Old Man's Sad Death.

Thames Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 10453, 31 October 1904, Page 1

Old Man's Sad Death.

OLD AGE AND NEGLECT. INQUEST, AT WHAREKAWA: A! mail' named Charles Smith, a resident of Wharekawai, was found! dead in his whare on Thursday. For a few days- the deoeased had not - been seen, andl it was thought that he had proceeded toi Thames, but upon examination of his • whore Vvs dead body found- It was evident that the deceased had been dead some days, and tihe matter being reported to the police and 1 to the 1 <3oroEer, the latter (Mr) A. Brtfce) decided to hold an inquest at Wliarekawa instead of having! the body .brought to Thames. Mr Bruce, accompanied toy Constable Rist, proceeded to the district named and held an inquest', wheni the following evidence was railedMrs Helen Watson said: I knowl the deceased Charles Smith, a resident of Whairekawa. So far" as I know he was a single' man, and lived by himself. He was very ill. On Thursday afternoon last, October 27, I was on my way to the "Luck afe Last" The whore of the deceased was on> the road to that place.- I liad two horses with me, riding! one and leading; the other. On the way I noticed! a man and a boy, and knowing the boy, I sang! outl to him and asked him to ride one of the horses. On ■coming up: to where I Was, he said he thought something! was wrong with Charlie Smith, the deceased', aa he had! been singing out to him buti could not make him hearl. The three o£ us went down' to^ the house, and the mam went in- Wihen . he came out he said he (meaning" deceased) was dead right enough- 1 then went! in and felt the pulse and heart, and found that the man was really dead. I then got on my horse and went and informed Mr John Damw. The deceased has 'been ailing for some time. I did not know what was tha ailment, buti consider that it was a general break down, aa he was very feeble and! was a very old main. Mr Killgour, the busb contractor, has been trying for some time to get him to the Old Men's 'Homo, but has always refused! to do so, as he was unable to look after himself- Ido not think he has any relatives in the ! colony, but deceased! informed! me that lie had a .brother in 'Sydney, who was well .'to do. I last saw deceased alive about three weeks' ago, Wut on passing^ life" whare last Wednesday week, -awing to the Luck at 'Last, I spoke to ihim from the roadway, both ; coming and going. He was in bed, j a.nd on asking him if he was ill, he ■said no, but that as he had no' firewood in the house he. went to bed. He w:as on good! terms- with everybody; about thef place-

Eldward King, being sworn, said: I am a gumdigger, residing at Wharekawa- I knew the; deceased, Charles Smith. He was an old man, about 77 years of age. He has been ailing all the time I have known him', that is. aboot six or seven months- On Thursday last a boy named William Young came to me, and told me that! he had called) to the deceased, but but could get no answer, and he thought, there wasi something wrongI went with himi to ascertain if this was true or not, and on our way we net. Mrs Watson., and the three of us went together to the whare. On. arriving there I went and saw deceased "lying on the bed quite dead. Mrs [Watson' then went in and felti him, and she also said ho was deadMrs Watson- then left us to report the matter!- Detoeased's illness Was feebleness from age. He was always on good terms: with everybody about tlie plate. I last saw deceased alivo about five or six weeks agoWilliam. James Rist,'being sworn, said: I am a constable stationed at Thames. On Friday, night;, October •2Sth, I received instructions front Sergeant Darby to- proceed to Whara-ka-wai to inquire into the circumstances relating to the death of one Ciliairlea Smith. I proceeded to the whare. of deceased, and found his body lying in; the bed. I examined the ib'ody andi found no marks of violence thereon- I searched ■ the whare and clothing 1, but could find no property- There was some bills and his old age pension Certificate- I should say from the appearance of the tody that deceased has been dead five or six days. His whare and! effects were in a filthy condition, and . frotat the inquiries I have made, and the general surroundings of the place where he lived, and the totfal absence of any comforts necessary to the I-wants of'so old and feeble a man, 'that death resulted from the facilities lof n«o accentuated 'by neglect- The i whare in; which he lived belonged to jMr John Sams-bury- # ' The jury returned the following ' verdict,: "The deceased, Charles ' Smith, died at Whareka.wa ctn cr 1 about October 24tti or 25th, 190*. from exhaustion through old age, ' accentuated, by negloct, and his nob r receiving! the noiiirishmenti or attention to necessary tio hava „ prolonged his life. \ mm"l''mi''limm^llim''miT^'*T7'