A TOWN TRAVELLER'S DEATH.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1953, 9 January 1914, Page 5

A TOWN TRAVELLER'S DEATH.

INQUEST ADJOURNED. An inquest was held by Mr. J. S. Evans, S.M., yesterday afternoon into the death of Richard Mostyn Hoops, town traveller for Young's Chemical Manufacturing Company, who died suddenly at his residence, Oriental Terrace, on Tuesday last. Senior-Sergeant Mullanev represented the police. Mary Mostyn Hoops, wife of deceased, said that her husband had always enjoyed good health. He was about 56 years of ago. On tho morning . of his death deceased was confined to ' his bed through illness. About three in tho afternoon witness took somo beef tea to him, and then notioed an alarming blueness about his face, so she sent for the doctor. Ho (deceased) attempted to sav something, but could not. There was nothing unusual about deceased's appearance when witness had seen him half an hour previously. She had never known him to tako sleeping draughts, and she knew nothing about tho bottle of opium pills which had been found closo to his bed. Witness and deceased were not on friendly terms. Deceased had had financial troubles quite recently. '„■,.. Dr. Steele, who had been called in to deceased on tho afternoon of January rj, gave evidence as to tho condition in which he found tho patient. Deceased was then very blue in the face. Witness could not fool his pulso, and ho applied artificial respiration, but death occurred shortly after. Deceased's condition was not consistent with opium poisoning, and witness could not suggest what would have produced the symptoms. Dr. Gilmer, who made a post-mor-tem examination of the body, stated that the organs, with the exception of tlie stomach, were normal. Tho stomach was enlarged' with undigested foods. It had the appearance of, being affected by somo irritant poison. At this stage tho inquest was adjourned pending tho report of tho Government Analyst on the contents of tho stomach.