INQUEST.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 404, 31 October 1874, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held before the District Coroner, E. H. Carew, Esq., and a jury, at the Bridge Hotel, Havelock, on Thursday last, toachine the death of William G-lendinning.who was found dead in his bed on Wednesday afternoon. The following evidence was given :—: — Donald Clark, laborer, deposed that he knew deceased, and had known him for about seven years. Saw him last on Tuesday afternoon about two o'clock, when lie waa leaning on the rail of the Harelock bridge. Did nofc speak to him, but he appeared to witness to have been drinking. Deceased was a Scotchman, and came from aomewherenear Glasgow,

His age would be about sixty years. Believed he was a widower, and had been a hard drinking man for a number of years. Believed he had lately been on the spree for four or fire days. He was a big corpulent man. Yesterday between one and two in the after- l noon, he went to the hut of deceased, near the bridge, and called out his name. Receiving no answer, he opened tho door, and went into the front room. On opening.the bedroom door, saw^deceascd lying on the bed with his feet hanging out. He was on his back, and Lad his hat on his head. Saw he was then d(ffld. His legs W6r6 Stiff. Witness then \efb, and tola Mr. Ouaaille, deceased's nearest neighbor ; and then went and told Constable Hughes of the occurrence, who was near hye. In reply to the jury, witness said he was on friendly terms with deceased. After fits of drinking, he used to complain very much of shortness of breath, and of pains below his chest. Deceased was of a contented disposition, and he never heard him talk of making away with himself. His trade was that of a carpenter and joiner, and he lived by himself. Antonie Plachc deposed to having seen deceased the previous day, standing at the door of his house, about seven o'clock in the morning. Although witness did not speak to him, deceased then appeared well. He had no coat on at the time. George Oudaille, a son of Mr. F. Oudaille, storekeeper, deposed that he took a paper to deceased on tho Tuesday afternoon, between the hours of four and five o'clock. He was lying in his bed, and made no complaint. Alexander Stewart, M.D., deposed that he had identified the body of deceased as that of William Glendinning, who some years ago was under his treatment at the Hospital, as far as ho could remember, for some complaint of the chest. He had made a post mortem examination of the body. On opening the chest, there was a quantity of blood outside- the lungs. The lung substance itself was marked all over and through it with red spots, presenting the appearance of what he wouldtexpect in a case of pneumonia. What would result from such post mortem appearance, would in life be sufficient to cause death. Excessive use of stimulants in deceased's then condition would have been a cause to accelerate death. Witness's opinion was that death resulted from pneumonia. He might have died within a few hours of first creation of these Bjmptoins. It is quite likely he might have lain down in his bed when well able to walk, and not be able to get up again. # Constable Hughes was then called, and deposed that he went to the deceased's house with Mr. Clarke, and found him in a half-sit-ting posture, supported by his neck against a watt of the building. He had the stick witness produced in his right hand, pointing towards the hack part of the inner door. The body was dressed, with hat on, but he had no boots on his feet. Witness examined the body, the extremes of which wero cold — both arms , and legs. There was no beat over the heart, but a slight warmth. For some time, he had been a hard drinker off and on. The,-jury returned the following verdict : — " The deceased, William Glendinning, came~to his death at Havclook, on the 28th inst., 1874, from natural causes — to wit, pneumonia."