CONSTABLE DOYLE’S DEATH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1065, 18 February 1913, Page 3

CONSTABLE DOYLE’S DEATH.

CORONER’S INQUIRY. The coroaial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of the late Constable Doyle, who died in the Palmerston Hospital on the morning of February sth, was continued yesterday, before Mr J. W. Poynton, District Coroner, and a jury. Dr. Martin stated that on Monday, February 3rd, the late Constable Doyle was admitted to the Hospital, and witness attended to him. He found that the right lower limb of the leg was distorted owing to the dislocation of the right knee joint. There was tremendous bruising and hemorrhage under the skin. The constable’s left eye was also black, and Doyle stated that he had a pain over the heart. Witness’s impression was that he was suffering from the early stages of delirium .tremens. Both Drs. Putnam and Peach agreed that the man was suffering Irom delirium tremens. Deceased was given a little ether, and Dr. Putnam and witness attended to the limb, reducing the dislocation and attending to the fracture. At the lime of admission to the Hospital and afterwards Doyle showed marked signs of having a weak heart, aQ d was in a poor physical state. From this onward he became maniacal, talked incoherently, rambled in his speech, and struggled violently to get out of bed, all the time getting steadily weaker. He died at 5.20 on the Wednesday morning. The cause of death was delirium tremens, induced by injuries received. To the Sub-Inspector : A shock to a person who was used to partaking of liquor freely would induce delirium. Certificates duced) signed by Dr. Adam?, of Foxton, informed witness that deceased had been generally indisposed about September last. Dr. Putnam corroborated the evidence given by the previous witness. The injuries on the leg could have been caused by a kick, and it was practically impossible that they could have been caused by a fall on the flat ground. Without the shock deceased had received, delirium would not have resulted. Arthur Gripp, carter, at Shannon, who leased the stables at the rear ot the Albion Hotel in that township, was the next witness. He stated that his stables opened into the hotel yard, and about 2.30 on the afternoon of February xst, he found two men (MacDonald being one) in the chaff room. They had no right there, and witness turned them out. Between 7.30 and 8 in the evening of the same day witness found the same two men again in the chaff room, and ordered them to leave several times. They refused, consequently witness secured the aid of the late Constable Doyle. The constable was perfectly sober, and on entering the chaff room of the stables found McDonald sitting down and the other man lying full length on the floor. The. men explained, on being questioned, that they were only having a sleep, and on being ordered away went as far as the door. Then McDonald turned to go back into the stables. Doyle caught him by the shoulder, and told him to go away, not using any force. The constable was not in uniform, and McDonald appeared to be about to strike him. McDonald at the same time said, “ You're a constable, and you do that.” He found he could not reach the constable, as the latter ; Was much taller. Then he tried to kick, but was not successful at first. Then an argument ensued, 1 to which witness did not pay particular heed, after which Doyle put his hand on McDonald’s shoulder. The latter then kicked I the constable below the knee. With that the two fell on the ■ ground, in the level yard, and struggled for a few minutes. Witness did not interfere, as he 1 thought he had no right to. A 1 little later he noticed that the con- i stable was. injured, being unable ! to turn over. Witness could not 1 say that either man was on top of the other. Just then a Mr Tipler appeared on the scene, and with his aid witness pulled McDonald off the constable. The latter sat up. but could not rise. Then, as the constable was sitting, McDonald hit him on the eye, remarking, “ You’re a constable. I’ll give you ham and eggs.” McDonald and the other man then left the yard. Witness and Tipler attended to the deceased, and with some other men carried him into the hotel, he being unable to walk. The constable remarked, as be was bjing carried in, that he thought something was broken, but did not want a doctor. As far as witness knew both McDonald and the'other man were sober, but he would not say that they had not had drinks. Mr H. Tipler, contractor, living at Shannon, deposed that bn the evening of the Ist inst., while passing the Albion Hotel yard gate he saw the scuffle on the ground and recognised the two emeu engaged. He corroborated the evidence of the previous witness as to what happened afterwards. James Curran, of Shannon, stated that he met the late constable in company with Gripp on the evening- of the Ist inst. He spoke to him, and witness con* sidered that he was perfectly sober. A little while after witness saw McDonald and another man coming away from the hotel. To Mr Cooper; Witness thought someone obtained a drink for Doyle during the time following the accident. To the foreman: Witness had never seen deceased the worse for liquor ; he was always capable of doing bis duty,

A. C. Bradley, licensee of the Albion Hotel (Shannon), also gave evidence, stating that he sat up with the constable (who was suffering pain) all Saturday nigUt, and on the Sunday morning sent for a chemist. When he heard that Doyle had been injured he took him a nip of whisky and soda out into the yard where he lay. According to the instructions of the chemist witness took deceased a nip of whisky every four hours from Sunday morning till mid-day on Monday, when Doyle left by train for the hospital. P. W. Denton, chemist, gave evidence as to treating the injured constable after the accident. Defective Quirke gave evidence as to arresting McDonald at Makerua. He admitted that he had been in Shannon on the Saturday evening. Witness was also present in the court when McDonald was first charged with assaulting the constable, add heard McDonald plead that he was guilty ol the offence. The plea, however, under the circumstances, was not Sergeant Willis also gave evidence. In summing up, the Coroner remarked that it appeared quite clear that the constable had been assaulted, and at the time was quite sober- The medical evidence showed clearly that delirium had resulted from the injuries received, and Mr Poynton quoted from a medical authority as to the commonness of the conditions of delirium resulting from even the slightest injury. After a short retirement the jury returned the following verdict: — “That, in accordance with medical evidence, Constable Doyle’s death was caused by injuries received while in the execution of his duty when called upon to remove Peter McDonald from the stable yard at Shannon.” The jury was also of opinion that the injuries then received were the cause of the constable’s death ; also that the constable was perfectly sober and able to perform his duty.