T. G. LILICO'S DEATH

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15870, 9 April 1917, Page 3

T. G. LILICO'S DEATH

THE INQUEST.

"lie \iHiucst into the circumstances connected with the death of Thomas Gordon Lilico, veterinary .surgeon, which occurred at the Hcthcriicld Hotel on Thursday night, was resumed bei'ore the District Coroner, Mr 11. W. Bishop, at the Magistrate's Court on .Saturday morning. The inquest opened on Friday afternoon, when evidence was •John Leslie Lilico, auctioneer, nephew of defeased, stated that ills undo was ol years ot age, and Jiad b;-eu twelve months abroad as veterinary surgeon witli the -New Zealand Kxpcditionaiy .L''orce. Dr. l'airman gave t-iio result or a post-mortem examination, which was to the effect that the tissues smelt strongly ot' afconoi and the he.art was latty. On resuming on Saturday, Edmond Lionel Uarnrc-., licensee of the .l'otherfieid Hotel, stated that deceased stayed at the iiotel for about seven months continuously. When'ho first came to the hotel lie did not ocem to be wejl. tie intended to start business, and made arrangements with witness for the use. of jioitions of the hotel premises for his business. "Witness had never seen him drunk, and did not know that he was drinking. He never saw him iu the bar drinking to excess, nor had any of witness's servants reported anything to that affect to him. About p.m. on Thursday witness was informed that Liiieo was not well, and he. wont, up to his rooms and seeing his condition, he rang up for Dr. Outhrio who arrived a few minutes after 10 o'clock. Deceased died about half an hour 'later. Prior 'to being told that deceased war, ill. witness saw him ahout 0.1.j or 7 n.m. in his rooms: he then appeared well. Deceased always paid cash for the drinks lie got, and no drinks were booked to him. The Coroner stated that Dr. "Will, of the Christchurch Hospital ; had also made a post mortem examination, and his report stated that the tissues smelt strongly of aloohol, and that certain organs showed u state of chronic congestion. A man could not die of alcoholism without absorbing a great deal of alcohol; yet witness asked him to believe that he (witness) had no knowledge that deceased was drinking heavily. ' Witness: Yes. Tho Coroner: To me it seems extraordinary. Witness: Mr Lilico was kept vcrv busy of late. The Coroner: Two doctors made a: post-mortem examination, and they say there can be no mistake about the cause of death; yet you say yott know nothing about it. Witness said that he had known d<tceased for sonic time, and never knew him to indulge to excess. The Cojoner: It is utterly impossible to say where he got the licjuor, and it •would bo unfair of me to say that yen (witness) Mere a party to it in any shape or form—l. have no right to ciiy that you were—but the onus Jies on tho licensee to eeo that persons are not supplied with an inordinate amount of liquor. Witness: J have made a rule that no drinks are to be taken upstairs. Tho Coroner: That i» a very good rule. Witness: If a request was made to servo liquor upstairs, - they would have to sec me about it. The Coroner: It is a very. excellent •rule, and if it is carried out it should' be of great advantage to all con- . cerned. _ 1 don't cast the slightest imputation on you. When it is found that a man in Lilieo's position has had an excessve amount of alcohol, it is next door to a. scandal, especially as he was living in a public-house. It is astonishing thai. no one knew that this drinking was going on. The body was saturated with alcohol. Where did he get it? You (witness) cannot throw any light on it. I doil't wish to imply that you do know. 1 don't profess to know where he got it: I can only go on the evidence; and I cannot find out these things without knowledge. To witness: You must see that your very excellent instructions are carried out. After hearing further evidence, the Coroner said that at first it was thought that morphia had something to do with tho cause of death, but tho post-mortem examination had proved the contrary. •'[ record a verdict that deceased died of alcoholism," he eoneluded. ilr Lilico, brother of tho deceased, said deceased had been a heavy drinker for twenty years, but latterly had drunk verv little.