INQUEST.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3842, 22 April 1881, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest on the body of Joseph Syms, the man found dead at Townsend and Bateman's slaughterhouse yesterday, was held yesterday afternoon, before, Dr Kilgour, coroner, and a jury, of whomlVi*t H. Mcllhone was chosen foreman.Jolm Townsend deposed to finding the body. Deceased was not a drunkard, but was fond oi beer; nor was he subject to fits. He gave information to the police.

Sergt. O'Grady haying given evidence, Mr Tonkin deposed to haying seen deceased at five o'clock on Wednesday evening, quite sober. Dr Suitable deposed : At the request of the police, I went to deceased's hut. The eyes were dilated. He had been dead for about six or eight hours. There were no marks of external violence. I made a post-mortem examination of the body. On the base of the brain, on the left side there was a clot of blood—an apoplectic clot. The brain membranes were filled with serum. The heart was enlarged and inclined to fatty degenera* tion. The blood vessels were unhealthy. The liver was small and hardened. The lungs, stomach, and other organs were healthy. Deceased died from effusion of the brain. The appearance of the membranes, etc., would indicate that he had been addicted to drink. He was an elderly man, o| about 58,1 should judge from his appearances. He was inclined to apoplexy. The jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes.