SUFFOCATION BY GAS

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13735, 29 May 1913, Page 6

SUFFOCATION BY GAS

[United Pjiess Associahbmi.]

Chrisichurch fc May .28. An inquest was held-to-clssy touching the deatn of Peter Murdoch, of Mosgiel, a-'farmer,'whose age was 48. Murdoch came up witti a party of children who wore visiting the New Zealand. The evidence of tlio manager of Coker's Hot;-:, whei'ei the deceased stayed, waffto tiio oii'cct that the deceased, after registering at about 9M) p.m. on the 19th vvpux, to bed. lie had a single room with a gas jet, with'an ordinary burner oh a bracket projecting irom tho wall. It was in a position which could not be reached from the bed. It was hot an easy burner to turn on, and'was one with a stop which made it clear that it was either on or off. Tho impression witn-j-ss Jni-cl ioiuued ' was that tho deceased na-d got up to light tho gas, and' had turned it on, and then drop-oed back1 .oti;his bed, as ha could not raid matches. His position suggested that. '". Otiier. evidence was given as to the means adopted to restore tiie deceased to consciousness. A verdict was recorded that tho de-ceasc-d died of accidental by DuO