OBITUARY.

Otaki Mail, 5 February 1919, Page 2

OBITUARY.

SUDDEN DEATH OF MRS HAGAN. A painfully sudden death occurred at le Horo on Monday niglit. when Mrs Mary Ann Hagan, wife of Mr Richard Hagan, passed away, aged 5S years. Deceased, Who was well known and highly respected, has enjoyed good health generally.- Deceased 'leaves a husband and a family of nine to mourn their loss. James lives in Auckland, William* at Ohakunc, Richard is on active service, Tom resides at Wnikanae, Harry at home, Mrs Chote, sen., is in Wellington, Mrs Robinson (Shannon), Mrs Kiddle (Weber) and Mrs W. Chote (Taumnranui). The late Mrs Hagan was born at Aldershot (England), but for the past forty years has resided in New Zealand, twenty-two of which have been spent in To Horo. Deceased was a faithful wife and mother, and will be much missed. Much sympathy is felt for the bereaved relatives, who have been most unfortunate of late on account of deaths.

INQUEST. An inquest was held to-day, Mr W. C. Nation presiding, while Constable Greggan attended on behalf of the police. Richard Hagan deposed: I am the husband of the deceased, who was 58 years of age. At about S o’clock on Monday night I left the house; she was then in her usual health. At about 9.15 I returned home, and found my wife absent. I went to bed, but was awakened later and told that my wife was I ill, and was down the road in a motorcar. It was a stranger who awakened me. Ho told me Mrs Hagan had had a lit, and to come quickly. I accompanied him to where my wife was, and found her in an unconscious condition, with a man supporting her. I took her in tho car to Dr. Hutliwnito at Otaki; he pronounced her dead. For the past few days Mrs Hagan had complained of tightness on tho chest, and being short-winded, but had never been attended to by a doctor. On the whole she had enjoyed fairly good health,, and had not been in need of medical attendance.

Henry Ralph Hagan deposed: I am 13 years of age, and grandson of the deceased. At about S p.m. oil Monday, I went for a walk with my grandmother. She seemed in her usual health, but later said she felt sick, and so we sat on tiic side of the road. About a quarter of an hour later 1 asked her if she felt better, and she said no. She managed to stand up, but foil over, and continued to groan. I said I would go and get Mr* Brown’s motor car, and she kissed me good-bye. She was sitting up when I left her. I •lent to the ilaxmill and got assistance. When 1 returned my grandmother w«ri lying down, and she was huddled mil •‘she was still groaning when I returned. The. car then came along, and my grandmother was lifted into it. Wo shortly after drove into Otaki. I think my grandmother was dead when wo arrived at Otaki; she stopped groaning just after the car left Te Horo.

William Henry Joseph Huthwaite deposed: I am a medical practitioner, rosiding in Otaki. Shortly after 10 p.m. on Monday Mr Ilagan came in a motor ear to my house, stating he had brought his wife, who was very ill. I examined her in the car and found life extinct. Who looked blue about tho lips and the body was still warm. On questioning those who brought her I found the circumstances connected with the case were quite consistent with the conclusion that death was due to a sudden attack of heart failure.

John Kevin deposed: I am a fiaxntill hand at Mr Brown’s mill. .Shortly after 10 p.m. on Monday a lad came to my whare, told me his grandmother was very ill, and asked me to get Mr Brown's car. I sent for the car, went with the boy, and found deceased doubled up and groaning. She seemed to be unconscious. Mr Brown and another man then arrived with the ear. We lifted Mrs Hagan into the car and drove to the doctor’s. She never spoke from the time I first saw her, and I think she was dead just after we lifted her in the car. A -verdict was returned that death was due to failure of the heart's action.