ENGINEER'S DEATH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 85, 9 April 1936, Page 4

ENGINEER'S DEATH

INQUEST AT AUCKLAND TWENTY WITNESSES DISCOVERY OF VERONAL [ Ftr Praei Asaociatioa. j AUCKLAND, April 8. Twenty witnesses are to be called at the inquest which opened to-day into the death of Sidney John Anderson, agefl 47, a, motor engineer, who died in the Auckland Hospital on February 17. The Government Analyst (Mr K. M. Griffin) gave evidence i-hat he recovered about eight grainy of veronal from certain organs given him. Kenneth Mackenzie, surgeon, said a cancer tumour was discovered at the post-mortem examination. The coroner is Mr. Wyvern Wilson. The case for the police is being conducted. by Detective Bergeant Walsh, and tdie widow is represented by Mr. R. A. Singer. Anderson, who lived at Point Chevalier, was admitted to hospital on the afternoon of February .17, and died eariy the next morning. The incpest was opened the day after, being adjourned sine die to enable inquiries to Ije made. When evidence was being given tc> day by one of the medical men, Mrs. Anderson, who was dressed in black and sat alongside her solicitor, broke down and was assisted, sobbing, from the Court. She returned a few minutes later. The hearing was continued to-night, numerous witnesses being heard. The pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, Dr. W. Gilmour, described the result of his post-mortem examination and said that the appearances were not those usually found in cases of fatal veronal poisoning. He considered that the cancer found would be sufficient to cause death. Detective-Sergeant Walsh: Does not the finding of the Government analyst indicate a poisonous dose of veronal?— Oh, yes, the quantity recovered does indicate a poisonous dose. j Witness said that death was due to ! cancer accelerated by veronal and opium. Eve Muriel Anderson, widow of deceased, said her husband had been in poor health for about three years. He never had one hour free of pain after his discharge from hospital. “From the day he came home from seeing Dr. Souter he threw it in. He did not want to live,” said witness. That would be in January. He told her then he was dying of cancer. He could not sleep and* at his request she got him a bottle of noctal tablets, but they had very little effect. At her request Dr. Hastings supplied him with powderS on January 31, but they had no effect at all. He always took the powders himself. Dt. Hastings told her to increase the quantity and that her husband could have them every four hours. Witness had not ‘completed her evidence when the Court adjourned