Inquest.

Manawatu Herald, 16 December 1899, Page 2

Inquest.

On Thursday afternoon the Coroner, E. S. Thynne, Esq., held an inquiry into the death of William York, at the Courthouse.

The following were the jury : — W. G. Robinson (Foreman), J.T. Mitchell, J. S. Ennis, W. Alzdorf, J. W. Liddell, and H. Brad cock.

The following evidence was taken : —

Devenish Meares deposed — I am a legally qualified medical practitioner residing at Foxton ; I have seen the body of the deceased and recognise it as the body of the man I was called to see on board the Whangaroa yesterday morning; about seven o'clock yesterday morning I saw the deceased in orie of the cabins of the schooner Whangaroaj then lying alongside the wharf; he had his throat cut and I bandaged him up and had him removed to Mrs Fyford's house ; I saw him several times, and the last time it would be about eleven o'clock at night, when he" appeared to be dying, and some stimulant I sent down tor him arrived after he was dead ; I think his death resulted from the nervous shock and loss of blood, and nothing could have been done to have saved his life ; I think I must have seen him within half an hour of his having cut his throat.

By the Constable — I think the knife produced would be an instrument Capable of inflicting the wound. Edwin Cain deposed— l animate of the schooner Whangaroa, she is now alongside the wharf; the deceased William York was cook and steward on the vessel, and had been drinking a good deal; the deceased yesterda' morning about six o'clock called to mt in the adjoining cabin, saying " Mr Mate," and I went after he had called me two or three times ; he told me he had cut his throat, and he pulled a towel off it and I saw plenty of blood ; I then called the captain and the two of us went to see him; the captain asked him what he^ had cut his throat for, and the deceased said he felt miserable ; the deceased was a married man and his wife resides at Balmain, New South Wales ; I have seen one son about 25 years of age ; there had been no disagreement between deceased and the others on board.

By the Constable— l saw the deceased when he came on board on Tuesday, and he was drunk ; he went into his cabin ; I next saw him about five o'clock in his cabin, he wa& asleep ; I then fastened him in. Samuel Brown deposed — I am captain of the schooner Whangaroa, and the deceased William York was my cook and steward ; yesterday morning I was called to see him by the mate and I asked the deceased what was the matter with him ; he said he had cut his throat, and on my asking him why he had done so he said he didn't know ; I ordered the mate to fetch the police and Constable Forster arrived within ten minutes or a quarter of an hour ; the doctor arrived directly afterwards and bound him up and had him removed ; there has been no disagreement between the cook and anyone on board ; I shipped deceased in Sydney on the sth October; I have paid into the hands of the police £9 15s, being all the wages that were due to him, and I paid £3 as an advance on shipping him ; since I came down with the vessel from Wirokino last Friday I have been unable to keep him on board the vessel, as he would keep drinking on shore ; I saw him on Tuesday morning coming from the public house and I then told him he must remain on the ship or I would report him to the police ; he was drunk at dinner time and in his berth, and the mate fastened it up ; at midnight I unfastened the door in case he might need to leave, thinking he would be sober; I recognise the knife produced as the one deceased used on board the vessel; I think his drinking habits must have caused his act.

John Forster deposed — I am the constable stationed at Foxton ; about six forty-five yesterday morning Mr Cain, the mate of the Whangaroa, reported to me that the cook had cut his throat ; I ran up for Dr Meares and then went on board the ship: I found the deceased lying in his cabin with a lot of blood about him, with ;. towel tied round his throat ; he was quite conscious ; I did not interfere with him but left him till the doctor came about ten minutes after ; whilst waiting for the doctor I took down this statement that he made, " I was born in Cambridgeshire in the year 1835 ; I have a wife and family in Sydney; I have been drinking in all the hotels in Foxton since I came to Foxton in November ; I cut my throat with that knife (produced); I cannot say what made me do it ; I am sorry now and if ever I get over this I will never touch beer again." I have a letter which I found in his coat pocket which is addressed to deceased William York, steward Whangaroa, and is signed " With best wishes, your wife, W. T. York, 106 Short street, Balmain, Sydney. The knife, produced, was on a chair in deceased's cabin, and the blood on it was quite wet when I got there ; deceased said the knife was his own property ; I received from Captain Brown £9 15s, being amount of wages due to deceased, also a clock and a quantity of clothing ; by order of Dr Meares I removed the deceased to Mrs Fy ford's house for attendance ; I suggested taking him to the Palmerston hospital, but Dr Meares said he would not survive the removal ; I was in Mrs Fyford's house about ten minutes to eleven ; I went up with the doctor to get a bottle of

medicine and on returning at eleven o'clock I went in to give him some, when Mrs Fyford said he had just died. The jury at once brought in a verdict that William York died from the effect of a wound self-inflicted while in a state of temporary insanity caused by excessive drinking.