INQUEST AT MANUTAHI.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1086, 14 September 1883, Page 2

INQUEST AT MANUTAHI.

An inquest was held at the Manutohi Hotel yesterday afternoon, before C. A.; Wray, Esq, coroner, upon the body of Jacob Rowland, who had died suddenly, it was supposed from asthma. The following depositions wore taken; Timothy Donovan: lam a sub-con-tractor employed on the railway near Manutahi. The deceased was in my employ, and was at work on the line yesterday ( WednesdayJ and worked for eight hours, I knocked the men off at 5 o’clock. I saw the deceased go for his- coat and vest, which were lying on the ground a few yards from where he had been working. About a minute after I saw deceased fall and I immediately ran to him and with two or three others who were standing by lifted him on to his foot. One of them, Quinlivan, sprinkled some water on his forehead. A few minutes after ho came to, and asked us to lay him down. We laid him on the ground and put some clothes under his head, and covered his shoulders. After about a minute he asked for his coat and we lifted him on ;to his feet and I helped him to put on bis coat. He walked towards thejtent,which itT about 150 yards from the work, being supported by one ot the men. He had got about half-way, when he laid down on the ground. I was coming up with some others behind, and told him to get up and come into the tent where ho would get a cup of tea. He said he was pretty nearly allright then, and got up again and wont into his tent. I went to wash, and in about two minutes, a man named McCarthy called out to me that Rowland was dying. I wont up to the lent, as quickly as I could, and found him lying on the stretclier dead. I then went for a horse to report the death to Constable Lister, whom I found ,on the road opposite his house. I (old him of the occurrence and he returned with me to the camp. Deceased came down from Opunake about a fortnight ago. He has complained of his health. Last Monday he worked an hour and then told me he could not work any longer as hs'was not well. I understood he bad a cold. He was a steady man whilst with me. I heard him say about a week ago that he was 25 years of age, and that he had a married sister at Hawera. I believe deceased was a single man. George Randle; I am a labourer employed on the railway works near Manutahi. I have known the deceased for about six months. I , was working with him on Wednesday, when he appeared in his usual health. He knocked off work at 5 o’clock, and about a minute afterwards I saw him fall. I was about 6 yards from him and I ran and helped him up. I sprinkled a little water on bis head and in about 3 minutes became to, and after a short while went into his tent, where he laid down. He th’en became insensible agatni Harry Gilbert and myself were 'in the tent and applied water to deceased’s head and forehead. He did riot revive any but tried to vomit. I noticed the deceased’s hands and feet stretch convulsively, and he died in about 7 minutes after he came into the tent. Deceased told me he had asthma. I had no reason to suppose he was dangerously ill. James McCarthy, a labourer on the railway works near Manutahi, said he knew the deceased, Jacob Rowland, for about four years. Deceased came down with him from Opunake about a fortnight ago. The rest of the evidence was simply a corroboration of former witnesses.

Dr Croft stated he had made a post mortem examination of the body, and had found all the . organs healthy, with the exception of the heart which was of an unnatural size, and the pericaudum contained about two pints ot water. From the appearances he should judge that the deceased must hare died very suddenly, and he believed from over exertion, viz, that he had worked very hard all day and had not taken much food. Asthma is one of the complaints very frequently attending heart disease.

Constable Lister deposed as to convoying the body to the Manutahi Hotel. After a short deliberation the jury returned a verdict of “Died from heart disease.”