CORONER'S INQUEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4041, 18 February 1892, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

Tholato¥.L.Luooaa.

Aq inquiry into tho circumstances attending the death of the late Walter Lancaster Lucena, waß held at the residence of thodeoeased, Homebueh, this (Thursday) morning before Mr A. W. Renall, J.P., Coroner, and the following jury:—Messrs J. Graham i x (foreman), J, Williams, W. Cameron, - JP" W. Perry, « T . Carpenter, and J. B, V Hooper. ■■'.....' The body having been viewed, the following evidence was taken : Etty Ann Allard Luo»na, sworn, deposed: lam the,, wife of the deceased. I saw no symptoms of illness till Monday last atßßo a,ra, The deceased did not get up that morning. He slept well the night before, He had been suffering lately from' sleeplessness,, not always though,--He took nothing that morning to my knowledge, neither food nor liquid. His daughter, Ethel-Susan, took breakfast to him at 8 a,m She returned saying her father was.asleep. I went to see him and found him sleeping soundly. About an hour after my youngest daughter .went to see him before going to school, She came back to assist in the next room, and said," Father does not kh'ow.me, I'm so frightened I" I theu went'upstairs and sent for Dr Beard about 9 a.m. I spoke to the deceased. /Hoknew m'B'„ I told him Mr William Beetham waejM down stairs, and had come to Bee* • him to take him for a ride. I asked him if he should be shown up, and he said yes.- He knew Mr Beetham and spoke to him. He then asked for tea immediately, appearing to be in a hurry. I made him some and took it up, He drank two cups in succession, Mr Beetham holding the cups. He asked for more, but I thought it too niuoh and gave him none. Mr Beetham remained with deceased and myself in the room for some little time, He then said goodbye, as the dootor would .be coming shortly. I stayed with him till the doctor arrived. The dootor examined him, looked at his tonguo, and said it showed signs of a good state of health. He told me it was a slight congestion of the brain from which be was suffering. He gave'him a small portion' of calomel. He told me to put hot -flannels : on his forehead every half hour, and to send for him if I sow any further ohange. My daughter Maud Evelyn Lucena returned with'* the dootor, and brought baok a of medicine with directions to be taken every, three hours, if awake. While she was away he craved for ~ more liquid. I gave him new milk and water, as I thought it more nourishing then tea. He then went' to sleep. I sat with him for a long time, expeoting him to wake, but he did not. He slept soundly and was breathing heavily. Every half hour I applied hot flannels. „ That wascontinued till ten o'clock at night without his waking. Then having prepared beef tea as ordered by-the . doctor for when he awoke, I prepared to go to bed. He. had,, however, altered his' position slightly,. a little more forward, so my daughter Maud and I tried to move him. I then felt his feet were cold, but thought it was from the slight clothing he had on. 'My mother who was going.to bed in[the, next, room, oametonie. She ordered me to get a hot bottle at once. I sent rav daughter-Maud to a neighbour, \tfckt,YByrue, asking him to go ■' for a dootor, whioh he did, My daughter came back, followed by Mrs Byrne. My mother.and I were Bitting oh the bedside all the time;' I was holding his pulse,, and felt it gradually stop. His breathing had ajso become quiet. 1 heard a Blight sound.and said " Mother, all is oyer." I sat there'., half stupefied till .the:, doctor came, I said," It is too late, he isgonei'/and then went.downst.airs. He had taken none of the doctor's •medioifiOj for ho never awoke, from the time it came, By the Coroner: Dr Beard did not see the deceased alive when he oame the second time, I had noticed no change .whatever in the state of mind of deceased, He was somewhat depressed in spirits for the last two or three months, • His mind, however, was perfectly clear. By Mr Beard.! He had never been otherwise than perfectly olear and lucid in his mind. He was only ailing from loss of appotite, but couloW'/j always get about and drive in andips '.-' out, Mr Wardell 'conversed with him on Friday. He entertained Mr Austin Elder on Saturday at after- ■; noon tea, He did not get up on Sun- [ day because he was depressed, He had been in the habit of staying in ' bed occasionally through low spirits: for the last nineteen years, ever since I have known him. Evidence was also given by Mra Maunder (mother of Mrs Lucena) and Ella Susau Lucena, daughter of the deceased by his first wife. The • inquest was then adjourned till five o'clock.