HENDEN INQUEST.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1925, Page 2

HENDEN INQUEST.

CHRISTCHURCH. Feb. IS. ’flic* inquest on Uenden opened last night .before Air Widdowson, Coroner. Evidence of identification was given by the Rev. T. N. Cuttle, Presbyterian Minister at Greymouth, who said that he had known deceased for five years. He understood Heuden came to Christchurch fo” a short holiday, as he had been in ill-health. Witness had no doiib-t tlte letter left was from Hendon. I George Howard described how lie found tile body. Daniel Neil, licensee of the Shades Hotel, said that Uenden stayed at the hotel from February sth. to the evening of February 7th. That Saturday he brought a portmanteau to the office and asked witness to take charge of it. He paid his account, stating that lie was going to Lyttelton, and he might not lie back. A woman, who, witness understood, was Henden’s daughter, had called at the hotel twice since, and inquired if anything had been heard of him. When Henden arrived, he asked to be given a room to himself. Witness saw practically nothing of Henden during his stay. Constable Hislop gave evidence of finding deceased’s body lying on a rug un the floor in the scullery. He was fully dressed, except that lie i ad Lis ' boots off. In the right hand there was a piece of gas tuba measuring rme feet, one end near to his mouth, and the other end was fitted to a bracket in the wall. The tap was turned on, but the meter was of a shilling, in He slot type, had become exhausted. '1 here was no smell of gas. Alongside the head was a letter card addressed to Henden’s wife. The letter, which was handed lo the Coroner, contained a message to Alls Henden, and instruction as to the disposal of hie business. The Coroner ordered a post mortem examination and adjourned the inquest sine die.