A SHOCKING DEATH

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2389, 12 November 1880, Page 4

A SHOCKING DEATH

An inquest was lield by Dr H. H. Spratt at the Greytown Hotel on October 2, on the body of George Shaw, late a barman at the hotel. The Coroner was sworn, and deposed that on the morning of the accident he was called in to see the deceased, and found him suffering from “ delirium tremens ” He brought some medicine, and left it with Mr Quin, who promised to take care of the man. Mrs Quin deposed that she was out in the back place, and saw deceased on the morning of the accident looking out of the window at the side of the house as if he were looking for somebody. He lifted the window up altogether, as far as it would go, and put one foot and one arm through first, then the other ; then sat on the window sill, with a book in his hand, which he looked at. He then put up his hands and called out “ Connor, Connor,” and then he looked behind as if he were looking for somebody in the room. She ran across the road because she thought something was the matter with him. He put up his two hands, screamed, and fell at the corner of the house. She went up to him. He was not dead, but was insensible. He lived about half-an-hour afterwards. Dr Taylor came about five or six minutes after the accident, and said he thought there was no hope, as the man had broken his neck. By the Foreman —She thought he overbalanced himself. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental Death.”