CORONER'S INQUEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3579, 5 August 1890, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

Ver&iot of Aooldontal Soatli-

The inquest touching the. death of Andrew McKenzie,- of Carterton, was held this morning at the Court House, Carterton, before Colonel Roberts K.M-, and a jury of six, of whom Mr P. W. B. Seed was chosen forraan.

After being duly sworn, the jury, in company with the Coroner, proceeded to view the body nf deceased,

On tlieir return, the following evidence was adduced :

• William McKenzie, son of the deceased, deposed:—My father left the bouse about G. 20 a,in, yesterday .morning. I was in bed at the time. He told mq to get up to light the fire. I got up and lit the fire, and sat down to read. I did not notice anything in his hand, but he said he was going out to.shoot; a dog which had been robbing (lie lien roost, After he had been gone a short time I heard the report of a gun, which would be a few minutes before 7 o'clock. It would be about three quarters of an hour before I saw the deceased. After 1 heard the report of tho guu I went out and returned; thinking he had missed the dog, and then I went out again, as my father did not come in, to see what had happened, when I saw,my father lying down by the fence. Iwentand.told Mr McKenzie, at the Observer Office, and went for Dr Johnston, but he was not at lume. I then telegraphed for Dr Bey and to Constable Eccleton. [ cannot think of anything which would cause him to commit any rash act, Nothing has come to my knowledgo which would cause himto commit anything of the kind.

To the Jury : I have'not seen the dogs about the pUce, but my father told me on Sunday that he inteaded to shoot tho dogs. My father was 54 years of age. To the Coroner: My father has not been used to fire for the past twelve years, when he was in the militia,

William McKenzie, journalist, deposed to being called by the last witness yesterday morning about half pist 83von o'clock, who told him that his father had met with a gun accideut, and askel him what he should do, Went at once to the spot where the deceased was, and saw him lying shout two chains from the public road. The view would be obstructed by a paling fence. Deceased was lying on his left side and quite dead. His face was much discoloured, and an appurent gunshot wound in his head, Did not touch the deceased. When assistance arrived ho assisted to remove tho body to a shed, Saw a gun lying by the deceased, the butt of which was between his legs and the muzzle away from him, His bands were crossed, Heard the shot about 6.30 a.m. The report appeared to be very near, but he did not think it anyway strange, He had not beard anything particular in reference to the state of the deceased. . The last timo he saw. him alive was on Saturday last. He then appeared to be in his usual.health. To the jury: The body of the deceased might havo been seen from the balcony of tho White Hart hotel,

Dr Bey deposed to being Bont for yesterday to go to Carterton, and on his arrival saw the deceased. On examination he found the face covered with blood and the mouth darkened as from gunpowder, also his left hand. He then washed his face, and found the wouuds at each angle of his mouth, the one on the tight side being the largest. The lower jaw was broken and there was a large penetrating wound through the hard pallet in the brain. In removing the jaws he could perceive that they were all fractured, He examined the back of the head, but found no wound there. The fore pirt of the tongue was blown awny and staiaed with gunpowder, A man of the size of the deceased rould Jiold his bead over the gun produced and touch the trigger with his hantl. From tho naturo of the wound he should be inclined to think that it was caused by shotand not a bullet. The full charge entered the mouth. He should sajr thegun was quito close to the mouth when discharged, He cor tainly thought that it might have been' done accidentally. He did not find any sbotin tho wounds.' By the appearance of the' wounds the shot entered the mouth at,the right side. The deceased had evidently died from tho effects of a gun shot wound. ; He never knew the man in bad health, and consequently he had not been ■ a patient of his.' ...■!'.

To the Jury i If tho muzzle of the I gun hadbeen placed purposely in the mouth it would-not have caused the injury to the jaw now found, ; Constable Eccleton deposed that he was telegraphed for yesterday morning to come to Carterton. On arriving -at the ..residence of the deceased he found him lyicg fbnttHe floor in the. shed., He asaistod-Dr Bey to examine the body. Searched the body and found a few trifles in the pockets which he took charge of together with the gun and a powder flask, and, sonje gut) caps which were

'supposed to have b'eori- 'used by ihflVj* deceased that morning, •■'.•.'•:■' ' : .- ;To the Jury: I examined: theV locality where the deceased Was found. ' I could not Bee the, Belvidere road from where the body was lying on account! of tbo shed. Where t% pools of blood were was in full view! of the baok windows of the deceased's house..-;: . .•■./.-■••'•'-, •■. . -

The following verdict was then given by the jury;—" That the said Andrew McKeiizie came to his death on the fourth .day of August at Carterton by a gun shot wound accidentally received." •.- " ; ,

: At a meeting,oftliaWotßsCommittee ol tlin Borough .Council last evening the: following ireport;: of the Overseer was recommended 'for acceptance: ; , ' ■..;.- •■'•■ Report of , ; work done siucd/ilast Works Committee meeting':—A ciiW . vett has been put in opposite .MIP' Corbott's, in -Perry - and a xulver^at'Temple's.: Lincoln road has been scraped, and the. dirt carted jaway.', Repairs on jßetiali street and ; Upper Plain road have been executed; | the watertables have been oleaned out and footpaths repaired. .1 'would recommend that,the side 3of street and -: Boil\yay„...i; ; dad be pickef down and'ruts''fiiyjn,' and that all ' . the watertiblesof tho.cross streets be cleaned.,;; / V ..:'. '':' ' The Committee reconinieiided that Mr Thompson be requeated to remove ..■-.-, the obstacle in'his creek within seven • days.'-- .: ; : , : , ,■:/.]■:■ .V. '. ' It wag decided --thai unless the . Water supply sohemo is completed" to the satisfaction of the Council'within' one month the Council will proceed to put the streets in order, repair,the water tables, aud remove all obstructions therein. A by-law with', reference to the depositing o! dead beasts or offensive matter within the Borough' wa« Hrawflv npand recommended for acceptauceV by the Council, ' Accounts for gas, wages, salaries etc., were recommended for. payment.