LATE JOHN BRANKIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12704, 28 July 1919, Page 8

LATE JOHN BRANKIN.

DEATH FROM HEART DISEASE.

The adjourned inquest, touching the death of John Joseph Brankin, tv ho ivas found lying dead on the side of the Ti akanui Road, about half, a mile from his own home, at about 2.30 in the morning of July 11, was held at the Ashburton. Courthouse on Saturday afternoon, before Mr -lames Cow, District Coroner.

A. Fitzgerald, a contractor, living in Wills Street, Ashburton, gave evidence that he last saw deceased alive about fifteen minutes after midnight on the night of July •!()• He had previously been _ with him at about 11 p.iu, the game night, and bad helped him to yoke hia horse in the gig. at Lewis's stables. Brankin drove witness and hia brother to their gate, in Wilis Street, where they stood talking till about 12.16. Brankin then left for Ids homo, on the Wakanui Road, and ho should have reached there at the latest by 1 a.m. Deceased was absolutely sober at the time ; witness was quite clear and positive ’bn this point. Brankin was driving a foux-year-old horse, and the horse was fidgety. Deceased had been into Ashburton to attend a presentation, and witness was first with him at about 10 p.m-, in the Working Men’s Club. , Senior-Sergeant Ryan stated that he spoke to Brankin at about 10 p.m., near the Arcade, and there was no sign that he had had any drink at all- Witness visited the scene of the accident the next morning, and saw where a. body had lain on the aide of the road, and there was a small pool of blood. The body had apparently been dragged. There were no marks of violence on the body when witness saw it, hut there was a small scratch on the face. The left boot was slightly torn at the ankle, a part 'of the clothing was a little soiled, and deceased’s cap, with blood on it, was found in the body of the gig. It appeared quite evident that the body had been dragged after deceased was out of the trap, and this might have been caused by the horse moving on while deceased was leaning against the gig. On the 13th instant witness visited the seen© of the accident _ again, and saw, some little way up the road towards Ashburton, signs of where the same gig and a horse had been standing, and from the wheel marks it was_ evident that the horse had been restive. There was evidence given of a man having been seen in the locality where the body of deceased was found, and the cap left in the gig with a bloodstain on it left no doubt that this particular man had been in Brankin’s company. Witness on July 14 took possession of a sealed jar containing the stomach of deceased and sent it to Mr A. A. Bickerton, the Government analyst, who subsequently reported that he had found a little alcohol present in the stomach- Large portions of the walls of the stomach were inflamed, and the appearance was. in his opinion, consistent with the effects of alcohol. There was no substance ! 'other than alcohol that would cause death or account for the inflammation. The lad Brown, who had given evidence at the preliminary inquiry to the effect that ho identified the man seen on the road when the man addressed him as “Brownie” and asked him if he was looking for Jack Brankin, was recalled, and was asked if he could still identify the man if he saw him. Witness replied “Yes.” He was then asked to look round the Court and see if the man was there- Witness at once replied, “ Yes, there he is, over there,” at the Bam© time pointing to Herman Stephens. Norman Stephens, blacksmith, < f Ashburton, was called, and in his evidence ho stated that he had been playing in a football match on the afternoon of July 10. He went straight from the football match to Iris own home at about 5 p.m., and after having his tea he retired to bed at about 8 p.m., and did not leave bis house till about eight o’clock the following morning. He was tired after the football match, and went to sleep shortly after going to bed. Ho had tea with his wife and children and two visitors. • Pressed by the Coroner, witness swore positively that ho was not out of his house that pight after he first went homo.

Dr George Lyon, who had made a post-mortem examination, gave evidence to the effect that ho- found no marks of any sort, indicating violence, and there was vm]y a small scratch on deceased’r face, There was nothing abnormal to 1)0 found with any of the organa. except that the aortic valves of the heart were slightly diseased, and this diseased condition of the heart

might have caused sudden death, and was quite Consistent with the evidence which had been given by Miss Brankin, at the preliminary inquest, that her brother, since the accident ho met with on the Metropolitan trotting ground about a year ago, had frequently complained of pains about the heart. A verdict) was returned in accordance with the medical evidence, that the cause-of death was heart disease. The Coroner expressed his strong disapproval at the man who had been seen in the road not coming forward and helping to clear up what was a very mysterious case- The Coroner further added that he- was perfectly satisfied that the witness Stephens was not the man who had been seen on the road at the time the body of Branbin was found.