CORONER'S INQUEST.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 255, 9 January 1886, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

Information reached Lyell on Sunday, 3rd instant, at 9.30 p.m., that a miner named Dominico Beratto had committed suicide under peculiar circumstances. The Coroner, Frank Bird, Esq., arrived on Wednesday and held the usual inquiry. The jury, John Page (foreman) Henry Shaw, W. Meates, John Bn>en, John Melville, and John Roberts viewed the body, when the following evidence was taken:—

Matilda Beratto: I am the wife ol Dominico Beratto now lying dead in the cottasfa adjoining. I last saw him alive on Sunday at half-past eight o'clock in the evening. I was in the Alpine Hotel, and was putting my baby to bed. My husband came and asked for some brandy I gave it to him as Mr and Mrs Garbett were away. He asked me if I was going over to the cottage to tea. I said, "Af soon as I get the baby to sleep I will come ; you go and have yours, don't wait for me." He said he did not feel inclined for any. He then went away, and I attended to my child. Shortly afterwards I called to him, as I foun' l he had taken the bottle of brandy with him, which was partly full. He returned and brought it with him and sai 1, " There is not much left; there is only two nobblers here." I asked him if he was going to drink that, and he said, " Yes ; there is not much. The bottle produced is the one he took. He then went to the cottage. About six or seven minutes afterwards I heaid a report that sounded like a gun. I was in the bedroom and looked out of the window, but saw no one. I then went to the front door with the intention of going to the cottage. I saw two men coming to the hotel, Graham and Dunstan. They asked me what was the report. I said I didn't know, but thought it came from the mine, and they said it could not come from the mine as it was Sunday. They then asked me where was Dominico, and I replied in the cottage. Tfeey remarked that the sound was very near, and suspected that it was Dominico, to which I replied that he had no gun. They requested me to go and see, but I could not as I burst out crying for I felt frightened. I think I saw am of them go to the window and call Dominico. We have been married one and eleven months. We were married ia Wellington, and have generally lived happily except when he had too much tc drink, and lie then had very queer ideas in his head, and suffered from delusions, He left me on or about the Ist May, 1884, after a drinking bout. I gave information to the police to look for him, thinking something may have happened to him. The police arrested him in Auckland, where he had taken passage for San Francisco, and brought him back to Wellington, and he was bound over to find sureties on the sth June in the sum ol £IOO, which by order of the Court was lodged in the Bank of New Zealand to my credit. That money was kept there with the exception of .£lO, which was kept by the lawyer for his fees. We nevei lived apart sinee we were married. We were living on the Manawatu railway contract. We left Wellington on oi about 3rd September, 1884, for Westport, Before leaving I took the money out oi the bank, .£B4, and gave it to my husband. We arrived in Westport and could not rent a cottage, and my husband buill one which cost £39 ; he added extras tc it afterwards which would amount to about £oo. My husband then left foi Lyell, and I received two satisfactory letters from him, and about a month afterwards one very unsatisfactory. Ur to that time he had sent me no money. In the last letter he stated he was not drinking, and if I did not trouble him lit would send some money every month, and if I did he would send me nothing, He also said he he did not intend returning, as we did not agree, and I had n comfortable home. On receipt of the letter referred to I wrote the letter produced. Through his neglect I weut tc the Court for advice, and a summons was issued for maintenance. He came down to Westport, and appeared very much put out tliat I should send him a summons. I did not go to Court, but settled the case amicably and came to Lyell witl: him about December lGtli. During the holidays he has been drinking very much, but since New Year's Day he had not been drinking. About September, 1835, he received a letter from his father from i Italy. The letter is lost. It seemed to ' prey on his mind. He never told me the I contents. He was 34 years of age. J j have one child, 12 months old, a daughter,

By the Coroner: We had no quarrels since leaving Westport. I only tried to keep him from drinking. On the night of the 30th December he asked for some brandy when in bed, saying that he felt like a dead man. I procured it for him. He seemed quite sober. I only gave him one small glass. When nursing the baby in bed I heard him say to her "if your mother does not bring me round I'm cooked." When in Westport I saw Dr. Thorpe in reference to mv husband.. He visited him, and prescribed some medicine for him, which he took. Dr. Thorpe appeared to have doubts as to his sanity,

for lie told me if at any time I noticed anything strange in his manner to come and tell him at once. The cottage in West-port is his property still, and is rented at G/- per week. lie had no other property to my knowledge. lie-examined by the Police : Dr. Thorpe gave hiin instructions not to drink at all. Jo on Graham ; I am a miner, residing at Zalatown. I recollect the night of Sunday last. I heard a shot about 40 minutes past eight o I thought it was close to Garbett's hotel. I came out of my place and asked my neighbor, Dunstan, if lie had heard the shot. I nsked him where he tliought it came from, and he replied close to the hotel. We came down, and I said tall out to Dominico. He did so, but got no answer. We then came into the hotel and saw Mrs Beratto, and asked her if she had heard a shot. She saul she had, and thought it was in the mine. I asked her to go over to the cottage and see if it came from there, and she would not go. but burst out crying. e did not go into the cottage. We did nothing more, hearing the Garbett's returning, we went home. By the Coroner: I know the deceased slightly. I saw him on Sunday. He was perfectly sober, but appeared excited. I have seen the body since, but cannot identify it as Beratto's. The head was completely severed from the body. I saw the remains ot his head scattered over the room. To the best of my belief I think his head was blown away by a charge of dynamite. I thought at first the report I heard came irom a gun, but now' believe it was dynamite. Henry Garbettt: I am an hotelkeeper, residing at Zalatown. I recollect the night of Sunday last, 3rd January. During the day I had been absent at Lyell with my wife. We came home about a quarter past nine o'clock. On Qur arrival 1 saw Dunstan, Graham and Mrs Beratto standing near to the hotel. They asked me if I had heard tLe report of a gun. I replied that I had not. Mrs Beratto said that Dominico had been very queer all day, and I asked where he was. I understood her to say he was in the cottage, and I then asked where the report came from, and they said it was near here. I then said I should hardly think he had made away with himself. They asked me if there was an} revolvers or guns about, and I told them there was not such a thing on the hill. Dunstan, Graham, Candy, and myself went to the cottage. Some of us went in, and I noticed Dominico Beratto lying on a sofa under the window, with his head severed from his body. There was a smell as oi dynamite in the room. I then went out and locked the door, and sent word to the police station at Lyell. By the Coroner: I have known deceased about 4 years. Last Wednesday evening the 30tli December, Beratto was lu>re, and played a game of draughts for amusement, which he lost, and then became very excited. He struck his wife, and gave her a smack on the back, and then asked for his hat and <£l he had given her, and then said, "No more;" and his wife said "come and kiss your baby," and he refused; they had not been quarreling during the evening, but appeared very happy; he then left, and returned on Saturday with his wife; she having gone away to fetch him. He stayed here on Saturday night to the best of my belief. I was absent at Lyell then. Charles Bowden : I am a mounted constable of police, stationed at Lyell. On Sunday night the 23rd January, at 1C o'clock, p.m., Zova Candy reported at my office that Dominico Berotto had blown his head off, he thought, with dynamite, at Zalatown. I at once left and came here, went to the cottage, shewn me, and saw Dominico Berotta lying on his back, on a couch under the window, in the 1 front room ; he was fully dressed. His hat was lying on a chair,'near the couch, and his head was scattered over the room. I searched the body ; in his vest pocket I found the watch produced, it was working, also a purse, containing three one pound notes, one half-sovereign, and seven shillings iu silver, also sundry papers. In the left hand pocket of his coat I found the piece of candle, produced, and in the inside pocket a cartridge of dynamite capped and fused. I also found pipes, tobacco, &c. On the little finger of his left hand, I found the gold ring produced. I identify the bo 1\ as that of Dominico Beratto by his clothing and boots; one of his boots having been cut in the front. I gathered up the remains of the head. By the Coroner: He has £9 2s Gel coining to him from the Alpine company, I know of no other property except the cottage mentioned by his wife. I saw Dominico Beratto nearly every day during the holidays, and he did not appear to be drinking excessively. By a juror : I did not see any remnanl of a piece of fuse in the cottage. The pillow that his head rested on was bursted, also the board at the head of the sofa was shattered; his hands were not injured. The Jury after being addressed by -the Coroner, arrived at the following verdict " That Dominico Beratto, on Sunday January 3rd, at Zalatown, committee suicide during a fit of tempora-y in sanity."