Inquest at Waihou.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 330, 2 January 1889, Page 2

Inquest at Waihou.

Oif Wednesday last an inquest was b«ld at the Waihou Hotel, before Mr J. Ilott, J ,P., respecting the death of Thomas Burke, some particulars regarding which appeared in our issue of that date. The following jury were aworn : Messrs Thos. Taylor (foreman), William Abbey, Edwin Voysey, Hugh Boss, Charles Norris, and George Wilson. Sergeant Emerson conducted the enquiry and produced the following wituea9e3 who gave evidence on oath :—: — John Fred . Cocks : Stated he resided at Te Aroha. He lnst saw decensed alive on the previous Monday morning, at the Waihou hotel about half-past nine o'clock. Deceased came to the hotel about half an iioor previously, accompanied by a man named George Walton and asked hint for a drink. He (witness) was in charge of the bar of the Waihou hotel on that and the previous day doring the absence of the proprietor, Mr Albert Gabolinscy, who had gone to Mataniata races. Saw deceased knocking about Waihou the previous day, Sunday ' r he was also in the hotel, and remembered supplying him with beer, but n,ot m,ore than twice on the Sunday. He wassoberatthe time. He might have also given h>i,m a bottle of draught beer to take away. Was certain he did not supply him with, spirits on Sunday. On the Monday morning it was deceased who fiist calif d for drinks, afterwards his mate Walton 'shouted' and they were supplied again. As they left the hotel Walton asked for a bottle of whisky which witness let him have, and charged tohis(Walton's)account,but thebottleof whiskey was earned away by deceased, for himself and his mate Walton. They both rode awny in the direction of the Auckland Agricultural Company's estate, where deceased wasemployed and resided. That was the last time that he saw deceased alive. Would not swear he did not supply them with any other drink than what he had mentioned, but had no recollection of so doing. About half-an-hour after they left, Walton returned to the hotel and told him deceased had fallen off his horse and broken his neck. Upon hearing this he sent Walton across to the blacksmith's shop for assistance, and also telegraphed to Te Aroha for medical aid. To his own knowledge several men went to look after deceased, but they soon returned again laughing, stating deceased was only sleeping and was all right. They sa'ui u It's the neck of a bottle, and not deceased's neck that is broken." The next thing he heard about deceased was towards evening, that lie was dead. Saw decease'! brought home a corpse about seven o'clock that evening. George Devey : Stated that he was an undertaker, residing at Te Aroha. When removing the body of deceased the previous afternoon from the stretcher on which it hail been laid to place it in a coffin be noticed that the portion of the stretcher where deceased head had been was saturated with spirits, which had evidently come from deceased's mouth, as he saw some running down the s'ule of his face ; and the motion of moving the botly cansed a quantity of spirits to be discharged from deceased's mouth. The smell of spirits was so very strong th«t he was quite certain the liquid discharged was spirits. Any person even then placing their hand on the chest of deceased would see the effect produced that he had deecribed. He had been forty years an undertaker. Had examined the body sufficient carefully to be able to state positively that the man's neck was not broken, nor any of his limbs, in fact there was no sign of any bodily injury. In his opinion deceased died from suffocation the result of excessive drinking, probably being too helpless to move his position when lying on the ground. Had known men die in a somewhat similar manner from such a cause. This man's body seemed literally saturated with drink. Even his socks and boots smelt strongly of spirits. Could not imagine one bottle of whisky causing such h result. The general appearance of the body was that of a healthy man. George Walton said : He knew deceased intimately, and had known him for some ten or twelve years past. Met him at the Waihou hotel the previous Monday morning, where they had several drinks together and then left ; witness taking away with him a bottle of whiskey, which he (witness) kept possession of ; whilst deceased had a bottle of beer with him. They rode away together towards their enmp. After they had got through the second paddock he (witness) stopped to shut the gate, and when he overtook deceased he found him lying on the ground, Got off to see what was the matter, and as he did not make any answer when he spoke to him, witness returned to Waihou, and told what had happened. Believed some people went to the assistance of deceased, but he did not go back with them ; but had some beer and stopped at Waihou drinking during the afternoon. Witness stayed at the Waihou hotel the previous night, and stated he had t»een drinking both the previous night, and al.v> that day. Witness was at Ts Aroha drinking the previous Saturday evening, and on returning to his camp took a bottle of whiskey back with him. which he thoiiijht he obtained at the Waihou hotel on his way home on Saturday nis»ht. Was drinking all the following day, Sunday, at home at the camp. Before he left deceased (when he ionnd him lying on the ground), lie put eouie ti-tree under jus head. Gi'orjje tfcarboi'ongh deposed to seeing dece-ispd, on the Monday njwniinjj, »u|d

said he ohanged horses with him ; and witness then rode off to the Matatnata racos. Had heard deceased say. htf landed in New Zealand in 1846. John Cumrainga stated he was a blacksmith and resided at Waihou. Was one of those who went to the assistance of deceased when it was ' reported he was hurt. He and some others assisted to put deceased on a stretcher, vr hich was J procured from a house close by, but they did not think there was anything seriously the matter with deceased beyond being drunk, and decided to put hiia in the shade and let him stay on the stretcher where he was, and sleep off the effects of ; the drink. Mr Ohas. Collins came up at the time and said he would see that he (deceased; was all right before he went home. Charles Collins stated ho lived at i Waihou. First knew about deceased lying in the paddook about eleven o'clock on Monday morning, when he saw him lying there,his horse being tied up to agate near by. Went up to him, but as he had all the appearances of a man that was in a drunken sleep,, having seen that he was lying in a good position, and that his shirt collaj wag. open, he let him alone, thinking it was best not to disturb him, but that he would soon be all right. Shortly after the witness Oumtnings and some others came along to see deceased, they all went together, and they all agreed deceased was so- drunk it was best to let him Ho where he was and sleep it off. This they did after first potting him in a comfortable position. Witness again saw deceased about half, past twelve, when ho appeared to be still sleeping all right. Did not again sea him till about half-past four the same evening, when he. fojujul him lying flat on his back deadi. and he appeared to have been dead some little time. Rode away to the telephone office at Waihou and telephoned to the police, an,d on the arrival of Sergeant Emerson shortly afterwards proceeded with him to where the body was lying. Had no idea, at all at any part of the day that there was. anything whatever the matter with deceased beyond being very drunk, or he would of course have had something more done for him. Sergeant Emerson stated in his evidence, that about noon on Monday, 24th December, he hoard that a man had got hurt at Waihou, and he at once rode out there to see what was the matter. On his arrival lie enquired from Mr Cocks (the first witness) and some others what was the nature of the hurt ; they only laughed and replied that it was nothing beyond a man who was ' somewhat the woise for drink who would | soon be all right, and assured him there was no occasion for him to go and see him ; as he only wanted asleep to be all ri»?ht. Witness then returned home. Heard nothing more about the man until he got a message the same evening tosny that he was dead. He at once rode off to Waihou, and had the hoily conveyed to the Waihon hotel, etc. There were no marks whatever of violence on the body, or of any injuries. Deceased smelt veiy strongly indeed of drink. As the result of enquiries he had male he was satisfied there had been no foul play in connection with deceased's death, but that lie died from excessive drinking. So Far as he could learn deceased was about fifty fonr year 3 of age, was single, and had no ielationa in the Colony. This was" nil the evidence and the jury having retired for about half-an-hour returnftd a verdict to the effect that the said Thomas Burke died in consequence of excessive drinking, and not from any hurtor violence done or committed to the said Thomas Burke, to the knowledge of the jurors. Desiring to express their strong disapproval of the careless manner in which drink appears to be dispensed from this publio house, the jury attached the following rider to their verdict : u The jurors from the evidence adduced at this inquest are of opinion that drink is supplied from the Waihou hotel in a very indiscriminate manner to those applying for it, it having been shown, ■ for instance, that one of the witnesses, named Walton, h,09 been staying at {he Waihou hotel, diiuking, his former ma.te lying dead at the said hotel at the time." Deceased was interred in Te i^roha, Cemetery the same afternoon.