INQUESTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 34

INQUESTS.

GEORGE HORTON. An inquiry into the death of George Horton, who was found suspended by the neck from a rafter in a washhouse at the rear of his residence on Wednesday, 3rd tho 3rd and decided to recommend Mr Graham (coroner). » Dr W. Marshall M'Donald said that although ho had not attended the deceased ho knew him. A little over a year ago witness attended deceased’s family, and on that occasion deceased expressed .in opinion on midical subjects which led him to believe that his mind was unbalanced. He was called in to examine the body on Wednesday evening, and found lifo extinct, and that death was due to strangulation. Dorothy Emily Horton, daughter of tho deceased, stated that her father had not enjoyed good health of late, but ho would not sanction the calling in of a medical man. lie used to complain about his heart. He never complained of weariness of life, and always appeared rational. Nothing in his manner indicated that he was mentally unsound. She last saw him alive at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. He was reading the paper, and seemed quite in his usual state, and made no complaint of any kind. W r fcen deceased was not seen they at] wondered what had become of him. They thought that he was out somewhere. About 8 o’clock her mother came in, and said she saw his hat outside, and therefore deceased could not bo far away. Witness, thinking that deceased had had a heart attack, went in search of him, and seeing the washhouse door closed she opened it and found deceased hanging. Two young ladies who were at the house called in Mr Thomson, who cut the body down. Medical aid was summoned, and life was pronounced to be extinct after an examination of the body. Deceased had no faith in doctors, and that was his reason for not consenting to be attended by them. Her father had had financial troubles, but had never mentioned anything to them. Some house property had been unlet for some jime. He lived on good terms with the other members of the family. Samuel Thomson (surveyor), stated that he knew deceased by sight. He was called in at 8 o’clock on Wednesday night, and whan he got there ho found deceased hanging from a rafter. With the assistance of another neighbour he cut tho body down. It was quite cold. Deceased had stood on something preparatory to dropping. His feet were only two or throe inches from the ground. It appeared as if ho had stepped off the cross rails of a chair. After hearing the evidence, the Coroner returned a verdict that deceased’s death was caused by hanging while temporary insane. WILLIAM JOHNSTON. In tho afternoon Mr Graham (coroner) held an inquest concerning the death of William Johnston, aged 63, a retired boxmaker. who was found dead in an outhouse at his property iu Calder street, St. Hilda, late on Wednesday afternoon. . Dr Reily stated that 'he had not known deceased previously, but on Wednesday ho was called by Dr Roberts to attend deceased at his home in Calder street. Life had been_ extinct for two or three hours. On examining tho body ho found several cuts on the left arm, which varied from two to three inches in length. They had probably been made tho day before. Tho arm had been wrapped in a red handkerchief, which had very little blood on it. The cuts penetrated into the muscles. To all appearances death was due to strangulation, and there was no evidence of fracture of the vertebrae.

In answer to Sergeant Emerson, witness jaid ho saw deceased at 7 p.m.. Sarah Johnston, wife of deceased, deposed that ho was a box-maker by trade, but had retired from business. Deceased had not (been in good health for some time, and at times was depressed in spirits, while at others ho was more cheerful. Witness did not think there was anything mentally wrong with deceased, although ho appeared strange at different periods. She never thought ho contemplated suicide. Deceased purchased a property in Bay View road, and thinking the bargain not a good one. he had worried over it. Ho did not discuss this deal, but she knew he regretted buying the property. H e was discontented at times. Witness went out in the afternoon, leaving deceased in bed, where he had been all day. When she returned about 5 o’clock she found the bed empty. Her daughter found him hanging in an outhouse. On Tuesday night witness noticed that deceased's arm was bound up, and she asked him what had happened to it, and lie replied that ho had hurt it through falling in the back yard When she wanted to look at it ho objected. As soon as tho body was discovered some of her neighbours were called 1 in. and they cut the body down. To Sergeant Emerson;' Ho used to talk about doing away with himself when in a depressed state. Sho took no notice of these remarks. When sho was going out on Wednesday she suggested calling i n Dr Roberts to attend to his wounds, but he said he would have no doctor. He sometimes said he was tired of life. He took no food on Wednesday. John M'Konzio (asphalt leaker) gave evidence to the effect that he and Mr Lanahan out the body down, and Constable Rasmussen testified as to tho searching of tho body, which he found, upon being summoped, lying in the back vard when he arrived on the scene. verdict that death was due to suicide by hanging while in a temporary state of insanity was returned.

JAMES MEHALSJQ. Mr Graham (coroner) held an inquest on Friday morning at the Dunedin Hospital into tho circumstances surrounding the death of James Mehalski, who died on December 27, from injuries received on December 6 at Gatlins. Dr Edgar, assistant medical officer at the Hospital, stated that deceased was brought to the institution on December 7 in a semi-conscious state. Witness examined him and found a swelling in tho middle of the back, signs of bruising and paralysis of both legs, ail of •which pointed to an injury of tho spinal cord, most probably the cause of which was a fracture of the spinal column. The cause of death was diie to exhaustion, tho result of injuries received. Deceased_ was in a sort of dazed condition during Ids illness, and could not give any account of how tho accident occurred. Ho never attributed blame to anyone. Mabel Schlutcr gave evidence to the effect that she was the wife of Frederick Sakluter (blacksmith, Dunedin), and sister

of deceased. Her brother was a labourer, and prior to the accident was employed on the Government works at Gatlins. She Saw deceased after his arrival at the Hospital, but he never gave her any. account as to how the accident occurred. As a matter of fact ho was never in a state to enable him to account for it. She had 1 no knowledge as to how it occurred. Deceased was a single man. Ho was delirious almost the whole of the time he was in the Hospital, and was only conscious for two or three minutes.

William Titer, labourer, stated that he was employed on the Government works at Cat tins along with deceased. The accident occurred on December _6, while witness and deceased were sitting in camp. Deceased was in his (witness’s) tent when a tree fell on it It was about 4 o’clock in the afternoon, and it was a very windy day. Witness was knocked insensible, and ho believed that the falling tree was responsible for the accident to deceased, but could not. say, as ho was unconscious a-t the time. There were no trees partially cut near the tent which would endanger the safety of the occupants. The tent was knocked over. When witness recovered consciousness ho crawled from under the tent, and the first thing ho saw was deceased lying under the tree. Deceased s tent was close to his, but he left his own tent believing witness’s to bo safer. Some of their mates came to his assistance and extricated deceased from under the tree Ho was in a semi-conscious condition, and when asked if anything _ was tho matter with him he replied “No.’’ They put him back in his own tent and made him ae comfortable as possible and sent for a doctor. Dr Stcnh-ouse arrived about 1 o’clock tho next morning and. after examining him, ordered his removal to the Dunedin Hospital. John Miller stated that he was employed on the Government works at Gatlins along with deceased. The day on which the accident occurred was very stormy, and they had to knock off work in consequence of the heavy wind blowing. Deceased told witness to come into his tent, saying ho would be killed if ho remained in his <jwn. Witness replied, “In a minute.” Ho had only been in his own tent a moment when he heard a crash, and op looking out saw a tree lying on top of the previous witness’s tent. He went to investigate, but could see po one. Ho called out, and tho last witness crawled from under the tent. Ho was in a dazed condition. Tho deceased was not visible. With the assistance of some mates witness pulled tho limbs away, and found deceased pinned to the ground. They cut a branch away and got him out. Witness thought deceased was dead, as ho was quite unconscious. They threw water on him and then carried him to his tent, and a doctor was sent for. Tho tree was uprooted. He was quite satisfied it was an accident. Several ether trees were blown down that day in the same locality. The Coroner’s verdict was to the effect that the cause of death was a fractured spine, caused by deceased being crushed under a tree accidentally blown over on the tent. MR JAMES CORRIGALL. The Coroner (Mr C. C. Graham) held an inquest on Friday afternoon, in the Magistrate’s Court, into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr James Corrigall, who died on the north express from Christchurch on tho previous afternoon.—Stationeergoant, King represented the police.

Dr Hunter said ho was on the first express from Christchurch, sitting in a smoking carriage. Someone called ovit, and he saw deceased lying on the platform in front of the carriage. That was just after leaving Palmerston. On going up he saw that the man was convulsed. Deceased made two or throe stertorous expirations and stopped breathing. With the aid c.f some other passengers he was got inside, but he was quite dead. Witness asked the guard to have arrangements made to receive him on reaching town. He examined' him on the station, and the only mark of violence was a slight abrasion on the forehead, caused by the fall. He was satisfied that deceased died from apoplexy, and that there wore no suspicious circumstances whatever. If deceased had had to run for tho train that would have been enough to brin,g on the seizure. William Leash, a farmer at Omakau, and nephew of the deceased, said deceased was 70 years of age and a tingle man. Ho was under medical care at Waimate about 12 months ago for some heart or chest trouble. Witness hod never known him to have an apoplectic seizure. Deceased left Lauder about a fortnight ago, and was prabably travelling back from Waimate, where ho hod property. He was of a bright and cheerful disposition. Constable Kean said he know deceased for about four months while witness was stationed at Ophir. That was 12 months ago. He recognised tho body when ir was brought into tho Police Station. The Coroner remarked that without an actual post mortem examination it was impossible to sav what the cause of death was, but Dr Hunter seemed perfectly satisfied that it was wholly due to natural causes. —A verdict was returned in accordance with tho medical testimony.

INQUESTS AT AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, January 5. An inquiry was hold this morning: into ’ tho circumstances of the death of James Dawson, who was found dead in a pond in the Domain yesterday. The jury returned an open verdict in accordance with tho evidence that the cause of death was drown- ' mg’, and that there was no evidence to i show by what means the body got into the water. An inquest was he’d this morning into tho death of William Brown, the seaman from the Opawa, who foil from tho wharf a. week ago, and whose bodv was found floating near the Calliope Dock. A verdict of death by drowning wag returned. There was no evidence to show how the body got into the water. INQUEST AT CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, January 4. ! An inquest was held to-day on the body ’ of John Goston, an aged man, who was | found drowned in the Avon on Wednesday. { Evidence was given as to tho finding of the body in 3ft of water. Dr Symes ! who examined the body, attributed death to drowning. Deceased would have had no power of recovery with his heart in tho condition it was. Deceased’s wife said she could not account for him getting into tho river. Ho had not been -depressed. The Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased was found drowned, and 1 that there was no evidence to show how ho , got into the water. [

DEATH UNDER CHLOROFORM. TIMARU, January 5. An inquest ivas held to-day into tho death of Mrs Birch fie Id, wif© of the license© of the Saltwater Crook Hotel,, who .died yesterday while an anaesthetic was being administered far an operation to obviate blood .poisoning after a miscarriage. A post inert on examination revealed weakness of th© heart, which was affected by tho struggles of th© deceased during administration of the chloroform. The weakness was partly due to alcoholism.