INQUEST.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 151, 19 January 1872, Page 3

INQUEST.

An.inquest was held on Saturday the 13th day of January instant, at the dwelling Wise of Robert Patterson, Strathtaieri, before 11. W. hobinson, Esq., Coroner, on view of the body of William Chamberlain, when the following evidence was adduced : iiobert Patterson, sworn: I am a farmer residing at Strathtaieri. I have known the deceased for about a fortnight. He has been stopping at my house. He appeared sometimes to be stupid, and talked nonsense to himself. The day before yesterday (Thursday, the tlth) I saw him at four o'clock in the morning. He was up and dressed. He appeared to be in his usual state of health. About one o'clock of the afternoon of the same day I saw him again. He then appeared to be very ill, and told me he had been retching. He did not then ask for anything: About four o'clock I saw him again. He catt>e to me and asked for brandy. I asked him if he would prefer brandy to whifekey. He seemed to be unable to reply to me. He uttered a sort of howl and dropped down on the floor. 1 lifted him up on to a form. I then gave him a glass of whiskey, which he drank. He lay where I had laid him for about two hours. He could not speak plainly, but I made out that he wished me to understand that his limbs were paralised. I removed him to another apartment, and did not see him again until about twenty minutes to fight o\ lock. He was then in about the same state as when I left him. He asked for brandy. I went to get it for him and to mix it hot. When 1 returned with it I could see he was dy-

ing. Be died shortly afterwards, 1 at about eight, o'clock, -in my presence. He appeared to be cramped in bis inside. He went off quietly, as if exhausted. I hare heard him say that he was about sixty-two years of and a native of London. I: do not know if there are any relations of his iu this country. Ido not think he was a steady man. He had not to my knowledge been drinking much lately. 1 do not- think it took much liquor to affect him. He was the worse forjjjquor the first time I saw him. He clici' not com plain- to me Of having suffered any external injury. For about two hours previous' to his death I left William Lowe in, c.harge of him. Lowe was present when he died. There is; no medical man living nearer than West Taieri, a distance of over forty miles. - The circumstances as detailed-in the above evidence were fully corroborated by the evidence of William Lowe and Jeaunetta a female resident in the house of Kobert Patterson. A verdict of died from natural causes was recorded.