AN INQUEST

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1933, Page 4

AN INQUEST

An inquest was held at the Police Station last evening by the Coroner, Mr A. E. Benjamin, touching the death of Frederick Herbert Lindop.

Evidence wa lH given by Dr. B. L. Wilson, who held a post mortem, Mrs Lindop, Miss Marjorie Lindop, Noah Harris and Constable Drummond. Tlie evidence showed that deceased, who wa.s a native of Wellington and 48 years of age, accompanied ,by his daughter Marjorie went to Koiterargi yesterday morning hy lorry for the purpose of driving a cow from there to Hokitika, The cow gave considerable trouble at Harris Creek bridge, reusing to cross it, and breaking back along the road, ultimately crossing through the creek and proceeded quietly till Ivokatahi bridge was reached about noon, when it again refused to errss the bridge and endeavoured to break hack, and after a lot of trouble eventually broke away hack towards Koiterangi, in spite of strenuous efforts by the deceased to prevent it. Tlie deceased then fell backwards on the road. The scream of the daughter brought Mr Noah Harris, who was working some three chains away, and he found deceased on his back. He was unable to speak and wa s gasping, his heart bumping. In a few seconds the heart ceased altogether.. Deceased /did not move an al’m or leg nor did he speak, apparently passing away almost int* mediately. Two Kokatahi ladies ar* rived at this time and at once went to telephone for a doctor. On arrival a short time afterwards, Dr Oakey pronounced death to have ensued. Constable Drummond, who had also been informed arrived shortly afterwards, and took charge of the body, which had been under the care of Mrs Harris. The body was removed to the. latter’s homestead, and subsequently removed to the morgue at,, Hokitika, where a close examination was made. There were, no external marks of violence. There were some strips of sticking plaster on the right ribs. The evidence of Dr Wilson was to .the effect that the deceased had been examined on September 14th, having strained the muscles on the right side of the chest. It was not a serious strain. He seemed healthv and robust. The strain was not likely to lead to anything further. He had made a post mortem at ■ the morgue on the deceased and had found found that lie died from heart failure due to excessive exertion. Tlie .heart showed atheromatous changes about the mitral valve ami aorta and an advanced calcification of both coronary arteries. T !l e other organs and brain were in good order. There woul,l he no. outward indication of the condition of the coronarv arteries.

Tho Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical' test.'Tnprv Hat deceased died from heart failure due to excessive eyerMott.y exoressnig iv ;0 Hrono+L,, with jVL’S Linden afid family in their sudden?bereavetnWit —