Death of Mr John Walker, C.E.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3782, 10 February 1881, Page 2

Death of Mr John Walker, C.E.

We have the sorrowful duty to perform of recording the decease of Mr John Walker, C.E., of Parawai. The deceased had resided on the Thames for a number of years, and was much respected. A short time ago he was bitten on the arm by a poisonous spider, and _, inflammation ensued, from which blood poisoning and ultimate death occurred. The deceased was 65 years of age, and had been long connected with the Masonic craft. The following was the Inquest. An inquest was held this morning before G-. IN". Brassey, Esq., one of the Coroners for the district) on the body of John Walker, who was found dead yesterday. The following gentlemen composed the jury:—Messrs Stillwell (foreman), Boden, Brown, Souter, Hall, Crick, Barnes, Hopkins, Barret, Hoiles, and Cox.

Sergeant - Major Thomas O'G-rady deposed-—Between three and four o'clock yesterday afternoon, from information given him by Mr A. S. Allom, of Parawai, he, in company with Detective Farrell, went to the house of deceased. He found the front door ajar, and the blinds were down. He saw the body of deceased in a half sitting position on a sofa. His head was lying against the wall, partially inclined to the right. He observed a portion of a candle in a candlestick close to the bed. Some ripe peaches were on the table close to where the body was. On examining the body he found the right arm looking black, and matter apparently oozing from a sore. He sent for Dr Callan, who, on arrival, pronounced life to,be extinct. He did not know the cause of death.

To the Foreman—There was no drink in the form of spirituous liquors in the house.

Mr A. J. Allom deposed he knew the deceased, and had known him for 13 or 14 years. The deceased was by profession a civil engineer. He visited deceased on Tuesday night last. From report he was led to believe that deceased was in a very critical condition, and witness considered it his duty to see him. Deceased's arm was then in a dreadful state, pus and blood dropping from it. Witness advised deceased to go to the Hospital, but this be was very loath to do from a spirit of pride. Deceased said he had been to a doctor that evening. Witness thought deceased said Dr Payne, who told him to go to the Hospital the next morning, as he could not attend Hospital patients at his private house. From the conversation witness did not think the doctor saw the state deceased was in. -Deceasedinformed witness that he thought the sore was caused by the bite of a spider. Deceased was sober when witness saw him last.

William Scurrah said he saw deceased alive on Saturday, when they engaged in conversation. Deceased requested witness to chop some wood for him, as he had a bad hand. Deceased told witness that M r Farvar, the chemist, was going to visit him that evening. Witness made a linseed poultice for deceased, and put it on his hand. On Tuesday morning witness saw deceased about midday, and the latter asked liim to dress his wound. Witness did so and again advised deceased to go to the Hospital. About 5 or 6 in the evening witness saw deceased standing at the gate, lie had his coat in his hand, which witness assisted him to put on. Witness never saw deceased the worse for liquor. Pa!rick Callau deposed that he was a duly qlialin>d medical practitioner. He was cailed on by Sergeant Major O'Grady yesterday eveuing ut 5 o'clock to view aud examine the body of deceased. He proceeded with the Sergeant-Major to deceased's house, and found the body as described by the Sergeant-Major. There were several bottles in the room, one with carbolic acid in it, marked poison. Deceased's arm' was in a gangrenous state. This morning witness made a post mortem examination of the body. He found no marks of violence thereon, but the body was in a badly nourished condition. The right hand up to the wrist was in a state of gangreue, arising from a I I 6 °£. inflamation on the back of the hand. The internal organs were ia a healthy state. From his examination witness would say that deceased died from blood poisoning, caused by the gangrenous mflamation of the hand acting on a weakened constitution.

By the Jury— 'I he bite of a spider would cause the incarnation. The stomach showed no sign of poisoning.

John Tonkin, hotel-keeper, also gave evidence.

The Jury returned a verdict—" That the said John Walker, on the Bfch day of February, or thereabouts, in the year 1881, and for a long time before, did labour and languish under a grievous disease of the body, to wit blood poisoning caused by a gangrenous wound, land on the said Bth day of February, 1881, the said John Walker, by the visitation of God in a natural way of disease and distemper, and not.by any violent means whatever to the knowledge of the said jurors, did die."