CIRCUS MAN’S DEATH

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1921, Page 4

CIRCUS MAN’S DEATH

- .«>>»• [M,»IT.ST PIHKT-: L DINGS

. An inquest m, lield 111 \ I'l hill 's Pas: ! before Mi M. I’ i I'/.gcrahl. Ll’ I ing-ioroncr. and a inry of four (Mess,i.l. Mushl.v Cowing (foremanl. I honui Kelly. William Hates. William Thomas on llm hodv of Mii hael McMahon. " 'died at Healey Plat on (>etol.-i H.

j ard McMahon, giving evi<l* nee. ' >i ,iil : I am a musician c'l'l loved !,v Charles lliilgw av. propl-ietor ol a ira•.ailing circil- anil menagerie. About | p, a-, m ~n the I'.th | wa, in hail In a i■ i \ l- i ll v. ago ll w'tli ai\ hint la : Michael .McMahon. Mr bimlmr said. •| must s..a a iloitui." I got apt" ' M ... ..\hal was the mattiT uilli him and

' :.i ■■i,,... !.• was seriously ill, I railed io.it lor Mr lliilgw ay. Ity the time ' \||- Kalguay er. me my brother had ■ still.].1 d l.r-alloag. 11l weeks ago my I,rather took a very bail linn I'Oiaplaiiiiiig of pain- in I he elesi. I arriunparii.-d him to he examined l.y I), I tail'd of Hokitika, and was infoi ui- ,.,| 1 1.-, i It., w s s !!'.• .in" 11 mu a. mu iiulig.-fimi. lie was given a tonic, which icli'cvcd tin- naia. He was dl. ,u| Old ill. and gradually gelling w„i si* all tie I lie. I edci-eil him to . top le hind cel i! h" was better and aide to travel. When he arrived here he was .old and not li-'ling too well in ]ie dill. Ife ii t ired to: the night at,.mi 7 e.i". all I a,.| ir-ntly feeling in heller health. I have never known my I.Hither to he ill. until about H lieoige llidgw.iy said: I am 111!,linger for Piilgvay’s i.ii el’s and meiiagi-rie wliieh is touring New Zealand. Deeen ~,| was em|dove,| lor my brother's eireu-. | have known the dei-ea-eil for marly thirty years. I was in bed w ben' I l.eai.l I'dwaril MeMnllnli call to my hrother to come at nitre. I got ,11, mil of 1.e,1 t., see -I hat was w rung. Wien I arrived at AleMalmn's waguii • hi-ea-ed had stop; Oil If eathing. The ileiva-ed and his luoilie, Ivlwanl AlrMahon shared one wagon.

Henry McKay : I am a police n,.!hl Staiiniiml at Healey Kl»t' At about l.du p.m. >m Hu* fill). d<*came into t h«* Ration as lm was not !* •* *1 i u •.*; i; »* * well ami to hav»* a warm. !!»• was < «»molaitiin; r t »*1 pain in 11„ * (••lost ami short m .s>, ol l»r<*:i11 ’. IK* said tltat In* world be alright tti •' few in in it tos. T!k* nmaimd with tm* for nearly an lionr. and 101 l to join the rest ’ Hu* party V» Is* ** lit* left tm* !tf foil ;• yr.*:*t d-:*l Irlfr ami said In* was ahight. A',out !0 * » p.m. tin* satm* evening I was edhd !•> a wagon ue< up'icd l,y McMahon Urns. On my arriv 1 llutv tin* deceased was iviug on tin* l!o.» of tin* wagon umlrcsi’t*d. 11 is brother Kd\v;»rd M. AI dion and tin* linkway Jims were also iresent. I examined tin* body of d«*t«*a«.»d, hut foil ml In* was dead. 1 found no signs of violtti.f on tin* body. I Imd tin* body |i*!iioV‘*d to tlic Workers' Hall. (J<*or'M* II onier Hibson said: j am a duly (jtialifted registered nmdical pta**it inner residing at Ot.ira. I held :* post mortem examination on tin* lody of Michael MeMalmn and found |de' *i*y on tin* right side, with great effusion of fluid into the pleural cavity. Lihewise, on opening the pericardium. -If heart was (ptile swamned with fluid. Kit her of lliese conditions would he sufficient to cause death. Tin* illness seemed to have Uni of some duration, probably a month. There was no marks or stain of any kind on the body. Tin* eoroner returned tin* following verdict: That < lei-eased died as the result of pericarditis and pleurisy, widen illness had affected him for some weeks i prior to his death.