DEATH OF MARY O'KANE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1379, 4 March 1912, Page 9

DEATH OF MARY O'KANE.

I'THTHKIi INQUIRY. The inquiry into the death of Mary O'Kane, of tlio Koyal Hotel, was continued in the Magistrate's Court, before Dr. M'Arthur on Saturday morning. Since the adjournment the coroner had inspected the premises ami the siwt where deceased had been found at 3 a.m. on Sunday, February 25, by Constable Culluty. She died in the hospital on the following Wednesday. The particulars of tho caso have already been stated, and the question in doubt at'the adjournment was whether doath was caused by a fall down some concri'lo steps, the deceased declaring she had fallen about 12 or 15 feet. Such a fall would have caused external injuries that were not npnnrcnt, according to the doctors' statements. Evidence was given by Mr. C. H. Harrison, licensee, of the hotel, that deceased •KV3 a woman of sober habits. Dr. Philip H. 'iVoodhouse. senior house, surgeon at the hospital, recalled, said that when he made an examination of the body after' the post mortem examination he found marks of external injuries-, the left side, thigh, and elbow being bruised. Cross-examined by Mr. Jl'Gratii, witness said he had heard Dr. Fyffo cay that there wore no marks on the body. He did not doubt that at the lime, but he did now: Witness then went on to say that he did not notify Dr. Fylfe when he made his examination. In his opinion hie bruises on the body were nnte-mortem. They were indication"; of external violence and might have been onnwd by a iall. Witness admitted that he had not mode a complete external examination of deceased when she was first admitted to the institution. Dr. Fyfi'e, recalled, said he had made a thorough examination of the body, and had not seen anything of the bruises mentioned by Dr. "VVoodhoiise. In any case, they were apnarcntly very trivial. Witness again gave it as his opinion that death was not caused by a fall from the ladder at tho hotel. Before- leaving the box Dr. I'yffe remarked that what he objected to most was Dr. Woodhou.se making nn examination on his own initiative without first notifying him. The coroner then said that if there was any suggestion of the post mortem examination not being a complete one, it was the duty of the house surgeon to draw Dr. I'yffe's attention to it. 'Evidence re the finding of the body was then given by Constable Culloty. In returning a verdict of death due to peritonitis, Dr. M'Arthur said that death was evidently hastened by a slip or fall which she may have received at the tout of the stops, but was of opinion that deceased had not Mien from top to bottom, as there would have been severe externa injury. He stated that deceased had made" the trip up the stairs on her own account, and not in the course ot her In conclusion. Dr. M'Arthur made the following remarks:—"As to,what has been =aid this morning about Dr. Wood-hou-e's evidence, I consider it was his dutv in the first place to make an external examination of defeated, and note if there were any marks of violence. An inquest is held, and he makes a point that ho was only present at the post mortem as a spectator. He, however, is the senior house surgeon, and ii is my opinion that he should have seen what marks were on the body. He did >ee certain marks afterwards'but the ciur-tion is whtther these had anything whatever to do with the cause of death." Mr. Harmon was represented by Mr. J. J. M'Grath. while Sergeant Mntliieson conducted for the police.

An iiKiuest was held,at the hospital on Saturday, before Dr. M'Arthur, coroner, toiichiiiß (lie death of lloiui .Jiipp, 11 months old, who died at the institution on Fi-idav. The evidence went tji : show that was pliiyiiiK with a little bay m the Alexandra Mall, Abel Smith hlrpst. on I'riday inornnig, when a lil'jtf?';!" wliu-h was leaning against the wal fell on ber head, causiim a fracture ol hf skill At the time of the accident the child s father, Cliiudo Thomas Jupp, who is a tram conductor, was working in th? hall framing a picture. Dr. Phillip Knndal \\ radhouso, senior house surgeon at the hospital, Mated that the child died soon after admission. Tlie case nas practically Impel:"*, so no operation was nerformed. lhe caiifp of death was haeniorrhajie, piessing on ho brain, and fracture of the base oi the skull V verdict was retuvned accordingly.