INQUEST.

Colonist, Volume XL, Issue 8958, 27 August 1897, Page 2

INQUEST.

Ari inquest was held at three o'clock, at the late residence of deceased, before H. W. Bobinson, [Esq., Coroner, and the following jury : — Messrs R. Snodgrass (foreman), E. Atmore, L. Kerr, G. M. Simpson, J. A. Harley and J. Savage. Sergeant McArdle called the following evidence : — William Bobertson, son of deceased, living wjth his father, said : My father was 70 years of age. lie had generally good health, and, as far as I am aware, there was ncr.particular ailment troubling him, and Up till the previous evening he had been about his work as usual. He left work at five, and after tea went out again, I think to the office. I did not see him again that evening. .^ This morning, at a quainter to seven, his usual time of rising, he came into the room from his bedroom, fully dressed as usual, and sat in an easy chair, talking to his grandson, a little fellow about 8 years of age. He then got up and walked about the garden, and up to this had riot complained of any illness. After five minutes or so. he came in again, and laid dowli on a sofa hi the same room. Then 1 noticed there was something unusal about him, and asked if he was not well; He replied that he riiu not feel very well. He lay there about five minutes', and then breakfast being ready he got up and began to v8 ye some, I think all he took was a little porridge. Then he gave me some instructions about the work qn which I was engaged. Then he said that he : wotflct go and lie down again, which he did in his oHrri room 1 , being quite able to walk, though I accompanied him. That would be twenty minutes past seven. 1 left for work a few minutes later, but before going I went up to see how He 1 was. He seamed to me to be better, and I asked him, and he said he. was better, and asked for a cup of tea, which I promised to send him up. , I. did not feel quite secure about hirri,- and asked my wife to send to me if anything ha'ppried; My wife took the tea up within five minutes of my leaving" to work! at Mr Lightband's. I told my brother at work that my father was not well, and we agreed that if he was not bettter at noon we would get a f doctor *. my father had an aversion to the doctor being sent for. I then left the job for our place of business. The" messenger from the house went first to Lightband's, and then came for me at the shop in Collingwood street at about ten minutes to eight. The message was that "Auntie thought grandpa was dead." I hastened home, and found Dr. Hudson and niy brother at. the bedside, my father then being apparently deaa. , . ._. . John Bobertson, son of deceased, said tfttft at a quarter to eight this morning, while working at Mr Lightband's, I got a message that it was thought my father was dying. I hurried to his home immediately, and saw him lying in bed partially undressed and apparently dead. I went for Dr. Hudson, and returned with him immediately. The doctor sfiid that my father was dead. Ido not know of my father having had any ailment, and as far as we knew he had very good health. He did not complain at all. Dr Hudson, said, I knew deceased and had formerly attended him for a slight illness. This morning, a little before eight, I was called by Mr John Bobertson, we found de- j ceased lying in bed partially dressed with the bed clothes over him, he was quite dead. He had been dead a very short time, and there was no sign whatever of there having been any struggle. I made a post mortem examination and found the muscular tissue of the heart pale and friable indicating fatty degeneration; all four cavities contained dark fluid, venous, blood. Deceased must have died from syncope caused by fatty degeneration of the heart. t j The medical evidence being so clear it was not considered necessary to call evidence from Mrs William Bobertson who was exceedingly unwell. A verdict of death fr»m natural causes was returned.