INQUEST.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1009, 26 September 1882, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Arowhonua Hotel on Saturday .before J. Bes .rick Esq., Coroner, and a jury of whom Mr Bolton was chosen foreman, on the body of Alexander Mcßratney, who had been found dead in a stable the previous day. The following evidence wag taken: — Julia Mcßiatney : I am the wife of Alexander Mcßratney. My husband about eight o’clock yesterday morning came out of the bedroom and went out of the house. 1 sent my child after him to tell him breakfast was quite ready; and he said to her, “Tellmal will be back directly.” About 4.20 that morning he awoke and told me that as he could not sell Mrs Cramond’s horse here, he thought he would have to go to the North Island with it. He appeared depressed in spirits, and wanted to know what I should do if anything should happen to him whilst he was away. Ho appeared apprehensive of something occuring to him. About half an hour after he left the house, I asked the boy if lie had seen his master. The boy replied that he had seen him lying in the loose-box of the tipper stable, with the gun by his side. I asked the boy to go back and teU the deceased that I wanted him. AY lien the boy bad got about half way I followed him, as 1 had a presentiment that something had happened. 1 asked the boy to go first into the stable, and I followed. I at once saw that my husband was dead. He and I bad never bad a word of difference since our marriage on the 7lh inst. Wm. Sugrne ; I was a farm servant in the employ of Mr Mcßratney. Yesterday morning I saw him lying down in the loose-box with the gun by his side, I thought he was asleep When Airs Mcßratney asked me if I had seen Mr Mcßratney, I told her where he was. She then told me to fetch him. After I had gone some distance, she followed me. We went into the stable and saw that Mr Mcßiatney was dead. Mrs Mcßratney eeut me for Mr Ercw. She and 1 after-

wards came down to the hotel to get the assistance of Mr and Mrs Tombs, who returned to the bouse with us. I did not hear the report of the gun. The police stated that Miss Mcßratney was desirous of giving evidence, and she was called, and gave evidence to the effect that the deceased had always seemed in low spirits since his marriage.

l)r Hayes gave evidence to the effect that he arrived at Mcßratney’s stables at 11,5 on Monday morning. Saw the body of the deceased lying in the loose-box, with a gun lying on the ground about thirty inches away from the feet. Jndged the deceased had been dead three hours. Tiie body was lying on the back, and a little on the right side. The gun was lying witli the stock towards the door, the right barrel being downward ; both hammers were down. The right barrel was empty ; the left showed signs of having been recently discharged, and contained an empty cartridge. The left hammer had been manipulated so as to destroy (he tumbler, and would not remain either on half or full cock, but rebounded when pressed back. Examined the body, and found a gunshot wound in the left side, with a direction upwards, backwards, and to the left side. The distance from the wound in deceased side to the ground was exactly the length of (he gun. In answer to a juryman, Dr Hayes said that in his opinion it was a case of suicide, and that the deceased had placed the gun against his side and fired the charge by striking the hammer with his foot. The cause of death was a gunshot wound in his left side.

The Coroner in summing up the evidence said there was very little doubt, taking into consideration the previous conduct of the deceased and the medical evidence, that deceased met with his death by his own hand. After consideration, the jury returned a verdict —“ That the deceased met his death from a gunshet wound, but that there was not sufficient evidence to show whether it was caused accidentally or otherwise.”