INQUEST.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1395, 5 August 1878, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was held on Saturday last at the Mitre Hotel, Lyttelton, before J. W. S. Coward. Esq., coroner, on the body of Alexander Brown, an apprentice belonging to the barque Southern Cross, who died suddenly. Mr C. 11. Wolcdge waa chosen foreman of the jury. Henry Boon, master of the Southern Cross barque, sworn, said —The deceased was an apprentice aboard my vessel. About fivednys ago deceased complained of a cold and a little pain in the chest, but it went away again, and he kept to his work. He complained of the cold, and went to thegalloyand stopped there by the fire, helping the steward till yesterday morning, when ho laid up. I had no idea he was seriously ill. He was in bed all day yesterday, and on my going to see him at a quarter to seven this morning, I found him dead in his bed. About 9.15 a.m. yesterday he complained of being ill, and I got him some medicine from Mr A. W. Parsons, the chomist, and at 11 a.m. he said he was better The boy was about thirteen years old. Deceased eat his tea yesterday, and has eaten regularly since complaining of illness. Ho has never left the ship to go for a doctor, to the best of my knowledge. He has never asked for more clothing, or complained of being cold in bed.

C. B. Pitman sworn, said—l am second officer of the Southern Cross. I knew deceased, who was an apprentice aboard. I did not know deceased was ill during the last few days. He never left the ship yesterday lo my knowledge. At 10 30 p.m. yesterday I spoke to deceased, who was in his bunk. I took hira a book I had bought for him. I

said, " Here's a book for you, Crusoe." He said, "Thank you, sir." I asked how he was, and lie said " Better." Deceased has not asked for a doctor in my presence. He lias been six months in the vessel, and has been well treated.

Henry Hutchinson, sworn, said—l am employed on the railway. I knew deceased. I first saw him on August Ist, opposite this bouse, at 9.30 a.m. I was asked to go and see the boy, as he had fallen down twice crossing the railway lines, so I went over to him and found him lying with his head on his hands moaning, and he could not speak for two minutes, as near as I could judge. I asked him where his father and mother were, and he said dead. He told me* he belonged to the Southern Cross. Ho had great difficulty in speaking, and moaned a good deal. I asked him how long ho hud been bad, and he snid three trips. He told me he was going to Mr Hawkins's. His breath was very short. I said, " whon you go aboard tell the captain to take you to a doctor." Ho suid, " I cannot get any medicine." I watched him trying to get up the bank. He fell several times ; in fact he could hardly walk at all. Ho got up Hie bank, but 1 did not see where he went afterwards. I never saw him again alive.

Thomas Ockford, a railway employe, sworn, said —I knew deceased ; I remember seeing him the day before yesterday, about 9.30 a.m. He was coming from the wharves towards Norwich Quay. My attention was called to him by hearing a lad calling out to him " I suppose you'll say you are dying now." I looked round and saw deceased just falling against the goods' shed. I went over to him, took hold, of his hand, and asked what was the matter. His breath was very bad and lie had great difficulty in answering "yes." Several gathered round, and I said " that boy seems dying." I asked him had ho been to a doctor and he said "no." I had to leave him then, but I only went a few yards to the points, where I could still see him; he staggered as far as the mercantile shed corner, a distance of about forty yards, and again rolled or fell down there I then spoke to Hutchinson about him and he went to eee him. D' ceased fell down once or twice going up the bank. Edward Burgoyne, sworn, said—l am an apprentice aboard the Southern Cross. I knew deceased; he was also an apprentice aboard and slept in the same berth with mo n a different bunk. Wo have been together about six months. Liitely deceased has complained of shortness of breath ; he has complained for more than a week. He ,-never complained of pain or cold except on very cold days, when he said he was cold. He was always kept warm with plenty of clothes on him, and had a warm bed. He had a double blanket and a quilt over him last night. He had tea with me a little after five last night. He seemed all right then. I was ashoro with deceased between 9 and 10 a.m. on Thursday morning. I saw him sit down beside the goods shed. He said he was out of breath. I said, ''l expect you're bad." He asked me to go for the papers for him ; that wss what we came aßhore for. I only saw him Bit down once. I saw a man speak to him. When I left him he was much as usual. I did not think there was much the matter with him, but that ho was out of breath with climbing up the wharf. Deceased was well treated aboard the vessel; he was never beaten, and had good clothes and the same to eat as I had. At 10.30 p.m. last night, when I went aboard, I heard deceased breathing. I have never heard deceased ask for a doctor. Ho took some medicine the day before yesterday, which ho get in Lyttelton. •Dr. Macdonald sworn, said—lam a medical practitioner, residing in Lyttelton. I have made a post mortem examination on the h;dy of deceased. The body was fairly nourished, and there were no external marks of violence. I opened the chest and found the lungs congested and the pericardium distended with serum. I opened the stomach and found it contained some partly digested food. It was apparently healthy. My opinion is that the lad had effusion on the pericardium for some time, and I attribute his death to that and the congestion of the lungs. I think from the Btate of the body that the boy was past medical aid. This concluded the evidence, and the jury returned a verdict of " Death fromjnatural causes."