INQUEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 983, 26 January 1882, Page 2

INQUEST.

An enquiry waß held at the Empire Hotel, yesterday afternoon, before Dr H, T Spratt, District Coroner, and a jury of 13, to.ascertain the cause of death of : William Ford) .whn was found dead inside a gate leading to lir T. L. Thompson's property. ~ Mr W, Lowes was ohnsen' firteman, and the jury thon_ viewed--the body, and. on returning the Coroner said,he would take Dr HoskingV evidence first in order that; the jury might decide whether it was nefiesjatyto have the, body opened,. o» whether .ettorual evideuoe.ffajaufficiwtl; The Cjor'aner would first .say that h»

thought the police shot Id have seen that there was better accommodation for, the body, as it was not placed in a convenient and proper room. Dr Bosking deposed, he was-a surgeon, and had examined the body. He noticed a scratch- on, th&- little.finger' of the right '■ hand, thft "riglit'ear was cohered .with dust as though it .had "ploughed along the ground. The hat was indented on that j. ; de, He should judge'that'deceased >had tried to jump the ■ gate" on horsebaok,-ttie horse had struck the gate; and the deceased had shot off, and the' fall had dislocated his. neck. Death would have been instantaneous. Witiieaa was submitted to a severe oro<a-examination by Mc Clayson as to the cause of death. Mr li. (i. Williams protested. against the surgeon's evidence being taken before proof.had been, brought of finding the body. ■ Mr Olayson was not satisfied that the examination made by.'-Dr ; Hosking was ■ sdffioient, and proposed a post iuortom .examination,.^' The foreraanaaid thqy should.consider the, foariiit;' "of " the family of deceased; and not rautrlate the body unnecessarily. • ■ jThe other jurors agreed with this view, and it was decided tjiat.Pr, Hoßking, aj)ecqnd..externaLexamina' tion to'determine whether the neok was dislooated. --* Benjamin .Tooby -.aworn,' depoj.e^: I was proeeeding'home on'Tuesday'ev'ertiiig ,steat hal(;p»st 8,. and tho . .'gate on-Mr THoinpson property : ahd'so jaijjfmed;t%t it.was very diffioulfc to : op4nv'; ; ;Afisri had got through-I f «aw a man lying'in the traeki! .and- sbooVhitUr say-' ing; "Well, old. fellow,"hat ar?.,yot) • 4pingbpr©i" 'wa> dead. I Mr and the peopltt there thai therf was . a iaan .killed by the gat?,- The fee{ ol decgaagd .He . jijs back figbt tbe jiotflp of : dieiind wuit,p(fQt.p}er >the>gattf'H:.f founds UflXt'tQornTng injhe • T6 'thf : Gnrtij9H deceased wui a. . •;/ . ;• .M*|ffrtjjijyfci)Xob]ep,t to the question. i -1.-! THa ;C(S.reiai?f her should; put Vhat 1 • apd other.juryWeii' ooulddofhe ,i>" -.'v/:- ■•>'•■■■■■ - MrWj®»m,siI i .etrqngly>Obf6i)t to%tf- , qu«twftw4*wrar Mr Clay4on.)thought If'.proper:it shWuli: •' be taken dbsa 'at'Sridßnce.''..,. f"' • . Mr "Wtlliama rli 'ia a piece of jrapextirt-w. ence on witness' patt to say rqan was. a drunkard/ '. ■ • Witness to Mr Hill: I knew deceased was a drunkard frpm what I saw of" hihi wheij Mr Corbatt refused one Sunday to give him drink, and also on. other occasiqns, ■ ■•• ■. "Mr GlSyson .said he. had known; de-. eeaeed for some time and knew he was notidrunkard. • .. ■ ■': Mr Williams; Mr Olay Bon is a juryman and 1 objeot' to anything he- says being gut down. .■ .•• •> •. The Coroner to Tooby: - You say dscesaod was a drunkard and . rode furioufly? . Mr Williams: I object. The' question is most uncalled, for. have ..uo evidence that the deceased was drunk or was. a drunkard, 1 ' ~The Coroner: This is not a Law.Court, but Court of inquiry, and any juror may ask ahv question.he wishes. • Mr Williams appealed to the foreman to prevent the question being put down. Mr Clayson: How do you know it is being put down?. Mr Williams: Jsn't the Coroner writing After Bome further discussion the . Coroner severely oanaured the' witness fiir ■ saying the deceased ins a druiikard with-' out being able to prove it. William Neill, 'proprietor of tho Club' Hotel; Stables _deposedAbout ' ten minutes poßt eight I started, deceased away.from the stables. He was the worse for drink, and I auked liiin to stay.for an hour or so till he got better; :He raid he would be all right when oiice in the saddle, and I' helped him on. He said he would he home in five minutes. . The distance to where he lived.is about two miles and a half, I heard that he went full gallop along the road. Dr. Hosking re-called stated the second examination: had'confirmed his opinion that deqeased h'ad dialooaled his neck. ■ .. The Coroner summed up expressing his opinion that the death waa purely acoidental. The man was drunk— Mf Williams;' J pbjeqt to that -remarlr;" It i( out of place. Several. Jurors: It has bem. givon. iii - evidfnoe find ip quite correot, , • The Coroner resumed and went briefly, through. the evidence, rapeiitng' Uit'lr : .Mil he was drunk'hy;Be: , stftblekfepfirj who had kindly and thoughtftjlly .-«6ked -|iitp. i(i.ftajf«^w^lj A tM-J>' fIKWM'W" ; evidetitW tbwwn'offlnd' reforijted • of>djath.". |evor?) J.tt'rori! wished ty ■(hit rs~ :