Coroner's Inquests.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 788, 19 May 1870, Page 3

Coroner's Inquests.

A .cokrespondent sends us the following account of an inquest held at Tarawera on Monday, 16th May, before J. Murray Gribbee, Esq., Coroner, on the body of Hori Te Eori, an aboriginal native. Henry Dolman, being sworn, deposed : I am a member of the Armed Cons f abu lary. I saw deceased on Saturday, tin* 14th inst., about 11 a.m. He was sitting at Peacock's fire at the canteen. He made some remark as I was passing, and when I asked him what he said he replied, " I see," or " I am looking at you." He passed me a fow minutes afterwards as he was going to the redoubt; I asked him what •was tlie matter with him, and he answered, u Oh, sick." I went from the tent to the cook-house ; when I entered I saw some one lying in the tent with a blanket over him ; I couldn't see who it was. I asked who was there; the answer I received was, " It's me, Harry." I said, " Is that you, Hori Te Rod?" He said, "Yes; I am going to lie down here awhile." I said, "All right," and went away to get some fresh fern for the tent. When I came back he was still lying there; he asked xne ■where his saddle was. I went away again and when I returned he was still in the same place j I asked him to move aside a little, and he did so; he asked me if he could sleep there, or if he would be in the way; I told him he would have to lie wearer the door. I moved some pouches and belts and a revolver belonging to Dunn, placing them between myself and the deceased. [Revolver produced ; one barrel found to be discharged.] He appeared to be in his usual state of mind, and was not under the influence of liquor. He took the revolver out of the case and examined it; I noticed it was capped. He said, "Harry, I am going to blow my brains out." Thinking he was joking, I £aid, "You have no brains." Directly afterwards he said, " Good bye, Harry." I turned and looked towards him ; he had the revolver in his right hand, with the muzzle pointed to his breast; he fired immediately after making the remark. I ran .out of the tent to give the alarm ; 1 told O'Neill that Hori te Eori had shot himself. "When we entered the tent we found the pistol lying by the side of deceased ; he never spoke after firing the shot. By a juryman : I could have prevented him, but thought he was only joking. I was only about five feet from him. Eutene Kuhukuhu deposed : About 10 o'clock on the evening of the 13th instant deceased asked me to get up and fetch his horse, as he wanted to go to Opepe to get employment from Mr Peacock, who was up there. He wanted me to get up and buy some cabbage, butter, &c, and I asked him where the money was ; he said in the bank. He wandered in his [talk all night in the same manner; he got up several times, atid fell on the floor; and several times went out of the blockhouse. I took him some breakfast the following morning, which he ate. By a juryman; I did not see the deceased drink any liquor. He seemed in the same state of mind on the morning of the 14th. 1 had noticed a change in him for about two days. He occasionally spoke in a strange manner. John Charles King deposed : I am a sergeant in the Armed Constabulary stationed at Tarawera j about three weeks ago I was stationed at Te H.iroto ; the deceased was also there at that time. While I knew him there he seemed of a cheerful and talkative disposition. On the 4th or •/ this month he was removed to Tarawera, and subsequently discharged ; since he left the force ho seemed as though ho had some trouble on hia mind. Floyd James Campoigne deposed : I am orderly in charge of the hospital at Tarawera. Three days previous to the death of deceased he came to me and complained of great pain in the head and chest, I examined him and found he was suffering from low fever, and gave him medicine, accordingly. I sent for him on the morning of the 14th, and he said he felt better, with the exception of the pain in his head. I asked him if he had finished the medicine ; he said he had only taken two doses. I gave him two aperient pills, and half-an-hour afterwards a dose of feter mixture. He complained of great thirst; I offered to get him some tea or arrowroot, but he said he preferred water. He wisfled to lie down in the hospital tent; I tojd him he might do so for half an hour. He got up in about twenty rninute3, and said he would go outside, 'as it was warmer, I proposed that he should go to Peacock's

tent; he said he didn't want Peacock to see him. I told him he could lie in the hospital tent as soon as I had arranged it. He asked several times during the next hour if it was time to take his medicine. I missed him about a quarter past eleven, and did not see him again until I saw him dying in the packer's tent. A pistol was lying by his side, as if it had just fallen from his hand. He died in about two minutes from the time I arrived. By a juryman : I think he was suffering from some trouble on his mind, as well as ill-health. Thomas Harrington deposed: lam in charge of the canteen at Tarawara. The deceased had not been supplied with any liquor for several days previous to his death. He had been in the employ of Mr Peacock for about a week ; Mr Peacock sent down from Opepe for mo to send him up. I sent word that he was not in a fit state of health. I never saw him the worse for liquor. I did not see him for two days previous to his death. The Coroner, having gone over the evidence, stated that as there was no medical • man present, he felt it his duty to direct the attention of the jury to the state of mind of the deceased, as deseribed by the various witnesses. From the evidence he himself felt no doubt that at the time • of the commission of the act, deceased was ! of unsound mind. j The jury then retired, and on their return stated that they had unanimously ] come to the following verdict: —" That Hori te Eori met with his death from a 1 pistol wound inflicted by himself, he being ; in a sound state of mind at the time." A verdict of "Felo de se " was accord- ] ingly recorded. • ~ - ■ j An inquest was held at Mr Cashmore's sawmill, Big Bush, on Tuesday, the 17th inst, befor ? T. Hitchings, Esq., Coroner, < touching the death of James Donnelly. - The following evidence was taken:— < Luke Maddigan deposed : I am a laborer j at the sawmill, and was mate of the de- j ceased, James Donnelly, About 10 a.m. j yesterday I was cross-cutting a log with deceased. There was a tree being felled ? four or five yards off. The tree in falling , struck against another tree, and the limbs broke off in all directions, one of them , falling on deceased. In about two or three minutes I saw deceased in a stooping ' posture, covered by a branch; he was bleeding from the forehead and ear, and | did not speak or move. Thomas Wheat was with me, and we soon discovered that deceased was quite dead. On felling a tree there is usually an alarm given. In this case, on hearing a crash, I sung out " Stand from under; it is cracking." My mate heard it, and did his best to keep safe. The main trunk of the tree fell clear from us, and had it not been for the other tree against which it fell, all would have been well. If I had myself been injured I should not have attributed blame to any one. The deceased was killed entirely by accident, and no blame could attach to any one. Thomas Wheat deposed: lam a laborer, working at Mr Cashmore's sawmill. Yesterday morning, about 10 o'clock, I was felling a tree, when, rather before I expected it, the tree gave a crack and fell. I am experienced in felling trees ; it fell the way I intended. I had hardly time to make my own escape, being covered with boughs. In about two minutes I saw Donnelly; ho was in a stooping position, covered with limbs of the tree. I raised him up, and he appeared quite dead ; he was bleeding from the ear and mouth. I never use ropes as guys ; there were none used on this occasion. I have felled trees for several years, and never had an accident before. The tree in falling, when about half down, struck against another largo tree and broke in the centre; the top fell back on the stump, covering myself, deceased, and his mate, as tiiey were cross-cutting at the back of the stump. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death."