INQUEST AT FEILDING.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 85, 3 August 1878, Page 2

INQUEST AT FEILDING.

Dr. Rockstrow, the coroner for the district, held an inquest yesterday, at the Denbigh Hotel, Feilding, on the body of a man named George. Smith, who had been found dead m a whare near Awahuri, on the previous day. A jury of the following residents was sworn: John Maysmor (foreman), Henry Mordant Cramond, Hector James Booth, John Humphrey, Thomas McMahon, Charles Bray, Joseph Gichard, William George Haybitile, William McKeaugue, Edward Westfold, Lyndsey Alexander Galdwell, Charles Humphries. The jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken: — , ...'. Alexander McDonald deposed : I am a station holder residing at Awahuii: I knew the deceased who had been.in my service for. the last six weeks. I saw him last on .Wednesday morning, the 31st ult., at nine o'clock, when I paid him a cheque on the Bank -of; Australasia, Palmerston JSTorth, for £3 15s 6d. He then left, being perfectly sober at the time. He had nothing to drink during the whole time he had been with me. I knew him by the name of Smith. ; James Gardiner examined: I am a labourer residing at Awahuri. I remember Wednesday, the 31st of July. At midday I went to the Awahuri, and put my swag m the blacksmith's shop and m passing the hotel saw 'the deceased there, but did riot go m.. Deceased caught sight of me and called 1 out to me to go m and have adrink, but I did not do so. Later on I went into the ho! eli nni _had a drink. The deceased wa< there, and we had a drink together. Ho . was sober at the time. Smith left.b;tween half-past three and four o'clock, saying that he was going ' to Feilding. 1 never saw him. alive afterwards. Before he left he had a pound-note m his hand. Charles William Schultze deposed : I am a hotel keeper residing at Awahuri, On last Wediies>!ay the deceased came into my bar between eleven and twelve o'clock. 1 had never seen him before. He was accompanied by another man, and called for drinks, and then sat down. I dil not see him after one o'clock. To the Foreman: I think I could recognise the man with whom he came to the hotel. He could not have had^any more drinks, unless he had them while I was mat dinner. He bought no liquor to take away with him, and all he spent mmy house, to my knowledge, was eighteen pe:»ce, the price of three drinks. Te Tura Ho*ta, examined through Mr A. McDonald : I reside at Awahuri. I remember Having seen the deceased on Thursday, at about twelve o'clock,: but he was then dead. FTe" wag. lying m a house where I keep my buggy. He was lying with his. eyes -wide open, by which I knew he was not ; asleep. I never went near v the Jbodjv but ran away an I gave information to my friends. I then got a person to go for the policeman. I saw ao. pwag near ihe body. , ,

To .the Foreman*. I could form noopinion whether deceased had lain down, or had been put where I found him. Thomas Cribb (Maori) being sworn, deposed : I reside at Awahuri. I remember last Wednesday, when I saw the deceased going along the Feilding road, about one o'clock. Deceased was going towards Feilding. He appeared neither sober nor very druuk, but was staggering. He was m company with, another man, deceased leading, and with a. swag on his back. leould.re- ; cognise the man that was with him. That is the, man there* I don't know his name; but I believe it is Stewart. I As the two approached me, Stewart I took the swag from deceased and j carried it. The swag produced is the. one I allude to. lam positive of that, ! as there was but one swag between then,*and I recognise it by the pattern. I saw the roan Stewart* going on the , road to Feilding by himself, and turn back again to a certain spot, and this he did two or three times. v Afterwards be' went out on the road, and went on to Feilding carrying the swag with him. I am positive Stewart is the man. To the Foreman : At the time I siw the men on the road; Stewart may have had a drink, but he looked sober. Tho place where the body was found was hot the same as tluit to which Stewart was seen returning, but about a mile distant. ■■■--.■ Robert Alexander Veitch deposed* lam barman at the Feilding Hotel. I remember the man Stewart going to the hotel between four and fire m the afternoon. He handed a swag to me, saying that it belonged to his mate* who would be m town m about an hour or so. :The swa;* produced is the one I received. He stopped at the hotel that night, but his mate did not arrive. Lasfc . . night ho took the swag away during iny? absence, and I did not see him again; until between nine and ten this morn- . ing, when he had it m his possession. Jarae Gardiner recalled : The swag: ... produced is made up differently to one I saw with the deceased. lam sure it' was between three and four when de-; ceased left the hotel. Both; he ancljL j ; were sober. There was no quarrel between Stewart arid -deceased, and I donot remember him leaving wi.tb.TdeV ceased. ; . . •.. ..-, „.:. Daniel Jbhnstone deposed: I am- a legally-qualified medical practition>', residing at Feilding. I made a pott- ■• I mortem examination on the bbdy,yiewed. • by the jury. From its appearance I should judge the deceased to have been about for* y years of age, five, feet six inches m height, with greyishiblue eyes. On the scalp there was a cut about three-quarters of an inch lbngy but it P ; was merely a; skin wound, v On: the ■ right shin there was. a bruise, but hone * of the external injuries were sufficient , to cause death. On opening the body I found the lungs collapsed, and ad- : he'rent on both sides of the chest. The internal organs were, all ;more. ;or 'less" congested,, and; the,^liver was diseased. Deceased had evidently been suffering ! from inflammation of the bowels, andiexposure m severe weather would haveaccelerated death.., I am of opinion 1 that death was caused by past and i ipresent disease, combined ' with, .ex--posure'to the weatherr > > ; ; , -The jury retired, and af ter a Bhqrt de* liberation, returned with a. verdict m accordance with, the iinedical testimony^ j