INQUEST AT RANGIORA

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2493, 3 April 1882, Page 3

INQUEST AT RANGIORA

On Saturday, at 3 p.m.; an inquest was opened at Carpenter's Club ,Hotel touching the death of Bobert Thorna*, storekeeper and gardener, who was supposed to have died from poisoning on Friday. Mr A. H. Cunningham, J.P., in the absence of any ooroner, eonducted the enquiry. George Buokham, postmaster bv3 telegraphist, who had been called n a a witness, asked to ha-re bis evidence taker? ffret, a» work of the offloa was standing during his- absence. He had obtawsed half an hour's ftsave,. which was expired. The Coroner thought this witness might l>e examined, and Che oath was administered.

The Coroner asked Sergeant B.wlow to exnraine tlie witness.

Sargeant Barlow said he would pjefer to taso the witnesses in the order intended l , so-as-to oonneot the chain of evidence.

Mr Buokham said, in that case, he could attend after 5 p.m. The Sergeant observed that witness wasoalled to give evidence of supplying deceased 1 with a liquid for a galvanic battery, part of whioh the deceased was said to have drank. Witness said he could not state tho data when it was supplied. He would state all heknew about it.

A gentleman present, who agreed to aot as clerk, requested the witness to put his statement in a condensed form.

Witness went on to say he would put it in his own form. If he saw the bottle he could tell if it was the same in whioh he supplied the liquid. [A pint bottle was here handed in.] In this he had supplied eleotropian to deceased. It was usually composed of one part sulphuric acid to five parts of water and three-quarters of a pound of biohromate of potash battery. In this instance witness reduced the strength to one part of aoid to eight of water, as deceased was using a piece of bad zinc, and the stronger stuff was eating it away. Deceased used the battery for lumbago or sciatica. Witness had supplied him fivo or six times with this, which he purohased from Ohrintohuroh, and sold at cost price. Deceased knew it was poison, and the word " Poison" was printed in red on the bottle. It was refilled three weeks or a fortnight ago. Witness had put his battery in order for him. Previously he had a battery in whioh sulphate of copper was used. The day before his death deceased said he was better in health tbr.H usual.

Emma Thomas, wife of deceased, deposed, on Thursday, at 8.30 a.m., when he went from the house in Ashley road to the shop in High street, deceased was in his usual health, and said he intended going to repair a wardrobe at the Club Hotel. He went to the shop at ten for a minute, and she did not see him again till about 5 30, when her little boy said her husband had been drinking, and she told him to go home to tea. The boy came baok, and said hia grandfather said her husband had taken poison. She went from the shop to the house, and deceased said he had drank the contents of the bottle produced. She gave him a cup of warm water, wbioh made him vomit. She went and closed the shop, and asked a Mrs Ridley to go with her to see what was the matter, as she had not seen de-. ceased like that before. When she returned home the bottle was beside him and a cup. Mrs Ridley went for Dr. Downes. He attended and sent some medicine. Deceased was better towards midnight, then became) worse, but recovered a trifle till half • past three on Friday morning. They had to almost force him to speak. At half-past six he grew worse, and died at 10 25. When witness asked him why he did it he said it was because of her working so hard, and as ho found by drinking he was not helping her. She asked him what he had been drinking, and ho said brandy. She thought he was ashamed that she should know be had been drinking. He smolt of drink, but was oalm, and talked rationally. At half-past three she asked why he did it, and he then said no one should tempt him again. She did not know what to understand by'the expression. His last words were when he complained of his head and throat being sore, at half-past six. He was not conscious after. Mr J. B. Sheath was present with him from 9 p.m. till then. Deceased was quite jolly on Wednesday, ond had been cutting a gorse fence. He was a man who might have drank a deal in his younger days on the diggings. He could drink a deal without showing it, and was quiet also, but when he had been drinking he would wake up almost crazy at night time. He had drank but little during the last nine months. On Wednesday he i*id he had two glasses of brandy at the Olub Hotel. This was the only time witness knew of his having brandy in the last nine months except a shilling's worth in sickness. The bottle labelled poison [prodaceed] was kept on a box near his bedside. They all knew it contained the acid for the battery. John Thomas, father of the deceased (an infirm man), stated he lived in the house with his son. On Thursday, when he came home at 2.15 p.m., he put his tools away and went into his bedroom. Witness waß in the kitchen. He had had tea, and asked deceased if he would have some, which he declined. Deceased was then as well as ever he was. He appeared to be sober. Witness went into the garden, and deceased passed up the garden. Some time after witness was in the house, and heard deceased at the cupboard. Witness* grandson shortly after told him his father was lying on the bed. Hie son told the boy to make some tea. At 6 pm. deceased was groaning badly, and witness sent the boy for Mrß Thomas. Witness went into deceased's room and asked what was the matter, but deceased did not reply, but appeared in great pain. Deceased was on good terms with them all. During the past few days he had appeared strong, and was fit for work. Had not seen the bottle produced. Deceased had never to hia knowledge threatened to terminate his existence.

Dr. Dawnes said—On Thursday evening he attended deceased, who was in bed in great pain and very exhausted. Witness was told by deceased's wife he had taken poison, viz , the liquid used by him for an electric battery. Witness prescribed some medicine, gave directions, and told those in attendance to send again if anything fresh oocurred. He on w deceased next day at 7 a.m. when he was dyiDg. Witness had to-day made a postmortem examination. There were no signs of violence. The coats of the stomach were corroded and eaten away. The kidneys were muoh diseased. He believed the condition of the stomach was caused by an irritant poison whioh caused death. Deceased told witness he had taken the contents of the bottle produped up to the label—this was about half a pint of the stuff. This from the evidenoe of Mr Buckham was sufficient to cause death. Deceased was too exhausted or unwilling to assign any cause for his aot. Mrs Thomas stated they were on friendly terms. A juror asked if Dr. Downcs could state anything as to deceased's state of mind. Dr. Downea said deceased seemed to be sensible and collected.

The juror inquired if the disease he was suffering from would be sufficiently acute to cause him in a moment of pain to rush to poison. Dr. Downes replied that the diseased state of the kidneys might have had a depressing effect on the mind.

The jury asked if, in Dr. Downeß* opinion, the deceased could have labored under temporary insanity. Dr. Downes oould not give any other answer to the question than already given, that the diseased condition of the kidneys miftht have caused great pain. Another juror pointed out that the boy referred to was not a son of deceased's, as the evidence stated, and he oontended the matter ought to be cleared up, in case of future reference to the depositions. Mr Cunningham said Mrs Thomas oould be re-called.

The polioo stated she had gone home. At the request of the jurors, Mrs Thomas was here sent for.

Mr Cunningham observed that the matter raised oould not affeot the verdiot. Constable Gaffney said at noon on Friday, from information received, he proceeded to deceased's house, in Ashley street. He saw Mrs Thomas, John Thomas, and a little boy. He took possession of the bottle and cup produced. They are in the same oondition. The cup had the marks of the solution and the bottle a drain of liquid. The body seen by the jury was on the bed. Charles Stubbs, waiter at the Club Hotel, stated deoeased was working there on Wednesday. He had no drink in the hotel, leaving at 4 p.m., but took a flask containing between half a pint and a pint of brandy, sold at 3s 6i. Witness saw him in the passage on Thursday about noon. Witness was not in oharge of the bar all day on Thursday, but was all day on Wednesday. Ho did cot supply him with any drink on Thursday.^ J. Carpenter, licensee Club Hotel, said at noon on Thursday he supplied dt ceased, who came into the bar with another man, with a

I einsa of brandy. About twenty minutes J later the mza asked deoeased to have a drink I with him. Witness poured him out a glaas of brandy, when deceased said it was too much, and he poared some of it back into the bottle. About ton minute* after he took his tools, with which ho had been repairing soma furniture, and we»fc away. Deceased appeared in Ms usual state of mind. Witness did not hear deceased flay he would do away with himself, nor was there anything to acoount for this- rash act. H* did not see which way deceased 1 loft tbo hotel.

Mrs Thomas, re-called on herformer oath, said the boy was their adopted soa, whom she took charga of since he was nine weeks old. The jurj haying deliberated? for ten minutes, twelve of them returned a verdict that the deceased met his death by -poisoning whilst in a state of tempirary insanity. held out for a verdict of felirde-se.