Burnt to Death.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 13 June 1913, Page 2

Burnt to Death .

INQUEST AT%AKI

Yesterday morning the Coroner (Air W. C. Nation) held- an inquest at the Courthouse, Otaki, on the remains of Carl Williams, 78 years of ago, who was burnt to death at Waitohu on Tuesday night.. The man lived in a whare, and close by was a place where ho and another, named Wright, cooked their food. The only feasible explanation of what occurred seems to/be that Williams, not feeling well, went to the cookery and fell with his head close to the embers •of a lire which was always left the night before. He may have been seized with a heart spasm, ,and haying, fallen, known nothing afterwards- -.-Tho evidence taken at the iyuii.y was as follows:—

Joseph Wright, sworn, said:—l am a labourer, residing at Waitohu, Otaki. I-knew the deceased, Carl Williams.. . For tlireo or four .years wo have • been living close to each other at Waitohu. He lived in a hut -about twenty yards from my. tc»t. ■ Between the two places I had-a cooking whare. I last saw

Williams ahout..half-past four on Tuesday afternoon going for some water. JHc appeared to be in his

usual health. He said "Good Day." That' is all'that passed.' Ho had been 'about six or seven years living at Waitohu. About half-past five I went to my own wliare for the night.

I -was awakened a-bout seven o'clock, and through the" door of my tent

saw. the cookhouse in flames. lid id. not-.go. out for I saw it was hopeless lb. save anything. .About seven the

next-, morning I went over to Wi

liams's whare. I saw threo apples on his bed, arid the bed had not been slept.in. So I went over to tho

ruins ...of,, the cook-house, and saw the remains of a body lying in the debris.. 1 then came to Otaki and informed the police—about 12 Vclock. I cannot .account for de-

ceased going into the cook-house

it night, though lie had the free no of the place during the day. Ho was a steady, hard-working man. He went by the name of Williams.

He was a Swede, and he had anothe

name, Peter Doran. In conversation he. told me his paT'ents wavo pretty veil off; that he went to sea when be was a boy, and. that ho was not in communication with his home. He said he was born on St. Patrikc's Day. It was usual to keep tho fire banked up. Herbert Freeman deposed: I live at Waitohu, about half a mile from where the deceased man man resided. I have known him for some twenty years and have boon'in touch with him continually during that priod. Some few years back T advised him to r seek the old age pension. He said while ho could work be.'would be independent of it. Two vear.s ago ho came to me and asked if I could get it for I saw 'Mr O'llonrko, deputy registrar of Old Age Pensons, and found that Williams was not. a-naturalised .subject. I got the papers.filled in for .him. and;.he has heert tho. '•pension.' - A? month ago I filled in a form for. renewal ,and gave it to the clerk. Last/J.'hursday the deceased came to me and said he could not. get his pension. I thon saw tho magistrate aiid tho clerk of the court said that owing to an error tho payment had been delayed. J saw deceased oh Saturday morning, and told him lie'co'uld not got his pension for a day or two. In the afternoon I saw him going to his home, perfectly -'sober. I never knew him to be incapable of looking after himself. He, on this day, appeared to bo iii excellent health. Allan iSathorley deposed: I am a police constable.'stationed at Otaki. 1 arrived from Paraparaumu by the 12.20 train yesterday, and on getting off the train I was met by Joseph Wright, who reported to me that tho old man. Williams, had been burnt to death in his whare, at Waitohu. I wired to the superintendent of the police for.ee, at Wellington, informing him of the occurrence ; then telephoned to the Coroner at Levin. I procured a horse and trap and went to tho scene of the fire, in company with Joseph Wright. When I arrived there I y\v the remains of a body lying on its back with the head against the corner of the fireplace. It was badly burnt, but I

turned the body over and examined it, carefully. There wa.s no marks of violence on the skull. No clothing was'•left upon the body, and no skin .was left upon the face. By the appearanco I should think the deceased had slipped on his boots "'id gone to the whare for some purpose. There was not a particle of '-lothing to be found even under the back of the remains. I examined the whare where he usually slept, and his clothing was lying upon flie bed—the clothing that he usually wore. He could not'havc had much clothing on him when he wont! to the cook-house. His trousers and belt were lying on his bod. I had known Williams for four and a. half years, and knew him to bo a hardworking, honest, and steady man. fie was in receipt of the.old age pension since May of last year. Tn the old ago pension register it is stated that bo was born on 17th March, 1835, at Gottland, Sweden. He was a single man. As far as I know lie had no relatives in Now Zmlam].- I „,a y Kav that I brought the remains to Otaki after I visited the scene of the fire.

Verdict: Accidentally burned to loath; no evidence to show how the lecdent occurred.