INQUEST.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 868, 16 November 1870, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Havelock Hotel, yesterday, before T. Hilchings, Esq , Coroner, and a jury, on the body of Thomas Robertson, then and there lying dead. Through the courtesy of the Coroner, we are enabled to publish the following particulars Peter McHardy, duly sworn, deposed: I am proprietor and landlord of the Havelock Hotel. I have known deceased for three or four years. He was a laboring man, about thirty-four years of age, and he lived at Patangata. When I first knew him he was a strong active man, but he met with an accident at Waipawa races nearly two years ago, haAdng been run against and thrown off his horse, whereby he sustained concussion of the brain, and was for some time insensible. After recovering consciousness, he lay ill for some months, and since then he has not been the same man. I have seen him frequently since He slept in my house on Sunday night; he then appeared to be in his usual health. His speech had been affected since the accident. He got up and had breakfast, and rode into town, starting about 9.30. Dining Sunday he had two or three glasses of beer; he was a temperate man. He returned to my house last evening about 8 o'clock; he was then sober. He had one or two small glasses of beer, and went to bed about 10. About a quarter to 11 I was in bed, and hearing a noise in his room went up stairs. Two or three lodgers were round him, and he seemed to be in a fit. They were pouring cold water on his fore head, and otherwise assisting him, but he only lived about three minutes. He seemed to take no notice of what was passing. Yesterday was a Aery hot day. He had worn a drab felt hat.

Peter Lid dell, sworn, deposed : I work for Mr Purvis Russell, and stay #t Mr Mc Hardy's. 1 saw deceased last night about 9.30. I had seen him before. He appeared in his usual health. A man named Stafford rode in with him from Caldwell's ; he appeared to be in his ordinary way, except something unusual in his conversation. I went to bed before 10 o'clock, and heard hini go bo bed about 10 o'clock. Iu about an hour 1 was awoke by a noise from his room. I asked him if he was in a fit; he replied that he was very bad, and that his candle was out. I went into his room with two other lodgers ; we got a light, and found him apparently in convulsions. He seemed quite insensible. We poured water on bis forehead. He died in about nine minutes after L got into the room. Mr McHardy was there almost as soon as I was. We did not give deceased anything by his mouth. The jury found that the deceased " died bv the visitation of God."