A SERIOUS DEVELOPMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 109, 16 August 1910, Page 2

A SERIOUS DEVELOPMENT.

DEATH OF ALEXANDER ALLEN. Reporting the inquest on the late Alexander Allen, formerly an inmate of the Old People's Home, who was injured in a recent fracas there, the New Zealand Times of Saturday had the following:— There is. a possibility of further developments in connection with the death of Alexander Allen, an Imperial pensioner, who was found dead in bed at Jew's restaurant, Lambtou Quay, on Thursday last. An inquest was commenced at the morgue by Mr. W. R. Ilaselden, iCoroner, yesterday. Sergeant Darby conducting the inquiry on behalf of the police. Inspector Wilson had; telegraphed from Wanganui that a man named Dale had been committed for trial at New Plymouth for assaulting Alexander Allen on the 23rd 1 ult. Allen was an Imperial pensioner, and cleared out from New Plymouth. The inspector suggested that, if identical with deceased, and death was not satisfactorily accounted for, a post-morten examination should be made, as death might have I been the result of an assault.

George Alexander Allen identified deceased as his father. He had been a clerk. He was seventy-five years of age, and in receipt of an Imperial and the old age pension. The last time witness saw deceased was in December last, in Wellington Hospital, when he was suffering from a fractured skull, which he informed, witness had been inflicted in a brawl. His hoJbits were intemperate, and he used <to be a very mad sort of man when drunk. He had an injury to his head, caused by a sabre cut in the Crimea. He •was in the 12th Lancers and the 31st Foot, retiring with the rank of sergeant. The Coroner: Do you know of any trouble he got into at New Ptymouth oi; Wanganui?—No, sir. You do not know that he had been, assaulted there recently ?—No. Dr. Fyffe, who made a post-mortem examination of the body, found a scalp wound, 2'y 3 inches long, on the skull, but the bone was not exposed. There were bruises in the left temporal region, and a superficial cut two inches long, four inches above the left ear. There were two scars four, inches from the root of the nose, and another almost in the middle line. No fracture of the skull was found. On removing the scalp he found diffused blood above the bone just under the scalp wound, the bone itself bleeding. On removing the skull-cap, a dark swelling, about two inches long, containing fluid', was discovered, compressing the brain. When opened, the cyst was found to contain blood and a blood clot. The cause of death was compression of the brain from hemorrhage into the cyst, which hemorrhage was fresh.

The Coroner: Was death due to natural causes?

Witness: Oh, no. What happened was probably that the previous blow deceased received at Wanganui caused the cyst/ The second iblow he received, which caused the scalp wound, probably brought on further bleeding. The injuries to the head might have been caused 'by contact when falling, or by some blunt instrument. The wounds would not of themselves cause death, but the blow or blows on the head caused the hemorrhage. The cyst might have been two months or twelve months old.

Kate Jew, proprietress of the board-ing-house, said deceased went to her house about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, and aslked for a toed. He' Was feeble, and walked with a stick. There was no sign of blood about him. She sa\V him again at 11 p.m. upstairs in a bedroom where he had no (business to be, his . room being on the ground floor. He was fully dressed, lying on the floor. He was very drunk and contrary, so she assisted him on to the bed, and left him there. He had evidently fallen out of bed.' There was a fireplace in the room, in the morning witness again went to the, room, and found Allen again lying on the floor helpless, in a different position to that occupied when she found him the previous nigiht. There was blood; on deceased's head, and a little blood on the corner of the mantelpiece. Witness thought deceased was drunk. There was an empty 'beer bottle in the room, and a lemonade bottle a quarter full of spirits. Witness offered deceased, beef tea and tea, but Allen: ony desired water. He did not know what had happened to him. Witness was found dead in bed at 1 p.m. He had adiri ted having been drinking heavily recently. The Coroner said that in view of the telegram it was better to allow a little time, as something further might transpire. He accordingly adjourned the inquest until 10 a.m. next Wednesday.