INQUESTS.

Evening Star, Issue 3671, 27 November 1874, Page 2

INQUESTS.

Two inquests were held at tho hospital at noon to day, before Mr T. M. Hocken, Coroner. The one was on the body of Robt. Young, who was accidentally killed by his waggon passing over him in Princes street yesterday ; and the other on that of Henry Makehani' who, the Corone • explained, was a man of intemperate habits, and on the evening before last was found dead in a water-closet in Wain’s Hotel. The following evidence was given in Makeham’e case Harriet Makeham said that deceased was her husband, was forty-six years of age at the time of bis death, a native of Chelmsford, Essex, and an accountant by occupation. He had be- n in Dunedin during the past twelve years, and she last saw him alive on Wednesday afternoen, when he appeared to be perfectly well. He had lately complained of palpitation of the heart and cramp. He was not of very temperate habit”. Ch«s. J. H. Robertson, barman at Wain’s Hotel, said that deceased came into the bar between six and seven o’clock on Wednesday evening and had a glass of beer. He was then in his usual state—not sober. After remaining in the bar for about a quarter-of-an-hour be went outside, and was found dead in the water-closet three hours afterwards. A man had gone there some time before, but found th j dt or locked and beard some one snoring inside. Dr Fergusson made the post mortem examination, and said that apoplexy was the cause of death. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony. The following evidence in connection with the death of Robert V oung was adduced : John Paisley, carter, had known deceased —who was thirty-one years of age a .native of Ayrshire, Scotland, a single man, and a farmer at Mosgiel—for tho past eight years. His horses were quiet, easily manageable, and well broken. John Peter Yates saw deceased’s horses suddenly started off from Princes street ?outh in the direction of Caversham yesterday morning. Deceased tried to stop the middle horse, which was the most troublesome, but the leader knocked him over and the waggon wheel passed over his body. Witness had him conveyed to the hospital by an express and when placed in it he said “This will kill me.” There were a number of vehicles in the road at the time, and a large number of bricks on the roadside narrowed the street at that place. In answer to the Coroner, the witness Paisley said that he had been informed that when in the Hospital yesterday the deceased said that tho accident was occasioned through the shaft of Cotton’s vehicle striking his. leader while passing. He did not seem to blam6 Cotton for this. Dr Yates said that deceased died an hoar and a-half after being admitted to the Hospital, from rupture of some of the internal organs.

A verdict of “accidental death” was returned, and the Coroner, in directing the jury, said that it was a thousand pities that roads should be blocked up by bricks, as in this case, but be. supposed it was unavoidable, and could not be prevented.