ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2422, 30 March 1915, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

DEATH OF MR.. GEORGE REICHARDT, An inquest was held yesterday, afternoon. before Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., touchiug tho death of Goorge Keichardt, who was found dead in one of tho bathrooms of the Royal Oak Hotel on Sunday.

l)r, Hamilton Gilmer gave evidenco that he performed a post-mortem examination on tho body. There wero no marks of external violence, with the exception of a bruise on tho nose, likely to have been caused by tho body lying face downwards. The valve of the heart was diseased, and likely to cause death at any time. The stomach was practically empty, small, and contracted, and internally thore was some suspicion of an irritant. On account of the colour of the skin, and the condition of the stomach, he sent the stomach, by order of the Coroner, to the Government Analyst for a report. In his opinion the condition of tho heart was likely to cause death at any time.

William J. Keane, barman at the Royal Oak, gave evidence that .he and the hall-porter forced open the bath- 1 room door at the hotel on Sunday, and found deceased lying face downwards. His clothes were in his bedroom. Deceased had been residing at the hotel for some time, and was regular in his habits. As far as witness knew he was in comfortable circumstances financially.^

Evidence was given that deceased was between 75 and 80 years of age. He had been in business for many years as a music warehouseman, in Lambton Quay. As far as was known he was a single man, without relatives in New Zealand. Sergeant Wilcox,' who removed the body, gave evidence that he looked round the bathroom, but there was no bottle there that could have contained ail irritant poison. He also locked the door of deceased's room, and during the afternoon took an inventory of all the property in the room. There was nothing there that would suggest the presence of poison. On the foot of the bed there was a suit of clothes and a change of underclothing ready to be put on. The inquest was adjourned to enable the report of the Analyst to be placed before the Coroner.

'A LIFT ACCIDENT. W married man named Alexander Duncan," residing at 148 Vivian Street, was admitted to the Hospital last night, with a badly lacerated hand, the result of an accident by which the man's hand was jambed in a lift.

ENGINEER SUFFERING FROM POISONING. (By Tdesrapi—Xtbes Association.) Auckland, March 29. John Wigbton, second engineer of the steamer Victoria,; on arrival from the south, was suffering from the effects of poison, and was removed to the Hospital. -His condition is improving.

MOTOR-CAR DRIVER KILLED. Blenheim, March 29.

Fred. Peterson, a chauffeur/who was driving .a party from Havelock on Sunday morning, collided with a bridge at Flat.Creek. The occupants were thrown into the creek, and were not injured. Peterson, however, struck the railing of the bridge and sustained terrible internal injuries. He was removed to the hospital, where he succumbed this morning. He was a married man, with a wife and child.

OLD WOMAN FOUND DEAD. Dunedln, March 29. An old woman named Mary Ann Neame'was found dead this afternoon at her residence; 69 York Place. She was last seen alive on Friday afternoon, and' it is believed she has been dead, for possibly two days. It is believed that death was due to hemorrhage of the stomach. Her husband is at present in hospital.