INQUESTS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2241, 8 June 1881, Page 3

INQUESTS.

An inquest was held yesterday at the Provincial Hotel, before Dr. Frankish, coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr Alexander Lean was chosen foreman, as to the death of Mr Jcsiah Biroh.

The usual preliminaries having been gone through, the following evidence was taken : Emily Todd said she was a servant in Mr Birch’s house. Last saw deceased alive on Saturday afternoon. He told her it was unnecessary to get dinner ready, as he might bo going to Eaiapoi. Saw Mr Birch about two o’clock in the afternoon, when she took some lunoh to him; never saw him alive afterwards. Believed deceased was at home on Sunday, although she did not see him. Witness was out on Sunday from ton o’clock to a quarter after six. Went to bed about halfpast nine o’clock. Did not hear Mr Biroh enter the house. On Monday morning saw his clothes In the dressing room. Mr Birch generally rose about eleven to half-past on Sunday, but being a holiday, she did not go to the door to see whether he was ill, thinking he might be taking a long sleep. At about 2.30 on Monday Mrs Birch returned homo. She asked if Mr Biroh had gone to Eaiapoi on Saturday ; witness said she believed not, and thought he was then in bed. Mrs Birch then went into the bedroom, and witness heard her scream. Miss Brown (who came home . '*> Mrs Birch) ran to her, and Mrs Birch 'd a doctor to be sent for. Did not u, ' deceased complain of being unwell. When witness went out on Monday morning she prepared a cup of tea for Mr Birch, and left it in the sittingroom for him, as she had been in the habit of doing. Went into the dining-room several times afterwards, and finding the tea still there, judged that Mr Biroh was simply taking a little extra rest. He preferred his tea cold. Euew that deceased had a latch-key. Dr. Irving gave evidence to the effect that on Monday afternoon he was called to the house of Mr Birch. Saw deceased in his bed, who was then dead. He bad been dead twelve hours at least. The head was very much bent on the chest, the arms folded. The eyes were in their normal condition, but not open. Made a post-mortem examination of tbe body. Found considerable congestion of the brain and its membranes, with signs of over inflammation of the latter, which might ! have been caused at any time back. There was more serous fluid in the brain than there should have been. The liver was enlarged and the kidneys diseased. The stomach contained about a dessert-spoonful! of thin fluid, which might have been tea. There was not tbe slightest smell of laudanum. The lungs were healthy, the heart large, loaded with fat, and its muscular substance undergoing fatty degeneration. In his opinion the cause of death was fatty degeneration of the heart.

In reply to the Coroner, Dr. Irving said hie only reason for mentioning the absence of any traces of laudanum was because he saw something about a bottle of laudanum, which had been used for toothache, having been found in the room.

Catherine Beatrice Brown deposed that she accompanied Mrs Birch to Worcester street on Monday afternoon. Heard Mrs Birch scream when she came from the bedroom. Went into the bedroom herself, and saw the body of the deceased. Was in the bouse when Dr. Irving came. Heard it said that Mr Birch had been dead eight hours. This concluded the evidence.

The Coroner thought there could he no doubt os to the cause of death, from the medical evidence, taken in connection with the general testimony, and he directed the jury accordingly. The jury returned a verdict “ That deceased died from fatty degeneration of the heart."

An inquest was held at the Junction Hotel, Ohoka, yesterday, before O. Dudley, Esq., coroner for the district, and a jury, of whom Mr James Herr was chosen foreman, touching the death of George Cooper Fawsey, who died on the previous day. John Eobert Pawsey, brother of deceased, gave evidence that the latter was ef unsound mind. Elizabeth Batterley deposed that she had known deceased for twenty years. He had been stopping at her house since Friday last, and had not been well for some months. He had received every attention and wanted for nothing. The witness then detailed the circumstances under which deceased had been found in a dying condition in an outhouse on Monday. Thomas Herron, barman at the Junction Hotel, gave corroborative evidence as to finding deceased, and to his dying in bis arms. The evidence of Dr O vend on, who made a post mortem examination, having been heard, the jury brought in a verdict in accordance, that death resulted from natural causes, viz., serous apoplexy.