MYSTERIOUS DEATH.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 250, 22 February 1898, Page 2

MYSTERIOUS DEATH.

A scdden death, under the most peculiar circumstances, occurred on the road between Te Aroha and Hamilton, on Sunday afternoon. A young man, named Patrick Ryan, a miner from Waitekauri, came to stop at Mr Calder's boardinghouse at Tc Aroha, on Friday last. At the time there appeared to be nothing unusual about him to attract attention, but on Saturday night about 11 o'clock Win. Craig (who shared the aame bedroom with Ryan) on going up to bed found Ryan lying on his bed without a particle of clothing on, clutching ho'd of the window blind and staring out of lh* window. Craig spoke to him oneo ( r twice, but failed to elicit any reply, and becoming alarmed he immcdately roussd Mr Calder and some of the other inmates. Dr. Smith was sent for, and he arrived about 12 o'clock, and find ng that Ryan's brain was effected, and that he was rather violcut, administered a sleeping draught, and deceased did not wake until 9 a.m. The doctor having ordered the sufferer to the Hospital, three young men, Messrs Craig, Danscy and Calder, who tvere staying at the same place, kindly volunteered to biing him through to Hamilton in a buggy. On reaching Morrinsville deceased drank a cup of tea. A few minutes after leaving there, however, he again became violent, and umping out of the buggy ran 200 rr 3! 0 yards back to the ~ hotel, _ stumbling several times from weakness in the Icejs. He rushed into a room and barricaded the door with a table and cha'rs. His companions burst open the door, and \ying him hand and foot, replaced him in the buggy and tied him in. After about five miles had been covered he gave two or three yells, and his companions on cxaminiug him found life to be extincb. They came on into Hamilton and informed the police of the occurrence, and the body was at once removed to the Morgue at the Waikato Hospital.

THE INQUEST. A preliminary enquiry was held at the Waikato Hospital yesterday afternoou, before the Coroner (Mr T. H. White) and a jury of six, consisting of Messrs R. F. Gilmour, Edmund Comes, H Thomson, Wm. Bond, 0. Mahori, F. K. Kin'och, of which the first named was chosen Foreman. Dr. Kenny was also present. The firs'-, witness called was James Calder, of Te Aroha, who being sworn, said : 1 first saw the deceased on Friday last, when he came to my father's boarding-house, at Te Aroha, and said he had been working at Waitekauri, but had not been very well lately, and intended staying for a few days. I next saw him on Sunday morning about 1 a.m., when I was called into his room by Geo. Dansey, who 6aid he thought deceased was in a kind of a fit. On entering the room I saw my father and Messrs Dansey and Craig there. The deceased was lying in bed, staling vacantly, and appeared to be in a fit, and could not speak. Dr. Smith, who had been sent for, came into the room shortly afterwards, and remained for about an hour and a half. The doctor said they should sit up with him all night, and recommended his removal to the Waikato Hospital in the morning. My father and 1 sat up with him. Previous to leaving, the doctor injected something which sent cleceaeed to sleep. We left for Hamilton about 11 o'clock on Sunday morning. The doctor came in just as we were dressing him. In reply to a question from the doctor deceased said he felt all right, but complained of a pain round the back of his head. . Dr. Smith handed witness a letter for Dr. Kenny, and instructed them to take deceased to the Waikato Hospital. Witness procured a trap, and got a mattre-s and blanket 3, etc. Deceased walked to the trap, and said he felt all right; but he was assisted along the passage. _ Deceased was placed in a lying position, and a start was made for Hamilton. Deceased was very quiet until Morrinsville was reached, but spoke several times in answer to questions. Deceased drank some tea at Morrinsville, but a'e nothing, and hul no other stimulant on the road. After a short spell of rive minutes they again started for Hamilton, and after getting a couple of hundred yards along the road he jumped out and ran back to the hotel, stumbling several times. They followed and overtook him at the hotel, but could not persuade him to get into the trap aga : n. He rushed into a room and barricaded tha door with table 3 and cha : .r3. Deceased said he wanted to stop where he wai, as they wanted to hang him. They pushed open the door, and after lying him hand and foot, carried him into the trap, and placed ropes across the side 3of the trap to prevent him from rising. Deceased was crying out murder at this time. After being tied down he did not struggle at all, but occasionally groaned and talked to himself. When they got about five miles this side of Morrinsville deceased yelled two or three times and changed colour, and then became quiet. A mile or so further along they examined him and felt his puis >, and found he was dead. When deceased jumped out of the trap he met a man on horseback; he ciught the horse by the head and held on for a few moments and then let go. Upon arr;ving at Tauwhare they met the same horseman, and asked him to have a look at deceased. He said deceased was dead and advised us to take him en to Hamilton. They did so and reported the matter to the police. ToCoust. F.rb s: During the jourr.oy deceased appear.-d to bivathe regu'axly, but heavily and wish d.fficu ty at times. Deceased had nothing to dr nk on the journey except the tei. About five minutes elapsed between the time daceased yelled tin* when they felt his pulse. On finding he was deid they took off the outside ropes, and on arrival at the Hospital assisted the police to remove the lashings. Deceased was tied at the wrists with a tow-jl an 1 rope, and at the ankles aud thighs with rope. He was also strapped to the trap at the elbows. To the jury : The lashings and force used were necessary to prevent him in juring himself by jumping out of the trap. Deceased did not complain of the. tying aud none of the tyingi would be sufficiently tight to stop his circulation. To prevent the rope chafing his breast they used a sheet. When they s'arted from Te Aroha deceived was lying head towards the back of the cart ami they did not move him. Wi.cn they left Morriusviile the first time deceased was in a sitting position, aud on replacing him in the trap they pi iced his held in the same posit'oa as formerly. Dr. Smith did not give any instructions as to his treatment during the journey. At this stage the inquest was adjournel until 11 a.m. this morning, iu order that Dr. Smith's evidence may be obtained. The deceased was a perfect stranger in Te Aroha, aud is quite unknown to the young men who volunteered to bring him through to Hamilton. He was a big powerful man, and must have weighed between 14 and 15 stone. An inmate of the Hosplal who knew the unfortunate man informed us that he had been working as surfaceman on the Waitekauri tramway, and hid been in that district for two" or three years. He formerly belonged to the mining district on the West Cca'tt. Mr Dansey returned to Tc Aroha by bicycle yesterday morning, but Messrs Calder and Craig have been kept lnng' ing round Hamilton and put to considerable inconvenience and expense, and it is to be hoped the Government will make them some allowance.