DEATH OF MR H. HAMBLETT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1568, 26 September 1905, Page 3

DEATH OF MR H. HAMBLETT.

SAD OCCURRENCE. A sensation was oaused yestorday morning when it was known that a very old resident, Mr Honry Hamblett, had been found dead in his residence by the headmaster of the Gisborne School (Mr F. J. Rowley) and Mr A. East. Mr Rowley, noticing indications that Mr Hamblett, the caretaker of the school, has not attended to things as usual, bocarno apprehensive that something had happened to him, and accompanied Mr Ea3t, a pupil teacher, wont to the residence whero the grue some discovery was made. Mr Hamblett had resided in .Gisborne for about thirty years, and was well known for a great many yea-s as librarian for the public library, and as verger of the Presbyterian Church ; these positions be vacated somo years ago, but be was still ciretaker of the school and of oertain public offices. Flags were flying at half mast yesterday, and the school was closed as a mark of respect to one who bad been oaretakor of the sobool for a longer poriod than the lifetime of any boy or girl present.

TEE INQUEST. An inquest was held in tbo Couit House yesterday afternoon before Mr W. A. Barton, S.M., Coroner, and the following jury:—Messrs R. T. Seymour (foreman), C. Hawkins,' 0. Morse, G. Shennan, W. Webb, and G. Primrose, Sergt. McKenzie represented the police. F. J. Rowley, headmaster of the Gisborne District High School, stated that he identified the body lying in tbo morgue as that of Henry Hamblett, late caretaker of the sohool. On going to tho sobool that (Monday) morning witness found that deceased’s work had been neglected. He had also heard that ono of the technical classes had not been held because of the door being looked. Therefore he thought something was wrong, and got one of the pupil teachors, Mr Alfred East, to go with him to deceased's house, at about ten minutes past 8 that morning. He knocked at the back door and then at the front door, but got no answer. Then he raised the sash of a window in what be took to be Mr Hamblet6’a room and let the blind up, and soon know what had happened. Witness climbed through the window, and saw deoeased’s body lying aoross the bod. He did not touch the body, but left the house at once and sent information to the police. The back door he found was not iockod; ho was not certain about the front door. He had not tried them when he knocked. He oould not remember whether he bad last spoken to deoeased on Friday or before that. Sergeant McKenzie: What was the state of deoeased’s health ?

Witness: I should say it was frail; be was frail in appearance, a'though I do not remember his missing his work through that daring tbe 3£ years I have known him.

Sergeant MoKenzie : Can you Bay whal his habits wore ? Was he sober or addicted to drink ? Witness : I never saw him the worse of drink. I cannot speak of niy own knowledge as to his habits. Continuing, witness said deoeased had been living by himself for at least 18 months.

Dr A. P. Coker deposed that he made a post mortem examination of deoeased’s body, and found the cause of death was due to bleeding on the brain, whioh was caused by a fit of apoplexy, from which he died. The age of deoeased ’jwould be botweon 60 and 70.

Sergeant MoKenzie: Would you consider wbat you describe a natural oause of death ? ' \ Witness: Yes, considering the age of deceased.

William George Gilbert Watson, keeper of the Peel street pie stall, stated that on Friday night last deceased came to his stall about 8 o’clock. Ho remained about a quarter of an hour. When leaving .deoeased bade him good-night, and said he was going home to bed. Witness handed him an umbrella or stiok which he had given to witness while he was having his tea.

Sergeant MoKenzie: Was he the worse of liquor? Witness: Yes; but he oould walk home.

Did ho complain of being ill ? Witness : No. Do you know what his age was ? Witness : I have heard him say that he was over 70 years of age. George T. Wildisb, saddler, deposed that ha had met deeaased on Friday night above Grey street, going towarls bis home. They bad passed close to oach other, but did not speak, i ,: A juryman asked as to wbat was deceased’s condition then ?

His Worship Are you able to say ? Witness : No ; his gait was wot steady, bat I oould not say that be was under the influence cf liquor. Constable O’Hara gave evidence as to receiving information, and'identified the body as tbe one conveyed to the morgue. The Coroner said the jury should have no difficulty in finding a verdict. Without retiring, tbo jury found that death had been caused by an apopleotio fit, brought oa by natural causes.