CORONIAL INQUIRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2883, 14 May 1925, Page 2

CORONIAL INQUIRY.

A Coronial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr William Francis Edwards, who was found dead in his whare, at Marotiri on Tuesday morning, was held in the Courthouse yesterday afternoon before Mr Alf. Fraser, Coroner.

George Foord Edwards, flaxworker, Xorbiton lid., identified the body as that of his uncle. Deceased was {>3 years of age. Witness had not seen his uncle for about six years, ns he was of a retiring disposition and preferred to be by himself. He heard that deceased had not been in his usual health lately. Deceased had had very little ill health. He leti no property that witness was aware of.

Redwood Francis Bo we, farmer, Marotiri, in evidence, said that he had known deceased for five years. He was employed casually on his father's farm and lived in a house on the farm by himself. During the last few months he appeared to be getting very feeble and a fortnight before his death had complained of a cold. -Medicine had been given deceased tor his cold and witness last saw him alive on Saturday evening when he met witness' car and received It is stores. Witness visited deceased’s whare on Tuesday morning and found him dead in bed.

Constable Owen said that in response to a telephone message he visited the deceased’s whare. Deceased was lying comfortably in bed in his left side with his eyes closed. .V bottle of Nazol and some sugar in a spoon was on a stool beside the bed. fn his opinion deceased had been dead two days. Erie Mervyn Wyllie, medical practitioner, gave evidence as to having viewed the body, it was in a condition of marked, although not extreme emaciation with the eyes closed. There were no signs of injury or- bruising. From general appearance of the body it was consistent with death from heart failure, and in view of the history of the case he considered death was due to failure of a senile heart, probably accelerated by the recent severe cold. The verdict was in accordance with the medical evidence, that death was due to failure of a seffihjp® heart.

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