CORONER'S INQUEST.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3116, 23 June 1881, Page 3

CORONER'S INQUEST.

At the injuesfc held afc the Hospital yesterday, before Dr. Hitchings, on the body of William Sutherland, who was thrown frotri bis horse on Saturday last, the following evidence was given ;— William Henry Simpson, being sworn, said I am an hotel keeper residing at Havelock. -know tlie deceased William Sutherland. Deceased came to -fly house' at 6 p.m. on Saturday, the 18th instant \ I sctw him at 7.45 p.m. in the bar parlor; he was sober. He had three glasses of beer in my house, two of which he did not drink. This is what I saw. He had drinks in my house before I came in at 8 p.m. He stayed at my house until 8.80 p.m., and hearing his wife was likely to die who was in hospital he began to cry like a child. He had a Wash, and resolved to go and see her. He had a horse standing at the door. He had a bottle of whiskey, which he previously bought in my house, which he returned to me',- and I gave him the money 6 shillings, of wli-ch He. spent 6cl. He had a few shillings in silver be-ide". this. ,He left about 8.45 p.m. In the bar .Jtorloi 1 st man named Hoggett and two Maoris were with him. They appeared to be on friendly terms with deceased. Deceased had two fore-quarters of mutton, both of which he gave to the Maories. The Maories leffc the house aboufc tho same time as deceased. Aboufc 10 p.m. a man named Conway came and told me that a man was lying on the bridge bleeding with a stirrup iron and dogs along side. I immediately obtained four men, and they went to the bridge a quarter df a mile below Reynold's, Hasting road. The' four men brought him (deceased) back to my house about' ll pvm. He was quite unconscious, and blood was about the" ear and face on the leffc side. We took him to the billiard-room and laid him on a sofa; washed him and undressed him. I stopped with him until 4.30 a.m. Once or twice during the night he asked for a drink. I gave him weak whiskey and water. Afc 4.30 he was apparently asleep, and I leffc him until 6 a.m. Between 1 and 8 a.m deceased got up, walked around the room, and went to' a stool on the floor. He then got up on the billiard-table aud lay down, wrapping the bed clothes around him. All he said was give me a drink. Dr. Cary was sent for, and came aboufc 9 a.m. (Sunday). Deceased remained all that day and next night. I put two men to watch him. On Monday I got an order from M. R. Miller, and when I got back he had been removed to the hospital. I asked deceased several times how the accident occurred, but he gave no explanation. He repeatedly asked for a drink. Deceased got out of bed several times unassisted to make water in a chamber. I thought the man was sensible. By the jury : Deceased had 30s when he came to my house. It was a cheque. He spent aboufc 16s wifch me. Jeremiah Conway, being sworn, said: I am a laborer in the empJoy of Mr Tanner. I remember Saturday night; between 10.30 and 11 p.m. I left Havelock on horseback. When going over the bridge my horse shied. I got off and led him over. When I came along I saw fche deceased lying on the bridge and moaning. I struck a light, and sang out to him, but he made no reply. Deceased was rolling about on the bridge. He did not speak. I saw a stirrup iron aboufc four yards from where he was lying. I came back and reported fche matter to Mr Simpson. I accompanied fche other men to the bridge. When I struck the match first I .aw a large pool of blood near where deceased was lying. I then went home when I leffc the men wifch him. I saw no horse there.

Francis Bethel, being sworn, said : I am a saddler residing at Havelock. I knew deceased for about seven years. 1 saw bim on Saturday, the 18th instant, at 5 p.m. first. I saw him afterwards at Simpson's hotel at different times between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. He was drinking. He had several glasses of beer, and was rather talkative. I saw him just previous to his leaving in Graham's shop. During the time deceased was at Simpson's he was in company with two natives —one is named Isaac, the other I don't know by name, but both live at Waimarama. The habit of deceased wag much given to drink. I formed ono of fche four who went down to the bridge. The deceased was rolling aboufc and moaning. We found a stirrup and a pool of blood on the bridge. He was bleeding from the ear. We started to carry him, bufc being heavy we sent for a trap and conveyed him to Simpson's. When he arrived the deceased commenced taking off his clothes, and we assisted him. On taking his clothes I said I would search them, and I found some tobacco, a pipe, and match box. There was no money found on him. By the jury : The deceased had several drinks at Simpson's bufc he did not appear to me to be drunk. He was quite capable of riding. The night was wet; and the bridge slippery. He was riding a small horse.

Frederick Q-raham, being swoi-n, said : I am a storekeeper at Havelock. I have known deceased eight or nine years. Ho was of intemperate habits. Ho was about 40 years of age. He leaves a wife and ten children. When I last saw the deceased on Saturday night he came to my store crying. Ho told me about his wife, who was in the hospital. He asked me for £1. By my persuasion he took a bottle of whiskey back to Simpson's which deceased got fi-om Simpson. Mr Simpson gave him 5s Gd. I saw him put the money, seven or eightshillings, in his breeches pocket. He then rode off quietly. Two Maories wore in front of him. The natives and he appeared to have gone off together. I did nofc hear anything of the accident until next morning when I saw him at Simpson's. I assisted him to the bed-room afterwards. I cannot say if the Maories went up tho Hastings road with deceased. I did nofc thinkat the time there was anything serious.

James Campbell, being sworn, said : I am | a laborer at Havelock. I knew decease-;' well. From information received, MiBethel requested me to go for Dr. Cary. All that I saw afc the bridge was a pool of blood. I found no money. I then went foi- Dr. Cary. On my way I found a horse, saddle, and bridle, on the side of the road gvazing. One stirrup iron was wanting. The pool of blood was on the right hand side going to Hastings. Dr. Cary came. I drove him back. I informed the police of tho accident. I saw two natives the evening before in dec.ased's company. One of them beaia a bad c_ara.ter. He gees by tbe name cf Isaac. He is from Waimr.vama. I brought deceased in Mr James's trap from Havelock to fche Napier Hospital. He was unconscious apparently. Langar Cary, being sworn, said : I am a duly qualified practitioner afc Hastings. On the morning of the 19th I was called afc 8.30 to see the deceased. I found him ay Simpson's hotel, Havelock. He was lying on the billiard-table on his back, a pillow under his head, and a shest around him. I examined the pupils of his eyes by a lighted candle, and found both pupils answered to the light, Avhich would not have been the case had he been then suffering from compression of the brain. I examined his head, which was covered with thick hair, end did not find any exit or o}Jen wound. I per.eived blood oozing from his left ear, and swelling of the ear. I did not psreeive any contusion behind the ear. I considered his Btate very precarious, and the issue doubtful. I returned to my housi

and sent him out a dose of medicine to be taken at once, and gave strict directions to be kept quite, placed in a quiet room, and somebody to watch him and to give him nothing but tea, no stimulant. I asked thatsome one should come again in the afternoon that I should go and see him again. Mr Bethel came about 4.30 p.m., and I asked him how the man was going on. He said he was doing pretty well—that he had remained quiet, taken some tea, and had got up to pass water. I concluded that he was going on pretty fairly, end on conversing with Mr Bethel we both agreed that ifc was°not advisable that ho should remain where he was, as ifc would he difficult to secure good nursing for him, and his own house unfit for his reception. I advised his removal to the Hospital as early as convenient. I did not; see deceased again. I consider that a heavy fall # from a horse on a hard board under the circumstances would be quite sufficient to cause death by either rupture of a vessel in fche brain or it 3 membranees, or by injury to the substance of the brain itself, and from the issue of the case I have no doubt that one or otherJJ of these circumstances have occurred. Ido not sco anything to lead to a suspicion that the deceased had met with foul play.