premature deoay, due to chronic alcoholism, and also insanity.

From the South, as well as from the North, come complaints about the inadequacy of the railway rolling stock for the carriage of grain. The Fukerau correspondent of the Southland Times writes that a great quantity of grain is stacked on the railway siding there. The goods shed is also full, and there is nothing for it bub to stack the grain outside, owing to the scarcity of trucks. Were plenty of tarpaulin? available things would not be so bad, but in some cases grain has to be left exposed to the weather, as many as 2000 sacks of oats being said to be stacked waiting for trucks.