THE CORONER AND UNDERTAKER INTERVIEWED. THEORY TO EXPLAIN THE MYSTERY. Wellington, Sept. 5

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 297, 8 September 1888, Page 6

THE CORONER AND UNDERTAKER INTERVIEWED. THEORY TO EXPLAIN THE MYSTERY. Wellington, Sept. 5

The report from New Plymouth that on the opening of the co/fin containing Capt. Bailey't- body yesterday the eyes weie been to open has excited a good deal of interest in Wellington. With a, view of elucidating the mystery a reporter of the'" Evening Post"' lias> interviewed the undertakoi, the coroner and two medical men, and all agreed that there is no doubt the man was quite dead when the inquest was held. The tmderfcader states that the body was placed in a specially strong coffin, \\ Inch was enclosed in a zinc case soldered down. Before closing the coffin he washed the features and left them in a damp state, the eyes partially closing as he did 00. He suggests that it is likely the blood about the face may have formed Avith the water a kind of paste, fixing the features in position, and that the admission of air on the removal of the zinc dried it, and caused the features to relax and the eyes to open fully, a movement which was mistaken by the friends for life. Two medical men interviewed, &a t > this--theory is quite feasible. The coroner states that ho has not the .slightest doubt the man was dead when brought to the morgue. \Vhe r i lie \iewed the body in company with the jury the e^ e& were quite open, and n& the corpse was then quite cold, it was impossible for anyone to close them fully. Even supposing the captain had been in cal-ilepfcic condition at that time, death from suffocation must have taken place when the coffin was closed.