A FATAL FALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10606, 3 June 1920, Page 4

A FATAL FALL

MAX WARPER’S DEATH. FINDING AT THE CORONER’& INQUIRY.

The inquest concerning the death of Max Wapper, a fireman and a native of Russia, who on Saturday morning was found dead in the yard of Young’s Private Hotel, Lamoton quay, was concluded by Mr W. G. Riddell, yesterday. Dr McElvedy, who gave evidence on , Monday, expressed the opinion that death was due to fracture of the skull, caused by very considerable force. Herbert Turner, a seafaring; man, said he had been a lodger at Young’s Private Hotel. Witness saw Wapper alive at 7 p.m. on May 28th. He had! had some drink, but was not drunk. On the morning of Sunday, May 29th, ,he heard a girl scream.. He looked out of his window and then . went downstairs and saw the body lying on the ground. The man wr* quite dead then. The small gate was locked from the outside, and no one could grt.-.i, from Lambton quay to where the de- \ ceased was lying while the gate wai fastened that way.

William Lavery, proprietor of Young’s Hotel, said that Wapper haa boarded with him for 14 months, and occupied a room in the top story, the building having five floors. Ho was very drunk on Friday evening,and did not sleep in his bed that night. Thomas Martin, porter at the hotel, said he saw Wapper in his room at 8 p.m. on Friday, when he wan fully dressed and under the influence of liquor. " Detective-Sergeant Andrews said lie saw the body lying in the yard The head was Bft 9in from the wall and sfv9in from a shed at the left of the bodv The pockets were not disarranged ’ The building had fire escapes on the south side on the third and fifth floors, hut as there was only a top rail, a person could easily slip through. The shed was roofed with iron and showed signs of having received a heavy blow. One of the rafters inside had been split apart an inch or more. On the evening of May 28th there was a heavy fall of hail, some of which would lodge on the fire escape. On May 28th he received £8 12s 8d in wages, of which £1 '7s Gd was paid for board; 8s 9cl was found on the hodv, leaving £1 16s to ho aceoimted for. To the coroner; I have not been able to find anv evidence that would suggest foul plar, and exhaustive inquiries were made. I am of the opinion that the deceased had accidentally fallen from the fire escape. The coroner said that the evidence showed that the deceased was 52 years of age. of a quiet disposition, hut given to drinking. The finding would be that Max Wamwr died on Mav 28'V. from fraoture of tho skull earned accidentally falling from the fire escape. There was nothing to show that spy person had interfered with him in any way.