THE INQUEST.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 95, 19 October 1896, Page 2

THE INQUEST.

An inquest was held on the remains of the late Mr Knox at the Manchester Hotel yesterday afternoon, before Mr Linton, coroner, and the following jury : —Messrs C. Bray, junr. (foreman), P. Thomson, W. Hodren, J. Scott, P. Smith, and H. Constable. The enquiry was conducted by Constable Tuohy. After the jury was sworn the body was viewed at Mr Knox's late residence, and the enquiry was proceeded with at the Hotel. Dr Johnston deposed to being a medipractitioner; that he had known deceased for a number of years ; in Janu ary last deceased was in the Public Library, when he fell down in a fainting fit ; saw him on September 29 with reference to his illness, when he required a certificate for admission to the Palmerston Hospital ; examined Mr Knox, and found him suffering from general debility, with weakness of the heart ; gave deceased a certificate of admission to the hospital, but he did not go ; again saw him on Saturday evening, when he was called by Mr James, and found him dead ; he had been dead for some days ; thought he had been undressing when he had an attack and took hold of a chair, which was lying down, and he fell back on the bed in a sitting position with his head inclined to the left ; he was undressed excepting for a shirt and collar ; possibly be might have been dead for three or four days, and he died from general debility and weakness of tbe heart. H. L. Sherwill deposed that he had known deceased for 15 or 16 years during his residence in Feilding ; he possessed 2| acres in Feilding, sections 70, 390 and 562 ; there was a house in section 70 in which he lived ; there was a mortgage of Ll5O on the three sections which were worth from L 250 to L3OO ; was agent for the mortgagee. Thomas H. James, architect, deposed that he had known deceased for six or seven months during his residence next door; saw him two weeks ago apparently on his way to the railway station, carrying a bag and an overcoat ; had not seen him since until Saturday night ; made enquiries as to bis whereabouts and spoke to Mr Curtis ; decided to find out where he was ; in consequence of doubts went to deceased's house at 5.45 on Saturday evening ; received no reply to his knocking and then looked through the window and saw deceased sitting on the bed ; went across the road and informed Mr Curtii, and with him and Mr Carty forced open tbe front door with an axe and | entered the house ; went and informed the police, and Dr Johnston ; was present when the police made a search of the effects ; £1 Is ll|d in money was found ; was not aware deceased was ill previous to finding the body. A. R. Curtis deposed to being acquainted with deceased, and to living opposite ; corroborated tbe evidence given by previous witness ; was aware deceased was a weakly man. A. G. Carty corroborated the evidence of previous witness. Constable J. J. Tuohy deposed to being informed of the death, to finding the body, and to searching the effects ; knew deceased for five or six years ; he was unassuming and inoffensive ; be was a native of Scotland, and was 55 or 60 years of age. A. J. Wilson, wool dealer, deposed to seeing deceased on Monday evening last, the 121h inst., in Manchester street. Tho jury returned a verdict that deceased died from natural causes, weakness of the heart and general debility, on or about the 12th inst.