Found Dead

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 December 1911, Page 2

Found Dead

INQUEST AT KOPUTAROA,

-An inquest was held, at -the residence -of Mr John Davies, at Koputaroa. on Monday on the body of George Nelson, who was found dead near his tent that same morning. Evidently deceased Iliad, been dead a. few days. Constable Longbottoni went out and had a % very unpleasant duty to perform in getting the body removed. _ In the afternoon Constable Bagrie and Mr W.' C. Nation, coroner, drove out and an inquest was held. Deceased had been subiect to fits, and the circumstances pointed to his having had a fit, from which he did not recover. The following evidence was taken at the inquest:— John Davies, sworn: I aan a sheep farmer residing at Koputaroa., Tha deceased.. George Nelson, has been in: my employ for about fourteen years as a farm labourer. He resided in a tent some distance frorn the homestead. He was about sixty years, and was a. (hardy man. hut subject to epileptic fiis. T only saw him in a fit "once, about two years ago. I have heard that at the > polling booth at Kopiitaroa. during the general election, he had a. fit. This was on the 7tlli'> December. Prior to that ho fell face downward in a fit on .a. log and bruised his face considerably. He usually called to see me on a Snndnv for orders as to work. On Sunday. 24th December, he did not nut in an appearance, and 'T concluded he was axrav bavins his holidays. On Monday Mr Fred. 'Davies. seiir.. went over to his tent and reported tilmt he was not there, and feelinsr a littlo anxious about him this momincr. knowing that he wns subiect to fi+s. T asked Mr Fred Davies to cro and look around where ho had been working and spo rf he was ah ! o-"t. TTn camo TiaoV and reported that Nelson wns Iviner dead where he had hoen working. T told him to report the matter to the police at Levin. He (Nelson) had told me 111 the past that ho had no relatives in the colony. and ho knew not of any in the Old Country. I sngo-psted that, as he had a little money, he should 1 make a- will. Tt wns arranged -blia.t, T should write ont x a will, lmt this was not done. He expressed a wish that if he left anv monev at his death it should cro to Dr. Barnardo's Homo for Children. or to the Seamen's, Widows and Orphans' Home, "England. He was a sinsle man. and a native of Birmingham, "England. He had been a seaman from his youth. He h'ad been in New Zealand about sixteen years.

Frederick Da vies, senr.. said: I am living with Mr John T) a vies at Koputaroa. I have known the deceased. Goorcre Nelson, about thirteen years, and flurinsr that time ho has been working for my dotisin. Last nicrht T visited Nelson's tent and saw no sign of liim. T reported this to niv cousin. This morning .T went to look for him and went to where he was working- at some fencing. T found him lying dead face downwards, and the body was partly docomnosed, and from appearances' ho had been dead a Few <lays. The last time T saw him was on the second ballot. ■day, 1-ftlh December. He had a fit in the place which was screenod : off for voters, and when he cam© to T brought him home. ' T have often seen him in a fit. He never .knew wlhen a fit "was coming, and. knew nothing of it' afterwards. "When T found the bodv there was a mark on the back of his head, as though he had rolled over after (lie fell. There was a stunm of m tree clo«e hv and he may I'.nve fallen n.frnirist it mid then tolled over to his face.

Constable Lonorliottom said :• T am a const-aide stationed at T/>vin. At 11 a.m. tliis morninsr Mr Fred. Davies, son., reported that, llio Imd found -fc.ile •'Wv of Oenrae "Wlson in a swamp nt, Koputarnn. Tnt opec wont to flic spat, and found th& Wv in a dry part of tlie sv'amp. Ho was 1 vin n face downward. with liis free buried in tlie fork of n stumn of a tree. T examined the Itod** nnd found n r>n+, nnnn +.liip of tlie fl.i'ond He •ha-'l evidently fallen jvninst tli" root of'-flie stump m"1 then tnrne-1 over. n.s there was 1V«od oil Kf.'tivm. Tf, was "nlv a fle<di -WO'ind T lu'/»trrli+ +1m l-vrr-V in ffl. a Tin veiled r>r> .Trflm T) nT *ies' pvr.p<"ii4v. .Qnmvlliniv 41-n rl/wi,i,en'V« pV+lpiiT T ffVin/l 01 7c: ft/I ill wO/l •niul fili-o'' " I'nif". nnd mr>'nT v.l, —1 ,1-nir \ n f Fi-p.'vi naf'T'il il-os rt~rrmm ■■..■■umßW