INQUEST.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 6 September 1880, Page 2

INQUEST.

The adjourned coronial inquiry touching'the death of Albert Victor Johns, who was found dead in his house, was held this morning at the Star and Garter Hotel before T. "W, Parker, Esq., RE, District" Coroner, and the following jury : —John. Hardy (foreman), J. Hunter, Wm. Menzies, S. Bryce, J. M'Donald, N. Swinard, C. P. Roberts, J. C. Simey, H. Aitken, J. Lawson, Wni. Bee, W. J. Smith, IST. Lane, and S. ~Nev?ey. The names of the jurors having been called over, John White, lately assistant bailiff, gave evidence to the effect that he knew the deceas,edj who was a native of Berlin, and about 35 years of age. The deceased, who was temperate, was in the habit of calling daily at witness' house. He had not been looking well lately, and had complained of illness. Deceased toid witness that he was subject to fits, that he took one every seven years, and that he .expected one to occur about the latter end of August, and that he thought would cai.iae his death. Deceased was last in witness' house on the night of Thursday, the 26th ultimo. He was perfectly sober, but complained of something about the chest. "Deceased left at ten minutes past 11 o'clock,, and was to have called at 11 o'clock next morning, but did not do, so* Witness thought it strange that deceased did not keep his appointment, and made inquiries ! for him, but heard nothing of him. On I Saturday evening witness went to de- : ceased's house and found the place locked I up. Witness inquired for deceased on and off until Tuesday, but could. not find him. On Tuesday he got some keys to try the door of deceased's house, and found it locked and the key inside. He told Mr. Leigh's clerk, Mr. John S. Polson, how he found the house, and Mr. Poison got into tha house, remaining there about a. minute. On coming out he told witness to send for a constable, which was done. Witness believed that deceased had a son and daughter in Ger« many.

3 To the Foreman :It was abo.u,t %e weeks ago that deceased. h,a,d. spoken of 3 the fit, and afterwards. ho would have ; to go to the doptoif. He also said that he c had the last fjt in August, 1873. I Rr. Garland gave evidence to having been called to see the deceased in a house down the Empire yard. Deceased was | quite dead. He found the body lying in bed, with the left, arm under the head, as thpugh he had'died peacefully. From the appearance of the body witness concluded that deceased had been dead. s,6me days. On the Ist September witness made a post mortem examination of the 1 body. There were no. signs of any struggle prior to death. There were no external marks of v-iolenoe on the body, and no evidence of a corrosive having been swallowed. [Witness then described th,e condition of the body.] The cauae of death was evidently syncope.,, that is the stoppage of the heart'?, motion. This wasprobably the result of exhaustion, caused by excessive purging and vomiting. There was not the slightest evidence of any poison having been taken.' Had any poison been taken it would hav% leirt behind evidences of its having been, in the stomach, but there were np such evidences. The fact that deceased, thought he was ! going to die might have hastened death. ; His heart was in a very feeble state, an,d j not fit to, bear any great strain of; any I ■sort. !

John Sutherland Poison, gave- evidence to having, on the 31st August,, entered the house in which deceased liyed, and there saw the deceased lying on his back in bed. The body was not touched until the* constable arrived. Constable Christie stated that he was called to the house of the deceased on the #lst August, He saw the deceased lying ;in. bed dead. About twenty minutes afterwards Br, Garland arrived. The body was not at all interfered with until Dr. Garland arrived. ; After a brief consultation, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased had died from natural causes.