INQUEST.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 221, 1 February 1865, Page 3

INQUEST.

At a Coroner's inquest held on the body of Watson Wetherley, on Monday, 30th January, at the Commercial Hotel, Spit, Napier, before T. Hitchings, Ksq., Coroner, and the following jure : Henry Smyth (foreman), William Tabor, Hamel Lorrigan, John Enright, Oskar Beyer, Charles Brown, William Watson, Robert Simpson, Henry Kraeft, George Henry Stuart, John Gillespie, Edward Grow, —the following evidence was given;— Louis Butcher, on oath, deposed;—l keep the Commercial Hotel. I saw the deceased on Friday last, about 7 o’clock p in. He was near my verandah, talking to several people. He appeared to be m his usual health. I have known him for some time, lie was sober. His usual time for going home was about 7 p.m. I had heard him say it was his custom to lock himself in of a night, in consequence of boys annoying him. I have heard him say ho was subject to a cough, and have seen him suffering from the same. James Watson, on oath, said—l am Staff Assistant Surgeon and M.K.C.S. I have made a post mortem examination of the deceased. I found the body greatly decomposed. He bad apparently been dead about forty-eight hours. There were some abrasions about the neck and extremities, the effects of the biting of rats. I examined the brain, and found a clot of blood in the substance of the left hemisphere. The whole of the brain was considerably congested. I also examined the chest, and found the heart in a state of fatty degeneration. The lungs were healthy The blood-vessels were covered with atheromatous deposit. I attribute the deceased’s death to effusion of blood on the brain, I think it probable that some hsemorrhage may have taken place from the lungs. I think the violent fit of coughing to which.- he was subject might have caused either the clot of blood found in the brain, or the haemorrhage which came from the mouth. lam of opinion that the deceased came to his death from natural causes, occasioned by disease, and from no act of overt violence.

George Eeynolds, on oath said—l am a shipcarpenter. Upon being informed on Sunday, between 3 and i p.m., that the deceased had not been seen since Friday night last, 1 went to his house and knocked, and receiving no answer, burst the window open, and saw the deceased apparently dead. I then sent for the police. Corporal Evans came, and by his advice I burst the door open. I saw the deceased lying on his left side, with a pool of blood beside him. I then left him in the hands of ths police. This being the whole of the evidence, the jury, after some consultation, relumed the following verdict: —“ e find that the deceased died from natural causes; and we further think that the Provincial Government should be recommended to provide some proper accommodation for persons who by imbecility are incapable of taking care of themselves.”