"MISADVENTURE."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1277, 4 November 1911, Page 5

"MISADVENTURE."

GEORGE GUNTHER'S DEATH. IN WILLIS STREET. THE EVIDENCE AS TO THE BLOW. The death of Georgo Gunthcr, who succumbed at tho Hospital last Wednesday after a fall in the street, was tlio subject of an inquest which was held at that institution yesterday afternoon by Dr. M'Artliur, S.M. Chief Detective Broberg lrtl tho cvidenco for the police, and Mr. A. L. Hordman nppeared tor Edward Mo flit I', an employee at tho Government Printing Office, who liail been charged with tho manslaughter of tho deceased. "An Enormous Fracture," Dr. Wood house, house surgeon, stated that, when Gunthcr was admitted to the institution, lib was unconscious from concussion of tho brain, and ho continued in that condition until next morning, when compression of (he brain developed. An operation was performed nt noon and this slightly relieved tho patient, but he died at 3 p.m on tho day after admission. There were marks of injury on tho right side of his face, a bruise on tho right sido of the upper lip, and a small bruise behind the left' car.

To Mr. Uerdman: Deceased had evidently been drinking. Dr. Claude D. Henry slated that deceased was brought to his door in a hansom at 11 p.m. on Tuesday last by a constable. Witness found that ho was suffering from somo injury to tho brain, and was unconscious, and he ordered him to be taken at once to the Hospital. His impression was that deceased had had a fall on tho'back of his head.

Dr. W. Kington Fyfi'o described what ho found in the courso of post mortem examination. Tho causo of death was fracture of tho skull on the left sido and rupture of tho middlo meningeal artery on tho right side of the head, causing haemorrhage with subsequent compression of the brain. To Chief Detective Broberg: If t'ho fracture was tho result of n fall, tho deceased must have fallen with a greatdeal of violence, as it was an enormous fracture.

To Mr. Hcrdman: It was possible that tho haemorrhage on tho right sido was caused before the fall. It would havo required a violent blow to produce it. In cases of haemorrhage of the meningeal artery, like this one, a man might walk about' as if ho was half-drunk, and bo very irritable. If, then, he was hit or shoved, or even if ho ran, this might bring on more haemorrhage, and he would fall down, as if shot. Even emotion might bring it on. The largeness of tho fracture was consistent with the supposition that deceased had been unconscious before ho fell, and thus falling like a dead man, without endeavouring to save himself.

Donald Stuart, timber yardman, gave evidence of identification, deceased being his half-brother. Deceased was about 40 years of age and single. His mother and other relatives lived at Masterlon. Deceased was a bush-felling contractor. He stayed at witness's liouso in tho city from last Saturday to Tuesday mornintr. He was having a holiday in "town, and had been drinking. "A Left Hook, and a Hard One." Richard Thomas, employed at the Star Cafe, Lambfon Quay, stated that, at 10 p.m. (or a little later) last Tuesday ho was standing at the corner of Maimers Street and Willis Street by Mr. Pen-ell's shop. Ho saw Moffitt there talking to a friend. Gunther camo over the road from the direction of tho Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, much tho worse for drink, walking uncertainly, and muttering to ■ msc ir J Docras «i fiot into conversation with Moffili, who (old him to go away, but Gunther remained arguing with Moffitt. Gunther drew Ijnck his right hand, n.s though to striko Moilitt. MoffiU said: "Are you going lo get away? and- warned him several"tinicX but lie still stayed. Moffitt then hit Gunther on the jaw with his fist. Gunther fell back and hit his head on tho corner of tho window-sill shop. Ho dropped like a log and lay unconscious on tho footpath. Moflil't ran away directly, lie would call the blow a left nook, and a hard one. The Striker Pursued. William Marlow, cook, said ho paw Mofhtt push Gunther with his left hand and strike him under tho jaw with his right hand. Deceased foil, and struck his head against tho window-sill. Moffitt ran down the street and witness pursued uV Wl { ncss <lid "ot Mtch him but went baok to tho corner and assisted tho constable until the latter look deceased awav in a cab. Witness was facing Moffitt three yards away when tho blow was struck. It was a fairly hard blow with tho shut list. He did not seo Gunther mako any attempt to strike Moffitt. Ono could not say that Gunther was drunk, but he was under tho influence of drink. Constable Culloty also gave evidence. Dr Woodhouse, recalled, stated that tho bruiso on tho deceased's upper lip when he first saw him might hnvo been caused by a blow with a man's fist, which might havo knocked him down. Tho bruise might have been lessened before the post-mortem examination. William Edwin Clark, employee at the (government Printing Oliico, said that on luosday night he was standing with Moflitt at tho corner of Planners and Willis Streets. A friend of Mount's came along and spoke with him, witness meanwhile moving a little away. A man whom lie afterwards knew 'to bo the deceased, came up to witness as if from across tho road, and remarked that ho was a Mastortonian. Witness then walked towards Moflitt, who had left his friend. Gunther camo up lo Moflitt, and witness, remarking that he hod a bolllo of beer, asked them to drink with him. Moflitt declined. Gunther then came back again, and still persisted in talking to Moffitt, who pushed him away, and said: "Get away home, now." Gunther did not go. Witness hid seen Gunther swing his arm as though to strike Moflitt. Guuthor became abusive, and swore onco or twice. Witness heard Moflilt say: "Keep your hand down." A little later witness, on turning round—from watching a constablo removing a man from Iho corner—saw Mollitt's hand coming nway from Gunther's chin or neck, and Gunther falling. Moflitt ran away, and others after him. A friend of witness's then camo nlonjr, and witness went homo with him. He did not know that anything serious had happened until afterwards.

To Mr. Herclman: liofiilt, who had worked at the Government I'nnl'ng Offieo for eight years was perfectly sober at the lime, and Gunther was drunk. Coroner's Verdict. Tlie Coroner's verdict was that tho cause of death was, as ccrtilied by Dr. Fyffc, fracture of the skull mi (ho left side, and rupture of tho middio meningeal artery on the'right side, causing and subsequent compression of tho brain. "I am unable to say," continued Dr. 'M'Arthur, "whether this fracture of the skull was due to a fall caused bv a push or a blow Riven by one Mothtl, or whether deceased had, hefore interfering with Mollilt, received a sovero fall, which rendered him in a stalo of uncertainty as to his actions. I am in doubt whether that enormous fracture was caused by the fall at the street corner, or whether ho had received it before lie crossed the road. So far as MolUtt is concerned, it was a case of puro misadventure."

MOFFITT BEFORE THE COURT. MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE. At tho Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, before Mr. W. G. ltiddell, S.M!, Kdward Francis Mofiitt was charged that, on October 31, he did unlawfully kill ono George Gunther, thereby committing manslaughter. Chief Detective Hroberg said that it was alleged that accused had struck Gunther on Tuesday evening. Gunther fell and fractured his skull. He was removed to the Hospital, where he died on Wednesday afternoon. .Mollilt was a single man, employed in the Government Printing Office. As the iniiuost was lieing held that afternoon, the Chief Defective asked for a remand until Wednesday. Mr. Jlerclnian, lor (he accused, asked for bail. He thought that when tho caso came liei'oro the Court it would be shown that Gunther's death was the result of a. mere accident. Accused was remanded until next Wednesday, and bail was allowed in tho sum of .£.150, two sureties of £~5, or one of Xl5O.