THE STEAMER TRAGEDY.
Inquest on Victim.
DEATH FROM SHOCK,
(By Toloeraph—Ptphh Association.) " WELLINGTON, Last Night.
The circumstances of the tragedy on the steamer Armagh on Tuesday night were investigated, by the District Coroner to-day, when an inquest was held touching the death of Robert McNab, a storekeeper on the steamer Waikawa. In connection with this affair, a fireman named Benjamin Henry Bright stands indicted on a charge of murder. [Alfred Farnsworth, an able seaman, said he was talking to Quartermaster Armstrong at/ the Armagh gangway, when the accused, Bright, and a friend came abroad. A man named Collins appeared on the scene, in company with McNab. Bright said to Collins, "Come here, Charley!" Collins approached Bright, who hit him on the mouth, knocked him down. Deceased,McNab, was leaning against a ventilator smoking a cigarette. Bright said to him, "What did you hold me for?" McNab made no reply, and Bright then strucit him on the fact. Deceased fell to the deck, and while he was lying there Bright kicked him on the body three times. Witness did not see McNab interfere with Bright. Accused did not kick deceased very hard.
William John Armstrong, quartermaster of the Armagh, testified to seeing a bit of a tussle between the deceased and Bright. His attention had been attracted before this by Collins exclaiming, "Don't hit me again, I'm crook." Witness saw accused kick at McNab about three times. McNab went back about three yards before falling. . Dr. Kington Fyffe, who made a post mortem examination of the body of deceased, stated that ho found a superficial bruise about an inch above the left eye, and another over the right eye, and there was three bruises below the left knee. There was no fracturo of the skull or ribs M neither was there any injury to the T>rain or fracture or dislocation of the neck. The only cause of death witness could givo was shock. The stomach was full of. food. To the Coroner: If the man was kicked over the solar plexus when his stomach was* full that might account for doath. The Coroner's verdict was that deceased died on the deck of the Armagh, after being knocked down and kicked by Benjamin Henry Bright, the cause of death being shock.
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Wairarapa Age, 26 March 1920, Page 5
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378THE STEAMER TRAGEDY. Wairarapa Age, 26 March 1920, Page 5
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