BOXING FATALITY

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1932, Page 5

BOXING FATALITY

LATE H. JOHNS COMMENT BY THE CORONER. \ (Per Press Association— Copyright.) AUCKLAND, October 10. Evidence concerning the fatal boxing match at the Town Hall on Monday evening* 1 last was given in the Police Court this afternoon, when the inquest concerning the death of Henry (“Harry”) Vaientine Johns w;as resumed before the Coroner, Mr Hunt, * i ' S.M.

Johns was knocked out in the fourteenth round of his contest with Archie Hughes, and later collapsed, and he died in the Auckland Hospital on, the following morning without regaining consciousness

Evidence was given by Dr. Oafell that, when the deceased was admitted to the hospital, he was suffering from head and body bruises. He was unconscious, and \yas suffering from cerebral haemorrhage. An operation was immediately performed, hut Johns died at 7 a.m. The covering of the 'brain showed a prior injury of long standing. Mr Hunt: “Did that have anything to do with John’s death?” Witness: “It mtfy have.’’ Superintendent Till, of the Auckland Police, said that he watched the contest. At no time during the bout did he. see anything which might have caused the police to stop the.contest. It was a clean and well-fought contest, and there was no excessive punishment. It was conducted in the very best spirit by both men. Kenneth Arthur Meale, who was the referee, described the fourteenth round. The fife' said, had only been resumed one minute, and both men w6re “mixing it” freely, when Hughes connected with a. heavy left rip to the pit of Johns’ stomach. I As a natural result, Johns threw his head back, 'and opened.his month. At this moment, Hughes brought over a heavy'right hand punch to the jaw, as the result of which Johns went down on his knees. He made no attempt to rise, and he wars accordingly counted out. Witness thought that Johns was quite unconscious of what was going on. Dr. Craven, Medical Superintendent of Auckland' Hospital Staff, gave the opinion that the contest was,perfectly fair. After reading the post mortem report, witness had formed the opinion' that Johns had been'in’ a precarious condition, and a slight accident might have proved fatal. In his opinion, a former accident’had contributed to the cause of death. “Accidents will happen,” commented the Coroner, in returning a verdict that death was due to cerebral morrhage, received as the result of.* misadventure. • j|