VETERAN OF CRIMEA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 894, 13 August 1910, Page 10

VETERAN OF CRIMEA.

FOUND DEAD IN BOARDING- ■ HOUSE. OLD AND NEW WOUNDS. ■ Alexander Allen, whose sudden death in Jew's Boardinghouso on Lambton Quay was ireported in The Dojiinion yesterday, was the recipient of Imperial Army arid old age pensions, and had been a sergeant in tho old Armed Constabulary,- with whom he had served in. Taranaki. An inquest was held by Mr. W. Hasolden, S.M., coroner, in the morgue 'yesterday. G. JL- Allen, son of the deceased, ■stated that his father was addicted to drink, and when intoxicated lie acted strangely. Deceased had served in tho Crimea as. a member of the'l2th Lancers and tho 81st Foot, and .in that campaign had' received .a' .sabre cut oyer-the brow;'■■.•.Witness had. last seen his father alive in the: Wellington Hospital in December last,'when he was suffering from a fractured skull. He did not know of his father having been assaulted.some time ago. ' Dr. Fyffe deposed that the, deceased had.a. fresh scalp wound, sonicbruises; on the left temporal region, and' a superficial cut about two inches . :]ong .above the left ear. There was no Iracturo of the skull, but there were old scars. The cause of death was compression of the brain from hemorrhage from an old cyst. In reply to tho coroner Dr. Fyffo stated-that it was probable that tho cyst had been caused by an old blow or'fall, and the accident wliioh had caused tho fresli scaJp would had caused tho internal hemorrhage. Tho sabro \cufc had nothing to do with /the cyst. Kate Jew, keeper of tho boardinghouse, stated that deceased came to tlio house at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Ho was then probably intoxicated, feeble, and was ; walking witb a. stick. At 11_ p.m. witness found deceased on the floor drunk, having evidently fallen out of bed. She assisted him into bed. In the morning sho again, found deceased on' the floor, with a cut on his bead. Thero were marks of blood on the floor 'and mantelpiece Thero was a beer-bottle, and a lemonade-bot-tlo half-full of spirits in the room. Deceased took somo water, hut could not account for the accident. About 1 p.m. lie was found to be dead, and witness sent for a policeman.

j James O'Connor and Constable Patrick gavo confirmatory eyidor/ce. ■An urgent- _ telegram from tho New Plymouth police was received yesterday stating -that a man named Dale had been committed for trial at Now Plymouth for all* , god assault committed on Alexander Allen on. July 23. It was suggested in the wire that if the death of Allen could not bo satisfactorily accounted for, a nost mortem should bo made; Dr. Fyffe had already made a post mortem, with the result above related.

'. TJnder tho circumstances the coroner ndjournod tho inquest to 3 p.m. on Wednesday next at the Court.