INQUEST AT KUMARA.

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 January 1903, Page 2

INQUEST AT KUMARA.

(Or/B OWK COEBESPONDEST.) Aa inquest was h«ld at the Criterion Hotel on Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock before Mr J.S. Benyon, J.P., coroner, concerning the dea'h of John M'Keegan. The following jury was sworn:—Messrs E. lilouse (foreman), H. B. Hope, Trepo Yocasivich, J. Lynch, W. B. Gilbert and T. Brown. After viewing the body the following evidence was given: - Charts F. Morkane, sworn, said I an| a duly qualified medical praeticioner resident at Kumara. On Wednesday, 21s:, inst, I was called to attend on deceased. I found that he was bleeding from the noso and right ear, also from two scalp wounds. One of the scalp wounds was at the back of the head, the other just to the right of the tcp of the head. Through this latter wound I was able to discern a fracture of the skull, and from the other symptoms it was evident thas the fracture extended to the base of the skull. I attended to the injuries and had him taken to the hospital. At the hospital I found on examination some bruises on the lower part of the back. Tha symptoms of pressure on the brain gradually increased, and he died at 11 45 p.m. on Friday, January 28rd. The cause of death was pressure from the blood diffused as a result of the fracture.

William J. M'Kenzie, sworn said I am a niner residing Kumara. Between half two and three p.m. on Wednesday Jan 21s f, I was working in Giffoey and party's claim wh:ch runs into No 5 channel. I was working mates with deceased. He was wheeling stones along a plank out of the face into an old scraped up ditch. Deceased went out with a load of stones and I heard them tip ring. I was breaking stones in the face and deceased did not return for a moment, but I thought he had remained to fix the plank. I happened to stop working and listened when I heard a groan. I then went to see what was the matter, and when I got there I found that hiiii head was jambed between two stones at the bottom of the d.tch. He would have to fall about 10 feet. As soon as I heard the groan I called to my mate. Deceased's arms were jambed under a plank. We released him and found him ui conscious. I sent mate into the next claim for help. As soon as help came wo carried deceased home. In the meantime we sent for the doctor. John M'Gormick, a mate of deceased, sworn, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. The jury returned the following verdict: "That deceased came by his death through accidentally falling off a pUnk while at work in his claim on Wednesday, December 21st, 1902."