INQUEST AT GREYTOWN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 117, 25 March 1879, Page 2

INQUEST AT GREYTOWN.

An inquest was held on Saturday, at Quin's Hotel, (,n the body of Alick iiam--say, who died suddenly on Friday niornjiig at 'Ja.m, Mr iiarnard was appointed foreman of the jury. Alter the jury had been to view the oody, evidence was taken to the following oilect •

Ur Smith sworn, deposed: That he was called m on Friday morning at about 2 o'clock, and found deceased dead, but the body was still warm ; the features were quite composed ; made a post-mortem i:.xaminalioii on. Friday afternoon, and Kiiiml the lungs and largo blood vessels mil of very dark and frothy blood ; the right lung was extremely adherent to the walls of the chest, and was remarkably soft- ami pulpy ; the right side of the heart was elated and contained thick clots of dark blood ; the liver was much enlarged, weighing 0] ibs., the normal weight being 41bs. ; thestomacli was quite empcy, and was very much congested and iuliaiued ; d,d not examine the head, as i hero was no head all'eetiou in his opinion, uid found sufficient cause for death without doing so; death resulted from failure of the heart's action from disease produced by chronic alcoholism.

Upon being questioned by the jury, witness stated that (.ho usual dose of chloral was from 15 to 30 grain!, An overdose of chloral would cause death ; did not say but the chloral assisted the failure of the heart's action, the deceased ueiiii; in that unhealthy state, Mrs Railway, wife to deceased, who was much distressed, sworn, deposed—That she had been in Wellington for some time ; hud heard t hat deceased had been drinking hard ; on the second night after coming home he died; he had been in the habit of taking composing medicine; she always got doses in separate bottles, and kept them herself; there could have been no mistake about the quantity ; lie had taken two doses, one at 4 o'clock slid one at!) o'clock ; lie went asleep about half-,ill-hour uftev taking ihe last dose; he was just the same as usual, and woke about the usual time, a quarter to two, and got out out of bed to look for something ; he told her he wanted some more medicine; she told him there was none; lie then accused her of having thrown out the medicine, not remembering that he had taken it; he insisted that he had not taken it, and got excited: just then lie sank on the floor; she lifted his lie id, and lie then expired. The Foreman of the jury intimated that they did not require any more evidence, and after a short delay brought in the following verdict " It is the opinion of the Jury that A. Ramsay died on Friday, March 21st, of disease of the he.irt, brought on by the cxcussivc indulgence of alcholic liquors."