A LONELY DEATH.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14142, 19 July 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

A LONELY DEATH.

(From "The Colonist," July 8.)

A man "'named William John Gordon,

about 70.years of age, was found dead yesterday evening in his dwelling at the back .of the.steam laundry in Wairhea street. Constable Berthelsen received 'a' telephone.'message- at about 20 minutes to 6 o'clock, saying that nothing had 'been seen of Gordon for some days, and .suggesting that inquiries might be made. As a consequence Constables Falconbridge and Berthelsen went to the old man's place, and found him lying in bed. The body was'blackened and in an advanced stage of decomposition. Sergeant Barrett was informed, and \mder his orders the corpse was removed to the morgue in an express. A small quantity of money was found in the deceased's pockets. It .would lappear that he died about eight days ago. He had a daily paper delivered at his house, and, the copies had not been collected since June 29th: There was some; food on a table in the house Gordon's two cats and his half-dozen fowls were starving, and when the constables threw seme meat to xhe cats they growled like wild animais^ Gordon was ia<rf old resident of Nelson, and la well-known character.' He was very deaf. He used to go round with a handcart'and collect fat from residences, selling it to the soapworks when they wore in operation, here. , . (From '.'The Colonist," July II.) An inquest on the body of William John Gordon, an old age pensioner, 69 years of age, who was found dead in ' his hut in Waimea street on Friday1 evening, was held by the Coroner" (Mr. J. S. Evans) yesterday. .

Dr. Washbourn. deposed that he examined the body of deceased on Saturday at the morgue, and found it in an advanced state of decomposition, death having occurred probably more than a week previously. There was no evidence that death was due to other than natural causes. . Heart failure was the probable cause of death. With a body in such an advanced state or decomposition a post morteno would have been of little value.

Dr. Johnstorij who also examined the body a^- the morgue, corroborated Dr. Washbourn's evidence.

Charle3 Curnow, manager of the Nelson. Steam Laundry, stated that he knew the' deceased, who lived alone in a cottage .-at the back of tlje laundry. He could not remember, whe/n he last saw deceased alive. Oh! Friday afternoon he ,was informed that there were a number of ...newspapers Lying^-about "the.; gate, and he sent an employee to the cottage, who reported that the doors | were locked. After work he. went.' fco.j the cottage, opening a window, and found deceased in bed, apparentiy dead. He then .rang up the police. . Deceased Avas very-deaf.-. . . » . Constable Berthelsen deposed that'at 5.40 p.m. ou Friday he received a telephone aessage at, the Police Station, land in response proceeded to a hub at the back of the laundry in Waimfa street. Finding the doors locked, ho got in through the window, and saw deceased lying on the bed fully dressed, and covered.;.vith a thin blanket and a bag rug. Tho; body was lying in a natural position. ,He ezsmined the lamp in the. rcorj, and the cil was burned down. A paper of 29th June was lying on the table, and other dates from 30tb .June ;were lying outside. There was .a .clock and five watches in the housr1, all of v<hich had. stopped, •! The ' Coroner ■ found that deceased died o;! '>■ about 30th June tVor,,\ natural causes.' : . '.-.'..