SUDDEN DEATH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5221, 30 December 1927, Page 2

SUDDEN DEATH.

MAN EXPIRES IN BED>> INQUEST ADJOURNED. Shortly after 7 o’clock yesterday morning a man named Garrett Peter Barry, aged about 50 years, an insurance agent with headquarters at Paeroa, was discovered dead -n his bed a the Royal Mail Hotel, Paeroa- Medical aid was summoned, but the doctor could only pronounce life to b® ex ‘

tinct. The body was reproved to -the morgue, and following on a P° st ‘ mortem examination an inquest was opened before Mr F. E. Flatt, distr*ct coroner, at the Courthouse yesterday afternoon. The proceedings ware conducted by Constable McClinchy.

Dr. W. S. Fogg, Paeroa, deposed that under istructions he had conducted a post-mortem examination of deceased at the morgue. In his opinion deceased had been dead about three hours .when he first viewed the body at the Royal Mail Hotel at 7.30 o’clock that morning. There, was no apparent indication as to the cause of death, and a post-mortem examination was necessary. He found that the lungs were congested, and oedematous was present. The bronchi was also congested and contained a frothy mucus. The heart was diseased, and there were sigps of. toxic changes in other organs. The blood was of a black colour. Death, in his opinion, was due to asphyxia and heart failure. There could be a possibility of alcoholic or a narcotic poisoning, such as opium, veronal, or other drug. An early stage of pneumonia could produce a similar apeparance of the lungs. The liver showed that deceased had been addicted to alcohol. The body had the apeparance of being well-nourished, and there were no marks to indicate violence externally. The intestines showed no signs of an irritant person, such aa arsenic or mercury.

John Cooney, quarryman, said he had been boarding at the Royal Mail Hotel since Saturday. He had known deceased for years, and they had bee.n on active service, together. Deceased was not well on Wednesday and was in bed all day. Witness, sa ! d he went to bed at about 10.30 p.m. and was reading when deceased entered and asked for a cigarette. That was given him and he returned tp his own room, but did not at that time complain of feeling ill. There was no liquor in either bedroom. At about 7.15 o’clock that morning he went along to call deceased and found him dead. There was no sign of any struggle. He, informed a barman named Goonan, who advised the doctor and the pol'ce. Deceased had frequently complained -of pains, in his stomach, lungs, and nose. Witness gathered the impression that deceased was consumptive. He never drank to excess, and witness said he had not known him to take spirits of any kind. Deceased had driven an ambulance during the war and had not been wounded or affected by his war service, so far as he knew.

The inquest was then adjourned until to-day, when further evidence will be taken.