INQUEST.

Evening Star, Issue 3245, 15 July 1873, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Hospital at noon to-day on the body of Richard Goodwin Stratton, who died suddenly early this morning.

The following evidence was given Annie Stratton : I am the wife of the do ceased, a contractor, whose ago is thirty-six years. About 8.30 p.m. yesterday, he left home to go to town, that being the last I saw of him. For some time past he had been complaining of a slight pain in the chest, more especially when he had to climl). Thomas Hudson, publican : I am proprietor of the Rainbow Hotel. At eleven o’clock last night the deceased, as was customary with him, called at my house to have a drink after leaving the office, he being accompanied by his friends. On being asked to have another drink ho said IN o, he did not care for it, and that if some brandy were put in a bottle he would have it in the morning. This being done, he was about to leave the place when Mr Thoneman and some other gentlemen came in, and ha had another drink with them. He remained with them for a quarter-of-an-bour, apparently quite sober and well. He had often complained to witness of being unwell and having a pain in his chest. —By a juryman : I had often seen him the worse for liquor; but during the last six weeks he had been more sober than usual. Louis Thoneman : I am a merchant residing in Dunedin. At a few minutes after twelve o’clock I called in to the Rainbow, with Mr M'Cullocb, to see about engaging a room for electioneering purposes. We met deceased there, and after stopping there for about ten minutes, M‘Culloch, ne, myself, and another party left together. Deceased and I proceeded along George street, the other two having left us at the corner of Hanover street. On crossing at the corner of Pitt street, he put his hand to bis chest, and said, “Oh, Mr Thoneman,” and then fell down. On my trying to rail* him he coughed or breathed convulsively three times, and then became quite flexid. I supported him in a sitting posture until I could get assistance. This took about twenty minutes, three persons whom I called Having refused to come, deceased breathing slightly during that time, although he appeared perfectly insensible. On getting assistance, I went for a policeman, and on my suggesting to him that deceased should be taken to the White Horse, he refused, on the grounds that he must be taken to the Police Station. We carried him along, and when close to the Station a cab came up and took him to the Station, When we got him inside he was laid on the floor, and I felt his heart, but it did not beat. I wished to go for a doctor, but the policeman said it was no use, and that he must go to the Hospital; and they took him there. When he first dropped he seemed perfectly rational, and none the worse for liquor. The medical evidence was to the effect that death was caused by an aneurism bursting into the bag containing the heart, which was sufficient to cause almost instantaneous death. Intemperance would increase the tendency to death. Archibald M'Laughlin ; I am a police constable stationed at North Dunedin. This morning at 1.30 o’clock I was met at the corner of George and Hanover streets by Mr Thoneman. He requested me to go to the White Horse, where a man appeared to be drunk or in a fit. On going to the corner of Pitt street we found the deceased had been raised, and was then held in a sittingpostureby a cabman named O’Donnell, From deceased appearance, I thought he was under the influence of drink, and I said I would take him to the Police station in King street. Mr Thoneman said I had better take him to the White Horse, but I said the Station was the only place I could take him to if ho was under the influence of drink. No other conversation taking place, we went towards the Station, but on a cab coming along T hailed it, and put deceased into it. When we got ibim to the station wc stretched him on the floor and loosened his clothes, in order to allow him to breathe. He was then living —breathing in an insensible state as it were, and having no power. We took him to the Hospital, and on Doctor Brown coming in four minutes afterwards, pronounced him dead. When I first saw him, I considered him drunk, because he smelt of drink, and was ip ap insepsible state,

Mr Thoneman, recalled : As I bad been walking with the accused it seemed to me that ho became suddenly drunk, when he fell; and I told the constable that ho was either drunk or in a fit. Tire Coroner said that the result of this could not have been altered had medical a d been immediately procured ; and while saying that the constable was free from all blame, he hoped that in the future more care would be taken. Sergeant Golder explained that it was best to take a man to the Station, be cause there was always a Match and a supervising sergeant there, and he would be attended to, if bad, as well as and more promptly than in the Hospital, A verdict in accordance with the medical testimony was returned.