Sudden Death at Cheltenham

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 17, 21 January 1937, Page 3

Sudden Death at Cheltenham

INQUEST HELD. I An inquest, concerning tho sudden death of Arthur Ellerm, aged 50 years, which occurred at “Parorangi, " Cheltenham,' on Saturday last, was held at the Feilding Courthouse yesterday morning before tho Coroner, Air ‘Edmund Goodbeherc. The first witness called, Dr. F. Cara* cron, medical practitioner, gave evidence to the effect that he had received a telephone call at about 7.30 a.m. on Saturday, from Mrs Jensen at the Short Estate, and she had stated that she thought that Air Arthur Ellerm was dead. Witness drove out to the Estate and examined the body, which was in bed, lying in restful repose. There were no signs of violence.

On the instruction of the Coroner witness had performed a post-mortem examination and m his opinion death was due to ruiituro of the heart brought about by inflammation of the inner lining of that organ. W. Jensen head-shepherd on the Short Estate, testiiied that he had worked under deceased for tho past three and a-half years. He had known him for 22 years. Deceased was a single man and lived with witness and his wife, having been employed on tho estate for 25 years and in recent years, as manager. On Friday, January 15, tho late Mr Ellerm had journeyed to Feilding to the stock sale. On returning home that evening between 5.30 and b o’clock deceased retired without taking any tea. About midnight witness heard deceased call him so ho went to his bedroom. Deceased asked for a drink and witness gave him a glass of water and later some more, with a dash of whiskey in it. Deceased apologised for the trouble he had caused witness and said goodnight. The next intimation that anything was amiss was received by witness when his wife came to him and told him that she had been in with a morning cup of tea to the deceased but she thought ho was dead. The police and a doctor were then communicated with. The only occasion on which witness

had known deceased to be ill was a’ -it eight months ago when he had had an operation to his nose in tho Palmerston North Hospital. Mrs Alargaret Jensen, wife of the previous witness gave corroborative evidence. Witness said sho had seen deceased twice on the evening of oauuary 15. She had taken tea to his bedroom after he had retired and later at 8.3 U she returned, but found it had not been touched and deceased told her to leave it and he would have it later. On taking a customary cup of morning tea to deceased on Saturday witness received no answer to her knocks and entering the bedroom sho discovered the deceased lying in bed as if he were dead. Deceased had never complained to witness of illness, but on occasions, when witness had asked him whether he was well or not, had said he had a bad head. Constable C. H. Turnbull, stationed at Feilding, gave evidence of having visited the Short Estate and of having been taken to a bedroom at the rear of the house where he had examined the body of deceased. There was no marks of violence. The Coroner, in accordance with the medical testimony, returned a verdict of death, due to rupture of the heart brought about by inflammation of the inner lining.