DEATH OF MR PERCIVAL BARKER.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 364, 14 March 1902, Page 2

DEATH OF MR PERCIVAL BARKER.

FAILURE OF HEART’S ACTION

The inquest; concerning the sudden death ol Mr Percival Barker was held yesterday at the family residence. Captain T. Chrisp acted as coroner, Constable Crawford represented the police, and the jury were : Messrs A. F. Kennedy (foreman), J. M. Gumming, C. Adair, T. Cotter, F. Des Barres, and T, Sweet. Joim Fairlie Graham deposed that lie last saw deceased alive about three o’clock on Tuesday afternoon, at a distance. Deceased rode through the gate opposite the woolshed, going in the direction of the town. Witness lost sight of him about a mile and a half from the house. Witness next saw him about 5 o’clock, when he found him. Before finding Mr Barker he saw the pony coming down by the fence, as he was working in the next paddock to where deceased went. Witness said to his mate that Mr Barker's horse had got away from him, and he said he would catch him and tie him up. When witness caught the pony he found that the near side stirrup was thrown over the saddle, and he concluded from this that Mr Barker must have fallen oil. Witness got on the pony and went to where deceased had been burning some rubbish. He looked about for half an hour, calling ■deceased’s name, but could get no answer. Then he noticed something lying in a big ditch near by, and when he went up to it found it was Mr Barker As far as witness could see he was quite dead. Mr Barker did not appear to have been kicked, and there were no signs whatever of a struggle. There was no one else in sight of the body at the time. After finding Mr Barker, witness covered up the face and went and told his mate, George Holloway. Holloway had the dray, and witness sent him to where the body Was, going himself to see his wife and ask her to report the circumstance to the family. Witness then went down with a trap as neat to the body as they could get. Holloway and witness put the bodv into the trap, and brought it to the house. Witness had known and had been with Mr Barker for over 20 years. Deceased appearcu to be in his usual health when witness last saw him, and he could not account for his death other than that he might have been overcome by the heat of the day and the smoke caused by the burning. .George Holloway corroborated Mr Graham’s evidence. Witness had known Mr Barker for 11 years, ;tnd deceased was in his usual health when witness last saw him alive, speaking to witness as he went by. He had no tneorv as to the cause of death, unless Mr Barker had got over-heated by the

<)r Dr. John Craig deposed that he had attended the late Mr Barker for the last six months. He last saw deceased' alive within the last week. Witness had made a careful examination ot the body, but did not consider a post mortem necessary. On the top of the head there was a slight scratch with clay adhering to it, which would he caused by the head striking the .ground. The deceased had consulted witness about his health about six months ago, the symptoms oeing indigestion and heart weakness, with dizziness. He considered that this, together with the circumstances related V,y the other witnesses, was sufficient ,o account for the deceased's death. He considered the cause of death was sudden heart failure’,'and the shock of falling to the ground, his head having come into contact with the ground, and taking the full force of the blow. Tie jury returned a verdict that deceased met his death through sudden failure of the heart’s action, as indicated by the evidence given by his medical advisee