AN M.P.’S DEATH

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1921, Page 7

AN M.P.’S DEATH

TRAGIC END OF MR. W. D. POWDRELL.' EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. At the inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Walter Dutton Powdrell, M.P. for Patea, who died in Bowen street hospital Wellington, on Wednesday evening, evidence was given by Dr. D. E. Fenwick, who said that deceased was under his charge in the hospital. The case required constant supervision owing to the state of the patient’s nerves. He saw Powdrell several times on the day he died, and saw him at 2 p.m. on the 9th. Deceased was then paralysed in both arms and both legs. From an examination of him witness was satisfied that his condition was due to an injury to his spinal cord in the region of the neck. His condition was such that witness did not think he would recover. He saw him again in the afternoon in consultation with Dr. Hardwick Smith, and also in the evening. Powdrell died in witness’s presence at 9 p.m. The cause of death was paralysis resulting from an injury to the spinal cord in the neck. Witness said the injury could have been caused by a fall over a bank at the back of the hospital. SUFFERING FROM NEURASTHENIA. The coroner: Was he a mental case when you saw him first? Witness: He was suffering from neurasthenia. If.by mental case you mean insane, his was not a mental case. He was suffering from neurasthenia, brought on by worry and insomnia. Witness added that the object of ordering him to be under constant observation was because witness wished to know how much he slept, and he did not wish him to left a prey to his own thoughts. Senior- Sergeant • McNamara: When you saw him at 2 o’clock on the 9th was he aMe to converse at all ? Witness: Yes, he was; he was perfectly rational. I asked him if he knew what had happened, and he said he had no memory whatever of what had occurred. He could not remember. I think that is probably due to the fact that he suffered a certain amount of concussion if he had a fall. I think he did not‘remember. Dr. W. E. Herbert said that within a ffew feet of the bedroom Powdrell occupied was a bank about Bft or 9ft high. He thought deceased must have fallen from the bank.

IN A RESTLESS MOOD. Minnie Pauline Kiernan, head sister at the Bowen street hospital, said she saw deceased at 7.5 a.m. on the 9th. He was restless, and was walking about the room in a dressing-gown. He said he had not had too good a night. He did not look over bright. From the time of his entry to the hospital he was under constant supervision day and night. The nurse on duty with him was Nurse Hall, and witness instructed her not to leave him to go to breakfast. About ten minutes later witness was called, and found deceased lying on the footpath at the bottom of the bank. He had cuts on both hands. She did not examine his head. Dr. Hardwick Smith came, and deceased was removed to his room. While in the hospital deceased was sometimes restless. He was always quite rational, but very depressed and melancholy. The coroner: You never had any experience of his trying to get away from his attendant, or anything of that kind?—No. The coroner: And at no .time did he give cause to suggest that he would attempt to dp away with himself? — No. HIS SPECIAL NURSE. Lena Ordish Hall, a nurse at Bowen street hospital, said she had been detailed"' specially to attend deceased. She went on duty from 9 p.m. to 7.30 a.m., and was then relieved by Nurse Campbell. Deceased was mentally depressed and melancholy, and ahe was instructed to keep constant supervision .over him. He suffered from insomnia, and on the night of the Bth he slept very little. On the morning of the 9th, he appeared to be not very well. At about t.lO a.m. she was in his room. He wa's very restless, and walked about the room. Witness was making the bed at the time. She heard the door of the room bang, and she saw that deceased had gone out. She quickly followed him, and just as she got out the door of the room she heard a thud. She ran outside, an.d saw deceased lying on the footpath near the side of the building. He was unconscious,, and bleeding from the hands. “DON’T LET THEM SIGN ANYTHING!” She saw him at about 7 p.m< on the’ 9th. He was then speaking, and saying incessantly: “Don’t let them sign anything.” He gradually sank, and died about 9 p.m. During the time she was iri attendance on him she could see plainly that' he was suffering from worry. She did not at any time hear him say anything that would lead her to believe that he would take his own life. Near the spot where she found deceased lyiqg on the footpath was a bank about Bft high. He was lying on his right side, and his head was near the wall of the building. From his room to where he was found was a distance of about 25ft. His room was on the ground floor. Deceased was well physically and could always walk about. It was possible that the deceased could have received the injury by falling from the bank on to the footpath where she found him. The finding of the court was: “That the deceased, Walter Dutton Powdrell, died at the Bowen street hospital on the 9th inst. from injuries to the spinal cord caused by a fall from a bank at the back of the hospital; whether by accident or design there is no evidence to show.”