BOXER'S DEATH.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 924, 17 September 1910, Page 6

BOXER'S DEATH.

' ' ,v v ; ''v'-a.V ■ 9. - '..'.'.'l";- : .y-■•• ; "A .PURE MISCHANCE." AUTOPSY SURPRISES; DOCTORS, The;. inquest .' concerning •: the death oi Edwaidv ("Soldier") ; Rogers,who. died \ from an injury received while engaged in , a boxing contestwith: "Alf" Cooper. ', waite at. Ballarat .recently, was'held; by : Mr. .\V., M;. . Murphy;. P.M. Inspector v.,Ryan -; the . police,. and Mr. . Fred: Ham.; appeared on behalf'- of Coo-' : - perwaite.-, v:. Hark. Lazarus,, barrister,, and-, solicitor, ; said: that at the ..beginning;of tho 19th . round:, deceased ■ .went at Cooperwaita 6trbhgly..;.K'9m. a ~Tight:hand ..blow: Rogr; ers fell,,his,head: striking the .floor;.. WitV' J uess never saw a, fairer contest, and. but ' for the tragic ending..the match was a..'-':, treat, .to witness. .. : To. Mr. Ham: Inspector Ryan was pre- .-s"\ sent,: .but'. did. not 'interfere, - for..there ,'l.v was nothing-, toi call: for iinterference.- ■:v'?: Dr. Davies.:stated.that;hei;made!aipoyrmortem examination of the body of.the deceased.. The cause' of'death was'hemOrrhage of the brain, ; probably causing V - paralysis' of tho respiratory-: centres.' ' To Mr. Ham: There were no- indications of''brutaHty,'-: and-one would -'not know deceased: had been in a fight. -The - .lungs were healthyi .but. both : adiOTent ; to...V-'. the_ chest walls,. .owing .to pleuritic . ad- . •'•. hesions. "

;- Dr Salmon' corroborated Mr.-Lazarus's evidence'.'.heiring.. on y .the; fairness., of -- the fight. 'He was present £t;the;post-mortem examination," • and -agreed with Dr. . Davies's; view's' as to« : the' .cause,-' of v death.. v Mr. Murphy: He was not in a fit state " .to.' fight?—lK was quite 'a-.revelation to >vi me- to see th - state,:of.~ his lungs."- .But, . : he f .showed' no shortness of. wind-during - t '..v .'the contest,. -''-'-'V-f-IV:' Apparently, the fatality was • a ; pure, mischance?— Yes; aggravated by-his con- • ;dition. \ : ■ It was not the blow that, caused Kj death?— Certainly .not;. .. .. . ; : - Evidence ' having-.been?pven ; { baldv'Stokes, .-of .;Paisley.':Street,.'i : s; : , iFoottcray;. John Trekardo, butcher,'.of . Ballarat; Senior-constable Evans, Constable Hooley, and' John M/Phail, commission ' agent, 'Ballarat.;. ' • -. ;': ; v | • lit. Murphy said the mediccd evidence : ;clearly deceased-Mvas not killed Vby a blow.' It was inoro.br less indirect '. iinjury; of course, ! frPm :i a;blow.\;Vlf : this//:were a' caso/of- manslaiightor, then.'if '■/ men,' perfectly friendly, had .' a wrestling": . : ■ match, and.one rolled,over and, striking' his head, ruptured a'blood-vessel, -that... would also.V-' . The gloves. submitted to'• him ..were imarkably well padded and made, - and ha. ■did'nbti think he'irieed have any difficulty ! on thelaw/'He found that deoeasedand;' .Alfred Coopeiwaite were;engaged in aboxingimatch; that in the"; 19th round do-' ceased reoeived'a.blow.which'.caused him to fall on' tho back of 'the.- headK and :that : ,death; -was':due;-ti.'hemoiTh'aße/.of ;th« •brain; caused bv a blow : received in. 4 • .boxing; contest;;V He/idid .'hit.'regard 'it as ■;'> : neoessary to -commit Cooperwaitb • for ./; • :trial.;l;fiis;:donbt whether such . ian/ occurrence ."amounted; per : 'se -to - main-.: slaughter'; i. but;'! he'; thiraght,; it, rdid. riot, •'' 'because"; of. ;the:'friendliness ; qf..;the ;.:men, v p the - of- inalice,- . t]ic precautions 1 '; thaiS ■: j constitutional stato.of the deceased. .. Mr. Ham: :-Can - you make an addition that death-was due to. misadventure? ! The coroner: . No; I- don't think I< . should say.'that.. •I- am amply . to''find, put;,the .truth;/