OBITUARY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1737, 12 July 1917, Page 3

OBITUARY.

CONSTABLE HANLON—AGED 37 YEARS. Quite a gloom was east over Foxton when the news spread that Constable Hanlon had died suddenly in Air Patterson’s chemist shop on Tuesday night. Constable Hanlon was about town during the afternoon, and although he complained about a sore throat, nothing serious was anticipated. The day previous he, in company with a Palmerston constable, escorted a male patient to the Porirua mental hospital. Owing to delay at the hospital, he missed the early evening train, and had to hang about in the cold at Porirua and catch a late train for Wellington, and returned to Poxton by the mail coach at midday on Tuesday. Beyond complaining of his throat he appeared in his visual cheerful spirits. During the evening he called on Air Patterson to see whether he could gel relief, und asked for a doctor. While the chemist was preparing a gargle deceased expired. The late Constable Hanlon was born in Auckland, and was the eldest son of Air and Airs L. Hanlon, of Palmerston N. He was a member of the Sixth South African Contingent, and on his return from South Africa joined the police force, and was stationed at Okarito and Wellington, being transferred to Foxton about two and a-half years ago. His genial and sociable disposition made him very popular, and he was held in high esteem by the local public. He was secretary of the local Defence Rille Club, and an enthusiastic member. He also associated himself with patriotic movements. He leaves a wife and two young children. To his bereaved wife and relatives, we, in common with the Foxton public, extend our heartfelt sympathy. THE INQUEST. An inquest was held before Mr Alt'. Fraser, District Coroner, yesterday afternoon, when the following evidence was taken: Hugh Campbell Patterson, chemist, stated that deceased eamc into his shop about t hree o’clock on Tuesday afternoon, and asked for a gargle, as he had a sore throat. He returned at about Jive o’clock and took the gargle away with-him. He came hack again about twenty past seven, and complained of being worse. Witness telephoned to Levin for the doctor. He described the symptoms through the telephone, and the doctor prescribed an inhalant, which he instructed witness to get deceased to use at once. Witness made up the inhalant and gave it to deceased, and lie attempted to inhale it, lint could not. lie then commenced lo walk about, and suddenly collapsed. With assistance, witness laid him on a couch, hut ho expired almost immediately. Dr. Bryson staled (hat the previous witness telephoned him about 7.30 o’clock’ on Tuesday night in reference to deceased’s condition. Hq prescribed an inhalant. A little later Air Batterson rang up and said that deceased had died in the sho]). ’ He made a post mortem examination, and found the throat and larynx were norma I. The wall of (lie right chamber of the heart was dilated and was very thin, and both chambers were empty. In his opinion death was due to dilation of the heart (heart failure). Gonstahle Woods iiulentilied the body, and staled that of late deceased appeared in his usual health and spirits, but on Tuesday afternoon had complained of a sore throat. Witness told him not to come on duty that night. The Coroner returned a verdict Unit the cause of death was heart failure.