INQUEST.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1007, 9 March 1883, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Australasian Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, before 0. A. Wray Esq., coroner, on the body of Joshua Pakenham, who died suddenly that morning. The following wore empannelled as a jury :—Messrs R. A. Adams, D. H. Pairy, W. H; Clark, T. E. Ilamerton, R. Willis, J. R. Watts, W. B. Howe, Denis Faghey, J. Bright, H. Bayliss, W. Taylor, R, Currie, and Robert Whittcm. Mr R. A. Adams was chosen foreman.

Eva Wood deposed : I am a domestic servant at the Australasian hotel, Patoa. At about half-past six this morning I was going through-(ho passage leading from the hotel bar to tbo back yard. J. saw the deceased, Joshua, Pakenham, standing at the back stop. The back door was open. As I was going towards the back door I saw the deceased fall. Tie fell outwards into tho yard on his face. I was frightened and went back to the bar. I called Mrs Odgors who was standing in the passage; and I heard her call Mr Odgcrs. Francis Spooner stated : I am a labourer at Patoa, I came downstairs from my bedroom in tho Australasian Hotel this morning, about half-past six o’clock. I mot one of the boarders in the passage. Ho asked me to go outside ; ho said there'was' a man in a fit. I went out into tho back yard where I saw tho deceased lying on his back on the ground. I undid his necktie and shirt collar, and another man, named Alec Duncan, bathed his head with water. Wo then carried him into a room, and laid him on a sofa. He was alive then, and breathing heavily. I thought ho would come to, and went down-stairs. About ten minutes afterwards, some one called me, and I went up again. I ifound the' de'ceasod laying on his face on the floor. Some one, I forget who, helped mo to lift deceased on to (ho sofa. Just about that time the cook came in with a glass of .brandy. 1 saw (he cook go up and lay his band on the deceased’s forehead. Ho said “ r J he man’s dead.” [ thought (lie deceased was alive tho second time 1 helped to lift him on to (he sofa. Deceased did not apeak from tho first lime I saw him.

Alexander Duncail, deposed : I am a labourer at Patca. When I came downstairs at the Australasian Tinted tins morning, I saw the deceased laying in the back-yard. I helped someone to bring the deceased inside. He was not dead when

I saw him first. 1 don’t know when he died. He did not speak but was breathing heavily. . I saw deceased last night; ho was not sober.

David Donley, said ; I am cook at the. Australasian Hotel, but I do not live there. I was coming from the butcher’s shop about half-past six o’clock this morning, when I'saw two men stooping over some one on the ground. When I came up, I found it was the deceased, Joshua Pak.oiv. ham. He was snoring very loudly and bleeding from a cut above the eyebrow. I knew he was in a fit. I had seen him in a fit .several times before. D told Mr Odgers and Mr Garner, the latter giving me a glass of brandy to wet deceased’s lips with. When I went back I found deceased had been carried on to a sofa in the first room in the passage. The two men had loft him -and gone downstairs. Tie had ceased snoring. I lifted his head in order to wet his lips, and found he was dead. There was no in the room then. I then went and told Mr Garner and Mr Odgers. I have known the deceased for the last six or seven years. He had two fits about three months ago, one Sunday in the hotel (Australasian.) When in a fit the deceased kicked, ground Ins teeth, snored and frothed at. the mouth, tho fit generally lasting from twenty minutes to half an hour, during which time he insensible. Tho deceased was of intemperate habits,' and did not take his meals regularly. He appeared to me to bo in a precarious state of health, and:l expected he would go in a fit some day. Tho fall would account for the mark on his face. I don’t think anyone was present the moment ho died. Whilst deceased was in the fit nothing could be done for him. On former occasions wine was administered whenjdie fit was over.

William Odgers said : I keep the Australasian Hotel, Patea. I know the deceased. I saw him alive last at about lial£-past 8 o ? elock last night, when ho went to bed. Ho did not look well. I heard this morning of his death and sent for Constable Crozior. When I heard he was in a fit I sent some brandy up to him. I have known the deceased for the last 16 or 17 years. He was a chemist by trade but latterly has been doing nothing. I kept him two or three years but had to turn him out of the house on account of his offensive habits. 'He was addicted to drink, and drank whenever he could get liquor. It is about three months since 1 put him out of the house and I don’t think he had had a proper meal since then. Deceased had no drink this morning. I have thought for a long while he would succumb to a fit. He was very weak, being able to do nothing. 110 could not even lift a bucket of water.

Archer Charles Croft: I am a duly qualified medical practitioner residing at Patea. By order of the coroner of tiie district I have this afternoon made a post mortem examination on the body of a man known as Joshua ; Pakenham. : The only marks of violence externally are two slight abrasions, one on the nose and the other over the right eyebrow. On opening the body I found the following appearances : Adhesions of the pleura to the ribs, and a wasted state of both lungs. The heart was in a state known as fatty degeneration and also ot very small size (atrophy). The liver was very much enlarged, and in a diseased state so far as colour wont. The rest of the organa were fairly healthy except a chronic state of old inflammatory action. I saw in these appearances sufficient to cause sudden death, which I should attribute to a sudden cessation of the heart’s action. All these appearances were due chiefly to the constant use of alcohol. The death would be due to excessive use of alcoholic liquors, which induced atrophy of the heart. I have known the deceased for the last nine years during which time he was a constant user of alcohol. A fit as described by the lastwitness, might cause death. A person would not fall and die suddenly in such a case.

By the Foreman: I should say that death was not caused by a fit. Persons dying of heart disease often kick and clench their teeth.

By the jury : I should say the deceased died from alcoholism.

The Coroner, in summing up, pointed out to the jury that the medical evidence showed that death was the result of alcoholism.

The jury ultimately brought in a verdict “ That the death of Joshua Pakenham resulted from disease of the heart.”