SUFFOCATED BY GAS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 30 May 1913, Page 3

SUFFOCATED BY GAS.

INQUEST ON PETER MURDOCH. (By Telegraph — 'Frexn Association.) CmtTSTCJHU.KCH, May 28. An inquest was neM this afternoon before Mr H. W. Bishop, Coroner, touching the death of Peter Murdoch, ■of Mosgiel, farm or, whose age way 48. Murdoch came up with a party of children who wore visiting the battleship New Zealand. The evidence of the manager of Coker's Hotel, ! where deceased stayed, was to the I effect that deceased, after registering about 9.30 p.m. on the 19th, I.went to bed. He had a single room with a gas jet with the ordinary burner on a bracket from tho wall. It was in a position which could not be reached from the bed. It was mot an easy burner to turn on and was one with a stop which made it cleaT that it was either on or off. The impression witness had formed was that deceased had got up to light the gas and had turned it on and then dropped back on his bed as ihe could not find the matches. His position suggested that. Other evidence was given a? to tiie means adopted to restore deceased ' to consciousness, and a verdict was recorded that deceased died of accidental snffcation by gas.