A SUDDEN DEATH.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1923, Page 4

A SUDDEN DEATH.

ELDERLY MAN’S COLLAPSE. DUE TO HEART FAILURE. Binny Hamilton Somervail, aged 66, who lived with his son at Smart Road, was found dead m bed by his son yesterday morning, and, at an inquest held at New Flymouth yesterday afternoon, a verdict was returned by the coroner (Mr. A. M. Mowlem) that death was caused by valvular disease of the heart. • Mr. Somervail, who was a widower, was fanning on the Smart Road, where he lived with his son, and he had resided in the Dominion for the past forty-four years. On Tuesday evening he appeared to be in his usual health, though he complained ot a pain in the chest. After tea the father and son retired for the night. About 10 p.m. the father was heard groaning, but the son did not suspect that anything was wrong. It was the father’s turn to rise earlier yesterday and prepare the breakfast, but as he had not risen at 7 aon. when the son awoke, the latter made investigations and found his father dead in bed. Evidence as to the cause of death wm given by Dr. Wade, who conducted a postmortem examination, and the coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.