CORONER’S INQUEST.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 134, 2 July 1880, Page 3

CORONER’S INQUEST.

An inquest was held at Mr Buckman’s Accommodation House, YVairau Valley, on Wednesday last, before S. Johnson, Esq., Coroner, touching the death of Joseph Gartshore, a surveyor, lately working as a miner at the Arm Chair Creek diggings, Upper Wairau. The jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken : _ James Crosby,- a miner at Arm Chair Creek, deposed that on Sunday last he, with deceased and Norman Macdonald, went to the store, there ground their axes.. Witness prepared tea, and in the meantime his mates went out again. About U hours later they returned, Macdonald taking his tea, but deceased went to bed and had a short sleep of half an hour. On awakening Macdonald asked him to have some tea and bread and meat, when just as he began to eat it, deceased got up, and at the same time Macdonald called out that he was choking, and bid witness get him some water. As he went for it he called out to the inmates of the next tent to come to their assistance. They came, and tried various means to enable the deceased to get Inis breath, hut they soon found that he W( n S dead, and took steps to inform the police. Deceased was subjected to cramps and spasms in the chest, chiefly on the right side-never heard him complain of palpitation! they had lived together during the last three mouths; lie sometimes complained of rheumatic pains ; he told witness that he had been a mining enginner, was aged 42 and of a studious disposition, and given toreadino-. Did not seem to have over-ex-erted himself. He told witness he had some property in Scotland; he left no property or effects here, except his swag and Ins share in the claim, which was of little orno value. He was subjected to swelling of the legs, and he told witness last week that he consulted a doctor in Timaru about the spasms, who cautioned him agninst getting his feet wet. On Sunday he did get his feet wet by walking in the creeks. Normau [Macdonald, another mate of deceased, gave similar evidence. He said that when he gave him the tea, he cried out suddenly “ I am done,” gave a deep inspiration as if his breath was stopped, ancl fell over upon witness’ arms, who was sitting upon the opposite bunk. They called for help and every effort was made to promote respiration, but they soon found he was dead. Witness watched by the dead body till morning and then went to Renwick to give information to the police. He was very subject to piles, and had been for 15 years he complained of pains in the back on Friday and Saturday. He told witness that if ever he got the cramp in his left side he should go off on a sudden. He had not had a dry foot during the nine weeks they had been on the diggings. He came from a town about 10 miles from Glasgow. [ln reply to a question as to whether he had left any effects or property, witness said he had about 2| ounces of gold in his possession, which he produced and it was sealed up before - the jury.] Deceased did not complaiu during the day of his death until the night; he appeared to suffer greatly from mental anxiety and was very desirous to get home again to Scotland; he was a very hard drinker. William Peachey deposed that he lived in the next tent to deceased’s party. About five p.m, on Sunday deceased came to thentent and sat talking on different subjects, seemingly in good health and spirits, for about half an hour, when lie said he would go aud lie down for a while. He did not complain of any pams. Some time afterwards witness beard Macdonald calling out to him for assistance, when he and his mate rushed in quickly. Macdonald said he thought he was choiring. My mate took him in his arms and they tried various means to promote his breathing. The appearance of his face and eyes when witness went in led him to the opinion that he was dead ; felt bis pulse and found it still; had only a slight acquaintance with deceased; believed lie died instantaneously ; noticed that his lips, the tip of his nose, and his neck had turned blue.

The verdict of the jury was to the effect that deceased, Joseph W. Gartehore, died by the visitation of God iu a natural way.