Inquest on the Body of Mr. J. C. Sextie.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1656, 9 June 1875, Page 3

Inquest on the Body of Mr. J. C. Sextie.

An inquest was held this afternoon at the Suffolk Hotel, College Road, Ponsonby, before Dr. Philson (coroner) and a jury on the body of Mr. J. C. Sextie, who died suddenly at his residence on the morning of yesterday.

Mr William Hartshorn foreman

James Delaney, the first witness, deposed : I am a carter, residing at Mrs Baird's, College Road, next to where deceased lived. Knew him only a fortnight. At a quarter to five yesterday morning, a rap came to his door. He was up and at the back of his house at the time. He was then requested by Mrs Baird to proceed with all haste to the next house, as young Mr Sextie said his father was dying. He went and found Mrs Sextie in her night-dress, sitting on a sofa beside the deceased, and holding his hand. He was lying on his back. I believed him to be dead; there was no breath. She then told me that her husband had come home under the influence of drink on the previous night with anothtr man. She wished me to go for a doctor. There was no one else present in the room, excepting the children. I went to Dr Hooper, who returned with me at once, and pronounced the man to be dead. The doctor examined some papers lying near a cup, which had been drained. He said he was going to examine the papers to ascertain what they had contained. I saw deceased alive on the previous day in the yard attached to his house. I noticed nothing particular about him.

Margaret Sextie,. widow of deceased, deposed : I was married to John Charles Sextie in 1866. He came home from town on Monday afternoon, and ate his dinner about five o'clock. He seemed quite lively, and took a hearty dinner of roast beef and vegetables and tea. He then went and laid on the sofa. He had been drinkingr, but took nothing of the kind, with his dinner. He laid down until eight o'clock. He then got up, brushed his clothes, and went out for a walk, but did not say where he was going to. He drank two glasses of beer before leaving the house. He had a cask in the house. He came home about midnight, and made a noise. I got up and opened the door and saw him lying on the verandah. I helped him into the houte; he wished me to let him alone. He then went to the beer cask and got half a glass of beer. I told him he had had enough. He told me to go to bed. Ho laid down on the sofa, would not go to bed. I tried to coax him up stairs, as it was very cold, but to no purpose. I left a candle in the room. I went out and he shut the door after me. saying, don't trouble me, I want to go to sleep. I fell asleep for some time, when I was awakened by a groaning noisa. I went to the room were he was lying, and spoke to him, but got no answer. I thought he was dying, and sent to the last witness to go for a doctor. I rubbed his limbs and shook him, but he did not speak*; he did not move, nor seem to notice me ; he did not appear to breathe ; his body was warm. [Left sitting.]

JJJThe following [are the passengers per s. s. Wellington, from the South, to-Say :— Saloon : Mr and Mrs Cozens, Mrs Lockwood, Miss May Howard, Miss Faithful, Rev A. Reid, Messrs Russell, Hamer, Smith, Battley, Boswell, Ogilvy. Steerage : Messrs. Horn, Brodie, .Roberts, Nixon,