CORONER'S INQUEST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 4, 6 January 1868, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Court-house on Saturday afternoon before the Coroner, Dr Squires, and a jury, into the circumstances attending the death of John Oliver, of Toi-toi Valley, who died on Tuesday last from injuries sustained by a fall from a dray on the previous Saturday night. The body of the deceased had been interred on Thursday last at the new Cemetry, but the Coroner having issued an order for its exhumation, the jury proceeded thither in two omnibuses at 2 o'clock and the coffin having been opened, the body, which was already in an advanced state of decomposition, was viewed by the jury, and after it had been examined by Drs Squires and Cusack, the jury returned to town, and the inquest was resumed at the Court-house. The undertakers man Mr R. Burn, of Bronti-

street, having identified the coffin exhumed at the Cemetery as that in which the deceased had been interred on Thursday last. Dr S. A. Cusack, being sworn, stated that he identified the body that he had seen in the Cemetery as that of John Oliver, a gardener lately living in Toi-toi Yalley, and that about 4 a.m. on Sunday last he had been called up to see him, being informed that he had fallen out of a cart. He found that he had broken his neck, and the injury was such as might be caused by a man falling on the back of his head. There were no marks of violence, except of injury to the neck, nor were there any bruises about the body. He attended deceased until his death on Tuesday last. He had that day examined the body at the Cemetery, and found that the fourth and fifth bones or vertebrae of deceased's neck were broken, which, in his opinion, was the cause of death. The deceased's legs were paralysed and he only used his ribs slightly in respiring. Death was caused by dislocation of the neck, and when he saw the deceased there were no signs of drink obout him.

Thomas Martin, landlord of the Rising Sun, deposed that the deceased had been at his house at half past 9 on Saturday night and after having three or four glasses of beer, had left with a carter, named Brown, getting into his cart at the back. Deceased might have been a little 'on' but was not drunk.

William Brown, of Spring Grove, deposed to having been with the deceased at the Rising Sun at the time above mentioned; that he had left with him, getting into the cart at the back, the night being very dark. When witness got to the bottom of the Taranaki Buildings Hill, he missed deceased and turning back found him lying in the road, A person named Manning, who came up at the time, struck a match to see who he was, and another named Blincoe, who was there, put him into the cart, and then said he would take him out of the cart, and go and tell his wife what had occurred. He did so, and the witness then went off, leaving deceased alone. He did not think he was hurt, but fancied that the fall had shaken him. He did not hear deceased speak, and thought he might have fallen in trying to get out of the cart to go home. Llewellyn Manning, laborer, Waimea-road, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness, adding that after he had left the deceased with Blincoe and Brown, he was again called up by Mr Richards and on going out found Mr Charles Martin and Mr Arthur Knyvett carrying the deceased, guided by his wife bearing a lamp. Mary Oliver, the widow of the deceased, deposed to having been called up about midnight on Saturday by Mr Richards who asked her to come and assist him in helping her husband home. She did so, and followed him to the place, where two gentlemen were looking on, who offered to carry him home if she would assist with a light. Having procured a lantern from Mr Richards, they carried him home, and having helped to take off his boots, put him to bed. About 3 a.m. he asked witness to go for the doctor, and she accordingly fetched Dr Cusack. He could not move his legs, but could move his arms a little, though he had no feeling in his limbs. Deceased told witness he had fallen out of the cart on his head, and that he knew no more about it. He had been quite steady until last week when he ' broke out,' and was wet through when witness saw him.

Francis Blincoe, labourer, Waimea-road, said that as he was going up the hill by the Taranaki Buildings after 10 o'clock on Saturday night, he met a cart, and a few moments after heard a noise. On going back he heard a man saying 'I am killed, I am killed', and on his asking where he was, deceased replied 'In the ditch; lift my head up, for I am smothering.' His head seemed to be doubled up underneath him, and witness having told him to lie there, went to call the witness Manning. The rest of this witness's evidence was simply a repetition of that given by the previous witnesess, except that he stated that he thought the deceased 'dead drunk,' and had often seen him that state.

Mr Charles Martin, of Stoke, deposed that he and Mr. Arthur Knyvett were riding along the road about 11. 20. p. m. on the night in question, when they saw a man lying just off the road, moaning and saying he was dying. They immediately got off their horses, and tried to raise him, but finding he could not stand, roused Mr. Richards, and ultimately carried him to his house and laid him on his bed. He could not move either hand or leg, and though the witness thought at the time he was in liquor, he could not detect any signs of liquor on him ; he was perfectly couscious, and kept on complaining of his neck. This concluded the evidence, and the jury at once returned a verdict, in accordance with the above facts, of " accidental death."