GEORGE HENRY'S DEATH

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1974, 3 February 1914, Page 11

GEORGE HENRY'S DEATH

INQUIRY CONCLUDED. ■ CAUSE OF INJURY UNKNOWN. The inquiry conducted by Mr. W. G. Riddcll, S.M., into the circumstances of the death of George Stewart flonry, tho Lower Hutt resident who died in tho Wellington Hospital on January 24, was concluded yesterday. Henry Henderson, a labourer, sometimes known as Burns; deposed that he last saw deceased alive on tho night of January 22. He first saw him that evening lying on the footpath about 20 yards from the entrance to the' Bellevue Gardens. It was then about 10.10 p.m. Witness helped deceased to his feet; and took him to the Bellevuo Hotel. At,tho corner of the building deceased fell over, and. while witness was endeavouring to raise him to his teot he fell backwards again. After a while Henry went and sat against a tree. Witness tried to got him to go to; bed,'but,Henry replied, "Leave me awhile, and I will be all right." Witness went away for a few minutes, and when he returned Henry wa/ nowhere to be' seen, so witness concluded that deceased had gone to bed, and witness himself retired for tho night. Henry was intoxicated at the time, and witness slightly so. ' Ho: could not say whether or not Henry struck his head when he fell, or whether he had a." scalp wound at the time. On January 23 witness uttered a cheque for £3 10s. '6d., to which Henry's name had been forged. Hβ picked up tho cheque on January 21, and, a day or so later, finding that n<; had spent nil his money on liquor, he filled it\in. At that time he did not know that Henry had'been sent to tho Hospital seriously injured. Ohief-Deectivo Broberg: Where did you got this pouch ? (A tobacco pouch.) Henderson:, It was lying alongside Henry when I found him on tho footpath. I put it hi my pocket, intending to restore it to him later on.

You told Sergeant Foster that it was your own.?—"l thought that he was referring to one of my own which I had in my pocket." AVheri you made a statement to De-fective-Sergeant Hawle you stated that you were not with Henry en January '22. ' That statement was not true. Why did; you make it?—"l made it because, not being on oath, I thought I was entitled to make it, and that if I said I was in his company it might prejudice mo in tho charge of forgery that was hanging over me." *

Will you swear-that you did not hit Henry that lwjht?— "I will." Do you know of anyone who did strike himrVNo. , ?" . .

: The Coroner: Was ■ tho deceased wet through when you picked him up? Henderson: I cannot say.

Detectivo-Sorgeant llawlo Stated ui evidence that ho examined the ground where Henry was alleged to havo fallen while with .Henderson, and found what appeared to bo a fairly large drop of blood. , Tho road surface at the spot consisted of. rivor-bed shingle. Inside the hotel there vero smudges of mud and blood on tho way to deceased's room, and, judging by their positions, those smudges were consistent with those which might have happened in tho case of a man lurching along the passago. ■.....■'■:

■ Neil Stewart Campbell gave evidence to thp effect that deceased had told him thati.jie was 42 years or age. '

i Tlte-'Cqronor' sair] tii.at ,there; was insuiliftienii evidence to show how or where tlio deceased received his injuries, and that tho' verdict must be that .death -resulted from,■.concussion of the brain and.fsho&l: foll6witig ,7 on it.

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