INQUEST.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXI, Issue 2432, 25 October 1866, Page 5

INQUEST.

An Inquest was held at 5 o'clock yesterday at tho Pier Hotel, by Dr. Boor the Coroner and a Jury, on the body of Richard William Patten.^aged 51 years, who was found dead the previous evening on tho Wharf.

John Rattenbury, being sworn, said — I am a etoreman in the Queen's Warehouse, Wellington, and knew Richard W. Patten, the deceased. Ho was a tide water and usually worked on tho •wharf. I was frequently in tho habit of seeing him, and saw him last alive at about 12 o'clock yesterday (Tuesday), when he appeared to be in good health. About 6 o'clock in the evening, I •went into tho closet alongside the wharf, and there I saw a man lying down on the floor. His trowsers were loose, and over the lower part of the legs. I drew him out and undid his necktie ; he neither spoke nor moved. I tried to rouse him ; his face was purple, and his necktie was tight. I told Win. Chaplin and others who were working on the wharf. They went back with me to the closet and Win. Chaplin recognised him, and so did I. He appeared to be dead. Augustus Willoughby Thornton, M.R.C.S.E., practising in Wellington, being sworn, said — This morning I examined the body of deceased at the Court Houso. It" was lying on a stretcher in one of the cells. There were no marks of external violence apparent and no unusual discolouration of the body. Deceased might have been dead from 12 to 24 hours. I made a post mortem examination and found a very largo quantity of serous serous effused on and in the brain. I examined the heart, lungs, and other viscera, in which there was no serious disease sufficient to account for death. The stomach was empty nnd there was no deleterious matter in it. I believe tho cause of death was serous apoplexy and that it occurred suddenly. William Spinks, being sworn, said — T am ■wharfinger at the Queen's Wharf, Wellington, and knew deceased quite well. I saw him last as far as I remember at about a quarter to six last night ; ho was giting me an account of cargo, and seemed to be in good health. I had known him Bixteen years, and had never heard him make any complaints of ill-health. John Crowder, sergeant of the Wellington Police, "being sworn, said — From information received at quarter to seven yesterday evening, at police office, I went to the Q.ueen's Wharf and then to tho Pier Hotel, where tho body of deceased was lying, and sent for a doctor. I had known deceased — who appeared then to be dead — for four years, and recognised the body. I had the body removed to the police station, and found on it an account book, two pocket, knives, and some letters. I found no money.

The jury returned a verdict of" died from serous apoplexy."