THE INQUEST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 55

THE INQUEST.

An inquest on the body of Call le Deux, who wa& found dead m the Botanical Gaidens on Fi:day last, was held on Saturday before Mr C. C. Giaham and a jury of six at the Great Xortirern Hotel.

Dr Martin gave evidence as to having examined the body. There were no marks of violence or anythirg to indicate death. From all appearances deceased must have died without a struggle. He was shown The bottle found alongside the body. It was about one-third hill of fluid, the nature of which he could not state. There was nothing about the eyes to denote that it contained prussic acid or cyanideof potassnirn. There was nothing about the body to show that deceased had taken any particular kind of poison.

Alexander Palmer next gave evidence. He stated he was licensee of Wain's Hotel, and deceased came to stay there three weeks ago with a commercial tuveller named H. B. Morley. The latter went to Christchurch about 10 days after. After being there a fortnight deceased was handed his account, which he said he could not pay. At his request witness allowed him to stay on till he wired to Mr Morley for £2 for the purpose of cabling Home. Mr Moiley sent him £2, and deceased afterwards showed witness a Beuter's leceapt for a cable iressage he had sent Home for monetary assistai.ee. It was noticed m the hotel that he was not in for lunch or dinner on the 19th. On the evening of that date witness received the following letter, signed by dejeaaed: — • " Words fail me to express my deep regret that I should not have received an answer by this e\enmg to my cable despatched on Monday via, Keuter's. I purposely absented myself entirely from your hotel both yesterday and to-day, but I do not think I can stand another night like last night without any protection but an umbrella from the inclement weather. Will you be good enough to forward your account, with such additions as you may deem fit to compensate you for loss of interest. 1 have advised my father, whose addiess I give below, that I have requested you to do so. I think that you will ultimately agree that the armovance you have unfortunately been put to will be outweighed by th<* effect of my humiliating position, caused by a chapte^ of accidents, on myself. In my present bad state of health — inscmnia, from heart affection — I cannot stand the ridiculous state of affairs any longer. With deep regrets," etc. Deceased told wit.iess that h? was a mining engineer, and accounted for the small quantity of luggage in his possession, by stating that the bulk of it had been sent fiom Hobart to Auckland, where he was goingto work on the mines. Witness gave deceased the option of staying on until receiving a reply to the cable he had sent his father. In th^i memo, book deceased had left at the hotel was a receipt showing that he had also cabled Home on the 3rd inst. for fSO. Deceased was very temperate, and spent much of his time m the commercial rcoru.

John W. Curie, employed by the corporation, gave evidence as to having found the body aboutj 50yds from the mam entrance to the Botanical Gardens. The appearance of the surroundings pointed to his having fallen and never moved.

Sergeant Gilbert deposed that amongst the effects found on deceased were two cards, one bearing the following • " Mr Carl le Doux, met. engineer and chemist, Post Office, Waitekauii"; and the other the =ame name, with the address: "Sports Club St. Jamc3's fequaie, S." 7 ."

Archibald M'unro, dredging engineer, who volunteered his evidence after reading of the matter in the newspapers, snid that he believed deceased to be identical with C. le Doux, whom he met in Western Australia two yeais ago. Deceased was a. Belgian by birth, and wa» employed by either the Belgium Government or a syndicate to report on mining properties in that colony. He was a sober and energetic man. Witness had heard him speak of having been, under treatment for ear trouble.

In summing up, the Coroner said if the jury, desired an adjournment in older to admit of a post mortem or for the piirpose of having an analysis made of the contents of the bottle found alongside of deceased, they could ask for it. In any case, the police would thoroughly satisfy themeslves.

A vedict of "' Found dead " was returned, the jury being of opinion that there was insufficient evidence to show fiom what cause death had lesulted.

In our issue of June 5 we reproduced a X^hoto of th 9 Wellington Mayoi m his robes, but omitted to acknowledge the photo as by / Berry and Co., Wellington. The onissicu wajs, i of couiiej, luimteiiiioiial.

In Mr John Moir's garden at Hillend can be seen an apple tree with its second crop of iruit — certainly of small size, but well formed. This speaks volumes for the mildafe?» of the se-a&on so far. — Free Pieos.

An aite«ian supply of^ 2,000,000 » t illoin lias beeii struck at the Yariawin boie, b<tween Nyngar and Brew airina. New South Wales. The water ii>co sft 10m o\ci the casing.