INQUEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2085, 3 September 1885, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held- yesterday afternoon before H. A. Stratford, Coroner, at the Court House, Masterton, on the body of John Mundy, aged 18, who was found on the premises of his employer, Mr W. lorns, at farunaruna, on the Ruama-. hanga river, yesterday morning.

Mr Walter Smart was chosen foreman of the jury. W. H. Hosking, surgeon, sworn, said he visited Mr loms' farm about noon that day in company with the police. He found the body hanging to a beam in a cowshed by a leg rope. His feet were touching the ground. The body was perfectly stiff. Deceased had apparently got on to the stall, fastened the rope to his neck and to a beam above him, and then dropped off, making a fall of about four feet and a half, breaking his neck in the fall, death being apparentlyinstantaneous. The earth at his feet was undisturbed, His hands-were quits free. He had been, dead perhaps"eight or'ten hours. His death was caused by a dislocated neck. • Mary Lpgan lorus deposed that deceased was in the employ pf her husband as cow-boy. and eeneral out-door servant, at their farm, and lie had been in their employment since last December. Witness last saw deceased alive at about 11 o'clock on the previous evening, at his usual occupations about the house, About half-past.6 this morning witness went out to look for deceased, as ho had not come back to the house to go to bed when she had -retired to rest at 11 o'clock on the preceding night. On reaching the cowshed witness looked over the half door and saw deceased apparently standing in the stall, and looking downwards as if he had something in his hand. She was. just going to call out, when she saw that a rope attached to his neck was quite tight from the beam. She then rode across to Mr Cave's, andeot assistance, and communicated with the police. Deceased was 18 years of age, and of a lively disposition, but he had for the last week or two become very much quieter than usual. His conversation was rational. Some two months ago he burned a bundle pfletters which he !)afl, To a juryman; Deceased had never stopped out later than 11 o'clock at night before. He was not accustomed to sing Salvation songs about the place, He had told witness tjjat he ysed to go to the Army meetings previous to coming to thoir place, but not since. Witness heard him saying his prayers before going to Jiis bed. He was always sober, Qnd belonged to the Blue Ribbon Army. Constable Bleasell gave evidence as to finding the body. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity.