YOUNG MAN'S SAD DEATH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8141, 25 June 1906, Page 2

YOUNG MAN'S SAD DEATH.

"CUBING" A COLD WITH BBANDY. J>KE PBSS3 ASSOCIATION. Invbbcabgill, June 24. At the inquest oil the body of James Andorson Brass, railway fireman, il was shown that tho young fellow, who was not addicted to taking liquor, met three mates last Saturday night. They visited one hotel and one of his mateo advised Brass not to drink. He said he had a bad cold and would take brandy and port wine to drive it out He took the liquor in large quantites, eight glasses in all, in two hotels, within an hour and a half, but witnesses said he showed no sign ofdrunkennnss till he came out into the street, wheri' he collapsed. A cab was got and Bras"< sent home. Beaching there the driver found him helpless and partly carried him inside the gate. He tken"went to the house door, whioh was not opened to his knock, but someone spoke. Having told that he had bronght home a man, he was told that it oould be no one who lived in the house if he |were drunk. The cabman's horse having become restive, he went to secure it, and on the supposition that the man was merely dead drunk, drove away. Brass lay for twenty miuutes outside before being seen, All the witnesses, including the cabmen, said that if they had suspected the man was suffering j from anything mora than the effect of liquor they would have got a doctor, and would not have let him go home alono.

Tke medical evidence was tliat death was due to acute alcoholic poisoning. The organs were not all in a healthy condition, the lungs showing traces of influenza, hut there was nothing to account for death but the quantity of liquor consumed in the brief time. Had a medical man been called there was every likelihood the man would have recovered. Lying exposed on the grass was also detrimental. Coroner McCarthy, 8.M., spoko strongly, but admitted that it was easy to be wise after the event, and deceased's mates had not shown any inhumanity, but they might have seen him home. He blamed the publican who gave six drinks of strong liquor to the man within an hour.

The jury found that death was due to acute alcoholic poisoning.