CITY MAN’S DEATH

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1926, Page 4

CITY MAN’S DEATH

A MYSTEIUOCS AFFAIR

CHRISTCHURCH, Sept 12. On the night of August 20th-, George t Francis Sullivan, aged 30, of Welling-* t ton, fell from the bathroom at | tue Excelsior Hotel, and died in a few , minutes, as a result of injuries re- i ecived. At the inquest, which was held , on Saturday by the district coroner, < Mr H. A. Young, evidence was given whith indicated that Sullivan was i leaning from the window attempting to I attract the attention of a waitress in a room nearby. 1 Ellen Oliver, a waitress employed at i the hotel, said that her bedroom was next to the bathroom, and while .she i was getting herself ready to go out she heard some whistling, and, looking 1 from her window, she saw a light in the lailies’ bathroom, ft appeared io her as if somebody was attempting to attract someone’s attention. Dr Thomas Leslie Crooke. who conducted the post-mortem examination on Sullivan’s body, said that the cause of death was haemorrhage at the base of the brain, caused by an extensive fracture to the base of the skull. Iluid | in the stomach smelt strongly of stale beer, and he was of the opinion that the man in all probability was intoxicated at the time of death. LANDLORD’S STORY. I George Kox Webster, licensee of the hotel, said he had known Sullivan for about two years. He had gone to the hotel ill August, and had taken a room on the to]) lloor. Sullivan and another lodger had been drinking together, but they had not been drinking too much. Witness spoke to Sullivan at 7.30 on the night of Ins death. He was then quite sober and bright in* his demeanour. A few minutes after that witness went out to - the yard, and found Sullivan lying on the ground gasping. A match was struck, and lie noticed blood about. He then went inside to ring the hospital. When he returned to the man he found him dead. The next morning witness went upstairs and saw that the ladies’ bathroom dour had been locked and bolted from inside. On bursting open the 1 door lie saw footmarks on the bath and I scratches on the window-sill, which | had probably been made by a boot. The bottom part ot the window was open and broken, and a hit of bloodstained glass found in the yard corresponded with the glass in the bathroom window. The coroner: Ry leaning out of the hath room window would he be able to see into Hie waitress’s room? Yes; but he would he only able to see very little of it. To lean out of the window he would have had to get into the bath. XEITHER. SOBER NOR DRUNK. Klino T. Lyons said hat he had met • Sullivan in the Excelsior Hotel about 0 p.ni. They had two drinks together, : and although Sullivan was not absolutely sober he was very far from being i drunk. The coroner, in returning a verdict • in accordance with the medical evi- ; donee, said that all the circumstances , pointed to the deceased having fallen from the bathroom window, very likely while attempting to attract- the attention of (he waitress in a nearby room. Apparently he had taken a fair amount of intoxicating liquor that day. Air Lockwood, when the inquest was concluded, asked permission to mention f a matter. He said that mi addressed , hank-book was io Sullivan' ’s possession , Jit ilio time of Jus deni it. hut the police , had not notified i!:o relatives in Wol- ' fimrhui of the aeridonv. '"Dm* coroner: Tf T remember rightly, Ibe police sent a telegram away Hie | next morning, but it did not reach the vi'-'.ht address. If you think the police j did not do all they should have done. the matter should lie referred to the I police superintendent.