INQUEST.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 284, 13 November 1884, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest as to the cause of the death of John Healy, nf Ormond, who died last night, was he.d at the Hospital this morning. Inc following gentlemen composed the jury J. Bannister, C. M. Maunsell, A. • ay'or. 11. Warren, H. Paterson, F. Dufaur, W. Hume, J. Brimmer, D. Page, J. Henderson, W., Ratcliffe, J. Sandlant. Mr. F. Dufaur was chosen foreman. Dr. H. Pollen deposed that deceased was admitted to the Hospital on November 7th. On admission he was perfectly unconscious and died yesterday afternoon without recovering consciousness. His symptoms whilst in the hospital pointed to an injury to the brain. Made an examination of his brain this morning and found his skull cap

fractured on the right side above the ear. There was about a pint of clotted blood between the covering of the brain and the brain itself. Death was caused by compression of the brain by the blood. The injury would be caused by external violence. Dr. J. F. Innes deposed that on the 6th of this month, in the evening, he was summoned to attend the deceased at Makaraka, and found him lying unsconscious. Bled him from the arm and directed that he should have what he required. Next morning, af deceased was still unconscious, was called again to attend him. He (witness) thereupor. had him removed to the hospital. Saw a post mortem examination made this morning by Dr. Pollen, and agree that death resulted from a fracture of the skull and effusion oi blood on the brain. By the Foreman—Considered the fracture would have been caused by a fall from the horse. To a Juror—There was no indentation of the skull to show that any violence had been tiled, H. Brownlow deposed that he resided at Ormond. Saw the body lying in an adjoining house, and knew deceased for the past two years by the name of John Healey. Deceased and he were partners as road contractors. Saw deceased on the Sth of November, about two o'clock, and also at Waerenga-a-hika in the evening of last Thursday. Asked deceased to come back to Ormond in the the coach with him, and he replied he was going to ride a little way down the road. Witness then went on to Ormond in the coach and left deceased behind. Deceased appeared to be drunk at the time. Did not see him until the other day in the Hospital, when he thought him to be conscious, as he appeared to recognise the witness by pressing his hand and opening hit eyes when spoken to by him. A. Graham deposed as to seeing the body lying in the adjoining buildings. Remembered the evening of the 6th inst. when he was returning to town from Ormond. Saw the deceased that evening, who passed and repassed him several times on the road. The last time he passed witness, was by Mr. Olsen’s house. Should say the man was under the influence of drink, and was hanging on by the spurs. Witness lost sight of the horse and rider after passing the cemetery, but on proceeding further saw the horse run into the scrub whilst the rider was lying in the middle of the road, with his face towards the ground and in an unconscious state. Did not see any severe wounds about deceased, and immediately removed him to the Roseland Hotel and sent for Dr. Innes. The jury brought in the following verdict, “ That the deceased died from injuries sustained by a fall from his horse on the main road, near Makaraka, on the 6th inst,”