Sudden Death of Mr John Doran.

Pahiatua Star and Eketahuna Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 170, 7 February 1888, Page 2

Sudden Death of Mr John Doran.

About 8 o'clock on Sunday morning M - i Waller, Quaititrell, Doran, and 1 l.ey went into the Makukuln, by way iu Jie Koclt Hoad, for the purpose

ir tinng the buslt on the land of the : i,n ;■ lii si ruined, whose a Lons adjoin c u-ii other. They reached the scene of operation* at 10. DO, and at once ei.i.niK need to fire. The country is • .' -iinglv hillv, and Mr I>oran di 1

an .'in ruious iiuiount of climbing in ordi r to lire the tops of the lulls; he wt« ac".-.)m(ianie(l whilst undertaking ti,. i k by Air Waller, Messrs Tuckey n:.,l (jn.tintrell attending to the lov.er l.iiul. Altogether about 800 acres wete fired, tiie task being completed by 1.80, when it was decided to return, arrangements having previously been made with Mr Moore that the (•arty would be back by 2 o'clock, so as to enable him to burn a large extent of country on either side of the Rock Road, which if fired before they got out would prevent their doing so until verylate at night, if indeed they got out at ■ill. We may remark here that Messrs (ir -nry and Hlack had ridden out to wi.i .e ti.e party intended firing, but taking a wrong track, did not come upon them until tiio work was just ati ut c unpleted, Messrs Waller and Di i :iu then being on the top of a ridge applying the last match. After this wa done the party (with the exception , of Mr (juuintrell, who walked on) sat down and ate a few biscuits, Mr Doran being in excellent spirits. So time w a - spent here, as it was feared Mr Moore migl, think they had gone back ami light I.i o oh, ho the five (Messrs allcr, Gri gory, Tuckey, Doran and hack) made all speed to get to the top of a very steep lull leading to the trig -■.a;- ii. Whilst ascending the hill Mr Waller was behind. Mr Doran being ju-t in front of him, and tlie other tome lit It ,i, t nice ahead. Pin* • ti’ly Mr Waller cried out—•' There •Lii-ii.ing tlie matter with Doran.” . .'.inking possibly that aftc-r his recent ex r.ion he had the cramp, no great noli'-.- was t:ken of Mr Waller, until tie called again, “ Dorati is ill; he is I ing on the ground, and can’t get up.” Tue other* then came back, and found Duran lying face down, apparently in a faint. He was lifted up, hut his*face had certainly the appearance of death. 1 A small drop of whisky was administered. but ju t as it was put to his bps rattle itt the throat denoted that the end had come ; he passed away without struggling or uttering a word. The difficulty then arose as to how the be iy wets to he got out, and Mr

Gregory volunteered to go for assistance. He. however, could not get further than Mr R:cbards>m's, curing Mr Moore having fired his bush. • i r» R;ciuirdion, Quaintrell, aud iSou filet were informed of the sad affair, and they at once g»t a stretcher ami start- d for the scene of the accident. In the meantime Messrs Waller, Tuckey, and Hlack, by moans of a sack on two poles, managed to get the body to the lop of the sleep lull, after a most terrible struggle, where they were shortly after joined by the other party. Thu body was then transferred to the stretcher aud conveyed to the top of tho trig station. Here a consultation was held tvs to what was to be done with the body. It was generally agreed that it would be liottor to get i( to town that night, but the was the fire ahead, and this was the only road out. An attempt was made by one or two to see if it was possible to do tite journey, but after being nearly suffocated tlie ulea had to be abandoned. It was then determined to leave the body on tite top of the lull, making it as secure ns possible, and turning the whole of the horses loose the party had to make a journey throngli the bush (sometimes going almost straight down into deep gullies and then climbing up tho other side) to reach Mr Richardson's place. Had it been possible to have brought the body out this way it would have been done. The party reached Mr Richardson's at 5 o'clock, and after waiting about hftif an-hour, an attempt was made to gel through the smoke on the Rock Road. The feat was accomplished after much difficulty, large limbs having fallen across the track m places, and the smoke and heat being almost unbearable.

Information was given to to Constable Cullinano so soon ns the party got into town, and he at once made arrangements to bring the body in the next morning. He likewise took pos,session of the premises of deceased l who was a bachelor), and communicated with the I’ublic Trustee, no will having been found. As far as is know'n, Mr Doran had no relations in the colony, although lie has some in the Old Country. He hud numerous friends, however, and no one seems to have been aware that lie suffered from any complaint which was likely to curry him off suddenlv.

The sad calamity happened at 2 o'clock, and was a great shock to those who witnessed it. Mr Doran was one of the ol lest settlers in the di jtrtct, and was thoroughly well respected by all. He was in the early days on a survey party, but eventually opened a store (the first m the district), which he has conducted ever since. l!is kind face will be greatly missed in the community by old anti young alike. Mr Doran was ever ready to do a good action, and it was done in such a quiet manner that few knew anything about it; there was no outward show about him ; lie was genuine to the core.

THE BODY BURNED.

The above was written yesterday morning before tiie hotly was brought into town. It is now our painful duty to lmve to record that sparks from the fires around must have fallen on tho stretcher during the night, burning all the clothes off deceased, and disfiguring the features very much. Constable Cullinane with several willing hands proceeded to the trig station and found the body as described. Strange to say that no logs, of which there were several on the hill, had ignited. After the remains had been properly fixed on another stretcher, the Constable's party started homeward, and we learn from those who undertook the task that a more arduous one they had never performed. On reaching the end of the Rock Road a trap was in waiting, in which the body was placed and brought ou to the hotel, arriving about 12.80.

THE INQUEST

At 8 p.m. an inquest was held before Mr McCardle, J.P., and the following jury :—Messrs Birnie (foreman!, \V. Stewart, C. Stewart, Wakeman, Crimp, and Baititon. After the body had been viewed, evidence was given by Messrs Tuckey, Gregory, Waller and Black, which was similar to the facts already related. Dr AV illiaras deposed—At tho request of the Coroner I made a post mortem examination of the remains of the deceased, John Doran. On a superficial examination I found the body fearfully burned. I then proceeded to examine the chest, ami found the heart enormously enlarged ; deceased was also suffering from valvular disease of the heart. The enormous disease of the heart had caused congestion of the lungs. The extent of the disease of tho heart and congestion of the lungs ure quite sufficient to account for deceased's sudden death.

The jury brought in a verdict that death hud resulted from natural causes.