CORONER’S INQUEST.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 631, 20 August 1851, Page 3

CORONER’S INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Victoria Hotel on Saturday, before Dr. Fitzgerald, coroner, on the body of Joseph Carty, the child of a soldier of the 65th Regt. Charles Carty—l am the father of the deceased boy, Joseph Carty; about a quarter past three o'clock on Friday afternoon, August 15th, I was standing at the corner of my house ; x two of my children and the deceased were outside picking up corn; the deceased, aged two years and five months, was standing up, and the other two children were on their knees, a quarrel arose between them; the deceased raised bis foot, and hit one of the children on the bridge of the nose • I called the deceased over, and picked up the bit of manuka twig here produced, and gave him two slaps across the buttocks with it; he ran to his mother’s arms immediately, and went off in a fit, from which be never recovered ; I sent up to the military hospital for Serjeant M'Ginnity, who came down immediately ; I never corrected the child before in my life ; he was a favourite child of mine ; I have seven children living. James M'Ginnity— l am Hospital Serjeant at the Military Hospital; yesterday, Friday, August 15th, between three and four o’clock’ I was called by Charles Carty to see his child, which was stated to me to be in a fit; I immediately went over, as it was close to the hospital; but when I arrived I found the child dead ; I then sen; for Dr. Monteith; I have known the father of the deceased for a long time, and know he is veiy fond of his children, and believe him to be very mild in his correction of them. George Dalrymple Monteith, surgeon in Wellington—On Friday. A tignsi 15th f bo= tween three and four o’clock I was sent for to see the deceased Joseph Carty ; on arriving at the house I found his child dead ; from the statement made to me, I conceive he died from congestion of the brain, caused by fright; I examined the body at the time", which was free from any marks of violence, save a blister on the left leg caused by a hot brick which was used to try and restore life ; I tried the usual means to restore life, but to no effect. The Jury returned a verdict of “ Death from fright caused by a slight chastisement inflicted by the father, whom the Jury exonerated from any blame.