OLD MAN’S DEATH

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1929, Page 3

OLD MAN’S DEATH

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. •' TIMARU, Sept.. 18. “I find that death tvas due to syncope, brought about by fatty degenera 7 tion of the heart,” said the Coroner, Mr C. R. Orr-Walker, at an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Patrick Doran, aged s:xtyciiree years. Doran was found dead in ins bed at the Old People’s Honle on Sunday morning, September Bth. The Coroner added that, although death m.glit have been hastened from the excitement of an altercation with another inmate, no ■ blame was attachable to that person. .Dr G. H. Usher, who conducted a post-mortem on deceased, said that he qould 'find . np- eyideHce- ofVassau.lt, except for an abrasion pn • the., .righthand;which might have been, caused: by struggling with a stick. : Tile,..blood found could have come;'frbm the abrasion mentioned. , His opinion was.that Doran died in his sleep from syncope, resultant. from fatty degneration of the heart. The excitement of a struggle might have been a contributory cause of death.

Edward Lavert-y, master of the Old People’s Home, said he had-last seen Doran alive at 5 p.in. on the Saturday prior to his death, when he appeared all right. Doran slept in a dormitory with other men. Doran had -complained that 'Hogben, another, inmate, had aroused ’liiiiv by his snoring. Doran had always' carried a heavy stick. When found dead in the bed, Doran*’ was lying ’ quite naturally, but there was blood on the back of < one hand and-. behind both ears. Deceased was quiet and not of a quarrelsome naturfe. Theodore Hacker, an innate of the home, said lie slept opposite deceased. At about 11 p.m. on Saturday,''September 7th. witness heard an altercation going on between 'Doran and Hogben. He turned the lights on and saw the two men struggling for. the possession of a stick. While the light was on, Hogben and Doran both got back‘into bed.

Walter Hogben, an inmate of the borne for two years past, said that he slept next lo Doran. He went to bed at about eight o’,clock on the Saturday night prior to Doran’s death, be retiring at the same time. At about midnight, lie was awakened by Doran snoring, and he shook his heel clothes,

Doran got up and he threatened -ito strike him with a stick. Witness gqfc, > hold of the stick, and they for five or, ten minutes-' iA the . deavour to secure possession. ma lights went on during, thq He did not strike Doran at any and he appeared all right when went to bed again. He heard noth--ing further during the. night;. Witney, was sixty-eight years of age, and, Dor-j, an was sixty-three. Duringthe,. t .struggle Doran had threatened to ... knock his head off. • 1 . .vae! This concluded the evidence,, and a. / verdict as above was returned; • • . ■ '_ : - -‘viV