INQUEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1831, 4 November 1884, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held yesterday on the body of the late James Clayson by Mr Wardell, the District coroner, Mr Bish being elected foreman of the juiy, Dr Beard deposed to being called about a quarter past eleven on Sunday morning to see the deceased, and attended at once, but found him dead on his arrival, and judging from his appearance and train what he gathered, he concluded death resulted from sanguineous appoplexy. His only reason for not giving a ccrfJticate of the death was that he had not attended deceased before his death. He had no doubt of the cause of death.

Frank Daring Pelling deposed that he was in the employ of Mr Clayton, and saw deceased on Saturday night. He was a bit quarrelsome and told witness to remain with him during the night, He was the worse for drink, Deceased got up all right in the morning and went out. Witness next saw him at five minutes to ten on Sunday morning. Deceased had a flask half full of brandy, and said " What a day I'll have." He laid down and complained of ut compression on one side, He declined having a doctor, He was convulsive and said he would be alright in a minute. He changed color, fell off the sofa and died almost instantly. Witness then went for the doctor who quickly arrived. Mrs -Clayson was present at the death. Thomas D. Thompson deposed that deceased was with him all day long on Saturday from ten o'clock in the morning till five in the evening at Knripuni shearing sheep, He killed and dressed our sheep for witness, and assisted to roll up fleeces. Deceased left to go home to his tea and at night he saw him again, and owing to words he made use of, witness told him he would not come into his shop again. On the following Sunday morning he came into witness 1 house and asked pardon for what he had said and said that he had spent a very bad night. Witness said "Alright Jim, you go home and get your breakfast and I will go for a walk with you." Afterwards Pelling came to him (Witness) sayin? Mrs Clayson wanted him and that Clayson was dead, Witness went there and found deceased lying on the floor on his back. Mrs Clayson said he was dead, and witness put his hand on Clayson's chest and he gave one gasp and died. Witness had been there ten minutes before Dr Beard arrived who examined Clayson and pronounced him dead, Dr Hosking arrived whilst Dr Beard was there, and confirmed it, Deceased : was sober all day on Saturday until the evening, when at a late hour witness saw him, and he seemed to'have had drink. On Sunday witness saw him and he appeared in his usual health but shaky. Deceased said he had had a bad night, which he attributed to his having too much drink the night before. 1?. Pelling re-called said it was about half an hour from when he first went fqr the do.ctor until the arrival of Dr Beard. He went for Dr Hosking, first who told him to go for Dr Beard, as he was not dressed, He went to Dr Beard's house but he was out, and he found him at church.

The jury then retired to consider their verdict which was returned in accordance with the medical testimony.