IN QUEST.

Evening Star, Issue 4007, 29 December 1875, Page 2

IN QUEST.

An inquest was held at the Hosnital at noon to-day, before T. M. Hocken, District Coroner, on the body of Thomas M'Laren, whose death, under somewhat peculiar circumstances, was briefly referred to in our columns yesterday. Inspector Mallard watched the proceedings on behalf of the police. The following evidence was given :

Kobe ct Abernethy, thirteen years of age, deposed that he lived in Athol place. On Saturday night he heard Mr and Mrs M‘i artn quarrelling outs de witness’s house and opposite their own home. Mrs M'Daren wac tipiy, her husband was perfectly sober. She beat him with the branches of a tree which she pulled ouc of the garden. Mrs M‘i aren knocked her husband down, and wilfully jumped on him. He called out for some water three times, and t' en roded over and said no more. Ue did not speak again. Three men then carried him into Mrs Grogan’s house, Mrs M'Daren was nearly always tipsy. Deceased never iil-treate 1 his wife. Witness heard him say son e three months ago that he suffered from a pain in his chest. Before Mrs APDaren jumped on her husband’s chest she fell accidentally on him Susan Galland staled that she lived in Athol place, next to M'Laren’s house. They bad lived next to her for the last nine months, during the lime very unhappily. Witness had frequently seen Airs Al‘Daren strike her husband, but she never saw M‘Daren stiike his wi e. Alts M‘Daren was a woman of very intemperate habits. On the evening in question the two were quarelling ic the street. M'Laren wanted to get hia wife but she refused to go, She abused him and struck him, but he never struck her. [Witness also gave evidence as to frequent ill-treatment of M‘Lar n by hia wife, and of the peaceable nature of the man. APDaren was a healthy-looking man. They had one child—a baby.] J, 1). Hutton, publican, said he had known deceased for the last six years. He was about thirty-one years old at the time of his death, a shoemaker by occupation, and a Presbyterian by religious persuasion. He was married about eighteen months ago. A statement by deceased to Sergeant Shury just prior to his death, was read. It entirely exerouated his wife from all blame. He attributed his death to an internal complaint, from which he had suffered for a c uisclerable time. Inspector Alallard stated that he waa attracted to APLareu’s house on the night of the 21st, iu consequence of a row. tU •Daren then complained that his wife was co linually ill treating him, but never mentioned that she jumped on bin . She has since bi-en removed to the Asylum, as she was suffering from lunacy,

Dr Yates deposed that deceased was brought to the hospital on the night of the 24th inst. He was then quite sensible though quite weak, and appeared to be in a dying state. • e only lived four and a half hours a'tcr admission He complained of a pain over his chest and ore-sure in breathing. Witness made a post mortem examination of the body on the 21st. There were no marks of violence. The lungs were much diseased. The inference he made from the examination was that the man had died from natural causes, and not from violence. Acute congestion of the lungs was the immediate cause of death. The Coroner pointed out the necessity of the inquest, A t first a report was circulated which made it appear that the man was extremely badly used—so badly, indeed, as to be the immediate cause of death. Now, the evidence ■ifted out that there had been nothing severe enough to cause death. At the same time, it had been abundantly proved that Mrs M'Laren was a very violent woman, and ha t ill treated her husband, and it would have been his (the Coroner’s) duty to say something to her on the matter had she been present. It would be very apt to attribute deceased's death to cruelty, and the jury might fairly return a verdict that he died from natural causes.

The jury found that deceased died from “ acute congestion of the lungs,” Some jurymen wished to add a rider to the effect that death was accelerated by violence.