Inquest.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 3904, 30 May 1899, Page 4

Inquest.

An inquest was held in the Road Board Offioe, Onga Onga, yesterday, by Mr S. Johnson, Coroner, on the body of Samuel Booker, who was found dead. The following were the jury (—Messrs I. G. Macfarlane (foreman), W. Emmerson, G. Ireland, G. Coles, W. H. Smith, and D. More. The following evidenoe was taken : Charles Vesty stated—l am a licensed victualler, residing at Onga Onga. I recognise the body now lying on my premises dead as that of Samuel Booker. He came to my house about 10 or 11 o’clook on Saturday morning. He had one drink only, of port wine and brandy and then went on to Waipawa. He was riding a bioycle. About half-past 2 in the afternoon he returned, when he called again at my house. He remained about a quarter of an hour and during that time he had two drinks. He drank gin and peppermint He also ate a piece of bread whichhecut from a loaf, and Bmokeda cigarette. He took with him two shillings’ worth of whiskey in a bottle, and then he went away in the direction of Makaretu. He was quite sober when he left my house.

Arthur Rood stated—l am a shepherd and reside near Onga Onga. Yesterday (Sunday), I was going to Makaretu and arrived at the Tuki Tuki river crossing about a quarter past eleven in the forenoon. I saw a body lying on the Bide of the river and a bicyole lay on the ground, I recognised the body as that of Samuel Booker. His head and arm lay on the rear wheel of the bicycle. I got off my horse and tried to turn the body over, but it was stiff and I then saw he was dead. I took my macintosh off my horse and covered the body, and then returned to Onga Onga and reported what I had found to Mr Whyte, at the post office, so that he could communicate with the police. 1 then waited till the constable came from Waipawa, and accompanied him and Mr Whyte to tbe place where I found the body. I saw the constable pick up a piece of glass. I assisted to bring the body to where it now lies. Deceased had taken his boots and socks off and his trousers were turned up. He appeared to have passed the regular horse crossing and found a better one for the bicycle. The body was not more than four or five yards from the water and his head was in the direction of the water.

Harry Whyte stated—l am a storeman residing at Onga Onga. I knew deceased, Samuel Booker, and I recognise the body here lying dead as his. He was a sober man, but not a teetotaller. I never saw him the worse for liquor. I was in the babit of seeing him frequently, both here and in Makaretu. He had no wife or family, I think he was a widower. Yesterday, about a quarter to 12 o’clock, Mr Rood came to our store and informed me that he had found Booker lying dead at the Tuki Tuki crossing. I sent a messenger to inform tbe police, and Constable McKelvey arrived about 3 o’clook and asked me to get a conveyance to remove the body to Onga Onga. We proceeded to the Tuki Tuki croseing and found the body in the position described by the last witness. I saw the constable pick up tbe neck of a bottle. I assisted to remove the body to Onga Onga. Deceased always appeared to me to be in good health, and I never heard to the contrary. The body lay on a bridge, having crossed a small Btream. It lay with the bead towards the mainstream. 1 should think from his position that he sat down to pull his boots off.

James Lewis Beed stated—l am a medical practitioner residing at Waipawa. This morning, by direction of the coroner, I made a post mortem examination of the body of deceased. Externally the body was well nourished, and bore no signs of injury, except a Blight recent bruise on the shin. I opened the body. The liver was enlarged and the stomach slightly congested, and contained some fluid and partly digested food. The heart showed signs of fatty de generation and the wall on tbe left side was very thin, the right chamber was gorged with blood. There were the remains of old pleurisy on the right lung. In the brain on the left side there was extensive hemorrhage, one to rupture of one of the arteries of the brain. The rest of the organs were healthy. In my opinion death was due to cerebral hemorrhage owing to the rupture of one artery. This would probably be caused by the exertion of getting up after pulling his boots off, combined with the diseased condition of the walls of the heart.

Edward James McKelvey stated—l am a constable stationed at Waipawa. Yosterday, 29th May, from information received I proceeded to Onga Onga. Accompanied by Messrs Rood and Whyte I proceeded to the Tuki Tuki crossing. I found the body in the position described by Mr Rood. Close by the bicycle was the remains of a bottle broken into small pieces, within a yard of the body. I should judge that it was the neek of a small brandy flask. I could only find one boot. I could not see its fellow anywhere. Both boots and sooks were off, and trousers turned. I noticed a bruise on his shin as if he had fallen off his bioycle in ooming up. It would have been impossible for him to drive his bicycle to where he was on the river bed. I searched! the body and found a florin, a shilling and a sixpence, a silver watch and chain, tobaoco pouch and matchbox. I had the body conveyed here. The piece of glass gave the idea that it had fallen and got smashed to pieces. Ton verdict was “ Natural causes, t> a it, cerebral hemorrhage,” or aioplexy.