CORONER'S INQUEST.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 466, 11 January 1881, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

A coroner's inquest was held yesterday to enquire h>to the cause of the death of Mrs Leprou who died suddenly on the previous evening. The enquiry took place at the Hospital before Justin Aybner, Esq. Coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr Thomas Grange was chosen foreman.

The following is a summary of the evidence adduced :—

E. E. Leprou, the husband of deceased, deposed that on the evening of Sunday,the 9th inst., he retired to bed about nine o'clock. Deceased camo to bed about an hour later. About 11 o'clock he was awoke by a noise, and on striking a light found deceased frothing at the mouth and blnck in the face. She was lying on her leftside and breathing , very hard. Sent Stewart for the doctor. Met Mr and Mrs Wood in the street, and asked thorn to cnnif in. When witness left the house deceased wsis alive. When Mr nnd Mrs Wood came in she'was dead. About balf-an-hour nl'ter this the doctor arrived.

ill answer to questions by the jury, witness stated that his deceased wife was on the eve of her confinement; in fact, that as l';ir ns lie knew the timo bad passed. He hud engaged medical attendance for her on ibis occasion, though be had not done so on furmer occasions of a like nature . The reason was that the midwife who had formerly attended her had declined to do so for the future. He had bad no row with deceased lately. She was thirty-nine years of age. Mrs Stewart deposed to having seen deceased on the day of her death. She than appeared to be in goo.l health and spirits. When Leprou called her she went in. Deceased was then dead. It was about eleven o'clock. Dr Guthrie stated that about 11-45 on the evening of the 9th. be was called to attend deceased. On his arrival found her dead. The surface of the body was livid. On examination found that labor bnd commenced. The child was do a;. Being of opinion that death had resulted from suffocation, endeavored to produce artificial respiration, but without avail. Had that day made a post-mortem examination. On opening the chest found the veins of the neck congested with venous blood. The lungs were'somewhat congested, but otherwise healthy. There was nothing in any of the organs to account for death. The womb contained a well-nourished, healthy female child, weighing about ten and a half pounds. The surface of the child's body was livid, like that of the mother. Was of opinion that death resulted from suffocation. To the jury— Theie were no marks of violence on the holy. Could not say how suffocation was caused. After a retirement of about fifteen minutes, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased had met her death by suffocation, but how it was caused there was no evidence to show.