CORONER'S INQUEST.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11125, 14 November 1907, Page 6

CORONER'S INQUEST.

At the inquest on Mr O'Sullivan this afternoon, Dr Overton said depeased had no enemies m Gisborne or elsewhere that lie knew of. As far as witness knew deceased's financial position was good, and there was nothing the matter with hie •books or anything to trouble him. Probably they might, not have seen each other for several days. He was not m a conveyance looking for deceased on the Wednesday. On the Thursday he began to enquire about him, as he wanted him. He could not account for deceased being absent from his duties, except that he was very fond of tlie country and of hillclimbing, whicli was very foolish m his case, as it might lead to syncope. A question by the Sergeant, as to whether there had been a row, m which the doctgc had got a blow m the eye, was indignantly scouted by witness,' who wanted to know how such-la. question coidd have been suggested;: it ..Was, he said, all nonsense, and Air Martini could answer for that ; he had . had j;a 'knock', caused by a tumble. He caUecTon Mr Martin to speak to that at once.' Air Martin said he would do so at' the proper time; the statement was ridiculous. •*■" Sergeant Williams said no doubt it was. In reply to a juryman, Mr McLean, witness said that deceased was very temperate ; he was a determined man but had never suggested suicide that witness knew of, nOr did he think he had ever given any reporter to understand anything of the kind. Mr Stock said m regard to the question asked as to accounts, he was authorised to say that all accounts of deceased were satisfactory. Thomas Hennessy, son of Mr W. J. Hennessy, deposed that he was riding over the hill about 5.30 last. evening. He came to some manuka scrub, and on looking m he saw the body of a man; he made sure what it was, and came m and told his father, who went to the police station. A long time ago lie had seen some cakes and fruit near the scrub; recently he had seen a coat and hat, and telling his father, the latter told him to look and see what it was* . He had been riding past for the cows when he looked m. The distance was about half a mile from his house, up. the' hill. -The body Avas just lying a bit inside the scrub; it was entirely hidden from view. There was no track to where the body was lying. He had been riding through the scrub looking for cows. William McCredie, solicitor's clerk, deposed that on the morning of Tuesday, November 5, about 9.30, he had seen deceased at the junction of Riverside road and Clifford street, and had spoken to him. He seemed m a cheerful mood. He was coming from town. They stopped and spoke for a while. He asked if witness lived round that way, and- he pointed out that he lived round the Riverside road. Deceased made the remark that he had heard it was a very nice walk round there. "Witness said yes, it was a nice walk, and a favorite walk, and added that on a Sunday morning he himself took a walk over the hills, from which one could get a very good view of Gisborne. He said, "I'm just out for a walk ; I might take a walk out that way myself." He left witness, and went down the Riverside road, which was the last witness had seen of him, His whole demeanor was cheerful, . with no trace of aberration of intellect or melancholia. By juryman. McLean : It was close on "9.30 a.m. when witness left deceased ; he (witness) had taken out his watch and looked. The juryman said that was about the same time as he was said to be at the Gisborne hotel. Witness : I know nothing of that. By Mr Coleman: They had. sat at the same table for lunch at times, and became fairly well acquainted, and the deceased's manner showed no change from his ordinary mood. Michael Doyle, m the employ of Evans, Nield and Co.. gave evidence as to identification of the body.. Mr O'Sullivan was a lodger with witness at the house -nf the latters mother. Ho was of cheerful spirits, and as far as he knew a healthy person. There was ,no indication that he would commit self-destruc-tion. Witness had last seen deceased alivo on Sunday ; hei had not slept m his •bed m the house on Monday night. Witness had not become alarmed at* bis absence. Witness knew of nothing he could attribute the death to except natural causes. Constable Irwin gave evidence as to the finding of the body and its removal to tho morgue. The legs were crossed, the body giving the impression that deceased had been m a sitting position, and had fallen back. He had made a very careful search of the surroundings last night and this morning, and could find nothing that would give an indication of suicide, such as poison bottles or fireanus. The body appeared to be lying m a peaceful condition. Li reply to Mr McLean, witness said the place was a rough one that would not bo visited as a plea-sure resort; the clothing was disarranged, as if there had been reason to go there. By the foreman: There was a watch and chiiin, sovereign cate, two small keys ;uid so-iii:** life insurance papers en the body. Thomas Leslie gave evidence to last seeing deceased alive between 2 and 2.15 p.m.. on tlie sth, m Clifford street, and tliey spoke to each oilier casually m passing * he appeared cheerful, and was going along swinging bis walking-stick. He knew deceased intimately; he was m and out of the shop nearly every day ; he was full of business, and nothing to indicate lie would commit self-destruction. He was a sober man. B y tbe foreman: He was going from Gisborne when I saw him. Frank Sullivan, accountant, of Wellington, son of deceased, said it had been reported to him his father had been miss, ing from November sth. He had been residing with witness m Wellington, and left to take up the Government Life Insurance agency m Gisborne. About two years ago bis father had had a sevpre attack of typhoid and pneumonia while m New Plymouth, from which he had been weak for a considerable time, and he had complained more or less since. He had complained of a valvular affection of the heart and was -subject to attacks of giddiness. He was always of a very cheerful,, disposition, and not a man that would commit a rash act. He had never talked of suicide. He was not .m pecuniary difficulties. He was m a better financial position than for seven or eight years past. He wrote to witness's mother on November 3, the letter : being a cheerful one. Dr Overton was given an opportunity ' to show that there was absolutely nothing i m the report on whicli questions were 1 asked by the sergeant, and Mr Martin ' u:is called on to dear up the point. ( (Left sitting.) *