INQUEST.

Patea Mail, Volume 1, Issue 44, 11 September 1875, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at Oeo on Wednesday, the Bth inst, upon the body of the infant son of Mr G. Beamish. The following jury was iinpannclled ; —Messrs Douglas (Foreman), Meredith, McKay, Cooper, Barston, O’Connor, Wheeler, Webb, A. Walker, Burnett, and Coalbrook. We merely give the evidence of the father, detailing the circumstances in connection with the unfortunate occurrence, as the evidence elicited from the other witnesses examined was only a repetition of that given by Mr Beamish. George Beamish deposed.—l am a hotelkeeper residing at Oeo, and am the father of the infant now lying dead. The name of the child is Allen Clarence Beamish. On Sunday, the fifth of September, 1875, about 2 o’clock in the afternoon, I heard the screams of the child. I rushed to the kitchen where the child was, and saw Joseph Colbert and Robert Casey takingids boots off. They told me that he had tumbled into a pot of boiling broth. We immediately took all Ins clothes off and found that he had been scalded across the loins. Mrs Beamish and I rubbed him all over with lard, and dusted him over with flour. I sent to Captain Wilson for a remedy for scalds, but he had none, except a Steadman’s powder. I then telegraphed to Dr Walker. The child died on Monday, the 6th, before Dr Walker arrived about half-past four. The child was three years o!d. , T Dr. Samuel Walker deposed —I am as-sistant-surgeon of the A.C. Force, residing at Patea. On Monday morning, 6th inst., I received a telegram from Mr Beamish, informing me that his child had been scalded. I made preparations, and came by coach as far as Hawcra. On arriving there I got a letter from Mr Beamish asking me to hasten on, and shortly after received a message stating the child was dead.' I went on by coach the following morning, and on arrival viewed the body, and found that it had been scalded along the spine and abdomen—scalds of a nature which are generally fatal. Ido not consider that if any medical man had been present that the child’s life could have been saved. The cause of death was from the. scald. The jury returned the following verdict; —“ That Alfred Clarence Beamish came by his death on the sth inst through falling into a pot of boiling water.”