Inquests.

Canterbury Police Gazette, Volume XIV, Issue 22, 15 November 1876, Page 181

Inquests.

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on the 9th October, 1876, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of Ellen Sullivan, aged 17 years, a nurse-girl. After, hearing the evidence of Detective Neill, Constable Watson, Dr. Powell, John Brunnett, Robert Jackett, and Edward do Jersey, which shewed that ‘deceased was knocked down and run over by a cab driven by Charles Crease, the wheel of which crushed the skull and neck, causing instant death, the jury; returned the verdict of “ Accidental death, adding a rider that The City Council; should bring before the notice of the Police, the necessity of enforcing the By-laws for preventing any but the front cab leaving the stand when hailed, and also regulating the pace of cabs passing crossings and turning corners of streets. , .

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on the 10th October; 1876, before J. W. • Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of

t , Eu '? r ‘Avon, near the footbudge at the hospital, at 640 a.m., on the 9th October. At 650 „., Joseph Shat! caU’for r T-f thS , '° Stital - 011 hearing a call for assistance, ran to the river, and found deceased struggling in the water. The water was. very deep, and he having no drag, could not rescue him, until the arrival of another man, named Richard Brown, when they succeeded in getting him ashore. Mr. Pndgeon, dispenser at the hospital, on examining deceased, found that lite was extinct. Deceased; whose body was conveyed to the morgue by the Police, was a pensioner, and came to town on the 7th October. He was seen by several parties half-an-hour before the fatal accident, when he was sober. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidentally drowned.”

An inquest was held at Ashburton, on the 13th October, 1876, before James E. Trevor, Esq, coroner, on the body of John Alexander Sharp, aged 2 years. It was given in evidence, that deceased had had several convulsive fits since his birth, for which he had been treated by Dr. Trevor. He was put into bed by his mother, at 7.30 p.m , on the 11th October, and on his father going into the room, about 8 p.m., he found him cold. Thinking the child was in a fit, he got assistance, and used every available remedy, but found that he was dead. The jury returned a verdict of “ Death from natural causes.”

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on the 16th October, 1876, before J. W. S.

Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of William Chapman, or Owen, aged 54 years, a labourer. It appears from the evidence, that deceased was in the Warwick Hotel, Christchurch, at 9.30 p.m., on the 14th October, drinking. He was afterwards seen on the premises of Mr. H. Toomer, near Ferry road, Philipstown, at about 12.30 p.m., on the 15th. When spoken to by Mr. I Toomer, he went off in the direction of the city main drain, where he was afterwards found drowned. A post mortem examination was made by Dr. Hayes, on the 16th October, who found the throat, gullet, and stomach full of mud, and he supposed the cause of death was from suffocation. The jury returned a verdict of “ Found drowned.”

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on the' 25th October, 1876, before J. W. S. 'Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of Lucy Tracey, aged 44 years, a matron. From the evidence it appears that deceased had been for some years past of very intemperate and immoral' habits. On the 24th October she was - observed by a carrier, named Edward Clarke, when crossing Montreal bridge, to stagger and fall down, as if she were intoxicated, but on a closer scrutiny, finding deceased was ill, he in company with- Constable Fullbrook, who had come up m . the

meantime, placed her in a dray, and proceeded with her to the hospital, but before reaching that institution life was extinct. Dr. Guthrie, who made a post mortem examination of the body, gave as his opinion, that deceased came by her death through sunstroke, accelerated by disease of the heart, the latter predominating to some extent, with enlarged liver and congested brain and lungs—the intestines being comparatively empty of food or nourishment. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. ,

An inquest, was held at Christchurch on the 27th October, 1876, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner,' on the body of Alfred John ! Clark, aged 15 years. It was given in evidence that deceased, accompanied by his younger brother Herbert, went to bathe in the mill dam, Kiver Styx, at about 5 p.m.ori the 25th inst. They had been in the water only a'few minutes when the boy Herbert heard a splash, and on looking round he could not see his brother. , He came out of the water, dressed, and ran to his father, who was working in the mill close by, and who came immediately, accompanied by a man, named Andrew Purves; the two men searched the dam, and in about ten minutes they found the body of deceased in a hole in the dam ten or twelve feet deep, and about twenty feet from the side, the existence of which the boys had been ignorant. Every means was used to restore circulation, but to no .purpose. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidentally drowned.” *•

An inquest was held at Ashburton on the 28th October, 1876, before James E. Trevor, Esq.,, coroner, on the body of James Innes, aged 5 years. It appears that Peter Innes, a farmer, and father of deceased, was taking a heavy three-horse roller to a neighbouring farm, when the child ran after him and cried, begging his father to take him along with him. He took the child up and placed him by his side on the framework of the roller, when by some accident deceased slipped and fell, dragging his father with him; the roller passed over deceased, and crushed him so severely that he only lived about fifteen minutes. The jury returned a verdict of Accidental death.”

An inquest was held at Christchurch on the 31st October, 1876, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of a male child aged 1 month, of whom Thomas Gardner and Ann Gardner are the parents. Erom the evidence it appears that deceased was a healthy child from its birth. On the 29th October it was taken into the same bed with both its parents at 10 p.m., and went to sleep on its mother’s left arm. During the night the mother changed the child to the right side or centre of the bed; it was then alive. At 4 a.m. she again changed it to the left side, but was not sufficiently awaxo to soy whether it was then auve or not. At 6.30 a.m. she found the child was dead, and called out to her husband, who

had got up half-an-hour previously. He sent for two neighbours named Jane Dorr and Susana Mabley, who came immediately and found the child dead, though still warm. It was discoloured about the neck and had marks of blood about the nose and mouth. Dr. Powell made a post mortem examination of the body, and gave as his opinion that death had resulted from suffocation. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental suffocation.” :

An inquest was held at Christchurch on the Ist Nov., 1876, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of James Eoden, aged 30 years, a carpenter. It was given in evidence that deceased was living with his brother-in-law, Henry Barton, at Addington, whose house he left about 8 a.m. on the 23rd of October last, and on the evening of that date a boy named Edwin Haylock Shome met him between Stanmore Bridge and .Ward’s Brewery, he was then sober, but appeared somewhat peculiar in his manner, and enquired the way to Colombo street. Nothing could be heard of him, nor was he seen by anyone who knew him afterwards. About noon on the 31st October last a man named James Earland observed a dead body in the Avon opposite the British Hotel, Oxford Terrace, Christchurch. He informed Constable Ilamill, who took the body out of water and had it conveyed to the morgue at the hospital. The body was identified as that of deceased. There were no marks of violence on the body,.or anything that would lead to the supposition of foul play. There being no evidence to shew how deceased got into the river, the jury returned an open verdict—“ Found drowned.”

An inquest was held at Malvern, on the Ist November, 1876, before T. H. Anson, Esq., J.P., acting-coroner, on the body of James Shannahan, aged 26 years, a labourer. It appears from the evidence that deceased and his mate went to a small water-hole to bathe, and after swimming about for some time, deceased suddenly disappeared. His mate tried to catch hold of him, but did not succeed. He afterwards got assistance, and succeeded in about five hours in recovering the body. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidentally drowned.”

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on the Ist November, 1876, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of James Samuel Hines, aged 2 years and 1 month. From the evidence it appears that about 4 p.m. on the 31st October, 1876, the child was missed by its mother, who went in search of it, and was accosted by a Danish woman who could not understand English, and who afterwards stated she had heard screams, supposed to be uttered by deceased. After a strict search deceased’s body was dragged out of the river by his sister, named Susan Hines., The mother took the body home, and immediatley put it in a warm bath, and further adopted every means to restore animation, but without success. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death.”

An inquest was held at Leeston, on the 3rd November, 1876, before E. B. Willis Esq J.P., coroner, on the body of David Moorhead, aged 38 years, a farmer. It appears from the evidence of Mrs. Moorhead, that deceased was in his usual health the day before his death, with the exception of a slight cold which had caused a headache. He went to bed in good spirits. Mrs. Moorhead v was awoke about 2 a.m. when deceased was breathing heavily. She spoke to him, but he gave her no reply. She then sent for a neighbour and Dr. Chapman, but deceased was dead before the arrival of the doctor. Dr. Chapman made a post mortem examination of the body, and stated that the immediate cause of death was the effusion of blood into the pericardium of the heart. Deceased died intestate. The jury returned a verdict of “ Death from natural causes.”

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on the 6th November, 1876, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner, on a fire on the premises of Charles Calderwood, situated between Tuam and St. Asaph streets. After hearing the evidence of Constable Walker, Superintendent Harris, Charles Calderwood, and John Haliberton, the jury, by the direction of the coroner, returned a verdict to the effect that “ the building had been wilfully and feloniously set fire to by some person or persons unknown.”

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on the 6th November, 1876, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq., j coroner, ,on the body of Margaret Curry, aged 38 years, a servant. It appears from the evidence of Dr. Doyle and that of James Gray, with whom deceased lived as a servant, that she had for some time been in a melancholy state of mind, which led to her cutting her throat with a razor in her bedroom on the evening of the sth November. She- was found dying by, Mr. Gray, who called in Dr. Park to her assistance, but in about twenty minutes life was extinct. The jury- returned- a verdict of “Committed suicide by cutting her throat while in a state of. temporary insanity.”

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on the 10th November, 1876, before G. W. Hall, Esq., J.P., -acting-coroner, on the body ot William Henderson, aged 38 years a laborer. Prom the evidence it appears that deceased was admitted as a patient into the Lunatic Asylum on the 21st September 1874, being insane through injuries received m the head. He was very subject to fits at periodical intervals up to the time of his Tuesday 7th instant, deceased was unusua y excited and had a fit, which trated him, and though every attendance both night and day was given to him, with stimulants and other necessaries be gradu ally sank, and died on Wednesday, Bth JN°?' at Smith., in the presence of his wife, Si t Z U 'i a ybm d Hr. Coward made S Vrten «Lination of thebod^anddeposed that the membranes of the brain

usually terse and gorged with blood, and that the lungs were much congested. He gave as his opinion that death resulted from an epileptic fit. The jury returned a verdict of Heath from natural causes.” • - ' .

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on the 11th November, 1876, before J. W.S. Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of Steadman Sarah Chi snail, aged 53 years, wife of the late William Chisnall, farmer. Prom the evidence given at the inquest it appears that deceased was a healthy woman, and had not been ailing previous to the morning of the' 10th instant. About 9.30 am. on that date' she took suddenly ill and died about an hour afterwards. Dr. Campbell made a post mortem examination of the body, and being sworn at the inquest, stated that he found all the organs of the body in a healthy state except the heart, and that death was caused by a fatty condition of that organ. The jury returned a verdict of “ Death from natural

causes.”

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on the 13th November, 1876, before. J. W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of John McPherson, aged 3 years and 9 months. It was given in evidence that on the 4th'Nov. deceased was heard to scream, and on his sister Helen going to the kitchen she found him sitting in a bucket of scalding water, which had been left on the floor by the servant girl. Deceased was immediately taken out of the water and medical assistance called in. Dr. Turnbull in his evidence stated that he was called in to see deceased on the 4th instant, and found him badly scalded in the lower part of the bowels, the hips, between the legs, and half way down the thighs, and that he attended him' daily up to the 11th instant, when he died ; from the effects of the scalding. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death.