INQUEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4416, 12 May 1893, Page 3

INQUEST.

Accidental Death. (Before Mr T, Hutchison, Coroner.) An inquest was held in the Courthouse, Masterton, at hali-past two o'clock yesterday (Thursday), with regard to the decease of Harry Low, who met his death through falling from the fire-escapo at tho Star Hotel, Masterton. The following tenth-men werosworn in as a jury James Nicol (foreman), : W. F. Uroxton,' W. W. Scott-, Jobu. 1 ood, W.Maciritosh, E, Mould. 11 r C. A, Pott nail watched the .- -prpccctliiigir on behalf of tho relative's, of tho dec-.ased and Constable May conducted the proceedings for the ' police. The lollowing witnesses We're called .Frederick William Low, brother of; tho deceased, deposed':—l am a cooper. I arrived at- the Star Hotel on Tuesday night, I indeiitiiied the body as that oliny brother Hairy 1,0.v I was with him on Tuesday evening' On Wednesday morning liq appeared to quiet,, and Sirs Low said he w'iiot seom quite well. I went down to tho station to get my luggage about 10 o'clock and wlien 1 returned Mrs Law said my brother was not ■welJi and. had gone, up stairs to lay down, About ten minutes aftetWards Mrs Webb, a nurse,- Came to mo and snid ; " Coino out into tho back yard at once." 1 went and saw .my brother lying under the fire escape stain", lie.was lying on his back add. bleeding fiom tbe right ear. His feet wero-resting oil a box, I. went for a doctor at once, 110 was breathing, but; unconscious. I unbuttoned bis abirt and collar, and bathed bis. forehead and hands. I raised his head and placed it .on a mat, Dr Douglas arrived in about five or six minutes, and after examining him ordered him to be- taken upstairs, 1 was with. till. Itotime' of-his death. Hoi d™abouFroi minutes:afto.r the doctor left. The doctor was with him about half an hour. I went and called his Wife,.

. Witness here completely broko domi, whereupon Mr Hutchison told biin tO- I'eavo tho witness box' for a while,

Mrs. Sarah Webb, was then called and stated: I am at pi esont .residing at the Star Hotel. I remember yesterday I was in Mrs Eastwood's, room at about half-past two or a quarter to. three in tho afternoon, MrsEastwood'sroom isou the ground floor. Ijioard a ■noise which came from the back stairs. .It sounded like two thuds. I ran outside immediately and saw Harry Low lying pn his back and bleeding ot tho ear.. I ran into tho diningroom and- told his brother to come out,- He came out immediately and loosened deceased's shirt aid co.lar. I went in nndgot some water and bathed his forehead and hands, after which be peemed to come' round a hit'. I then went in to his (Low's) wife, I had .Been deceased fe.fore, He seemed to be always looking as if someone was behind him. I heard, of no quarrel. He seemed very .quiet, on tho day in question. I. have been at the Star Hotel eleven days. I had scarcely seen Low at all from seven in the .morning until the time of his death. There appeared to be a scratching 'sound' between the thumps when he fell. Abo-V-two''.. Or threo seconds each thump. His fea were resting on. a box when he :fell'.to tho ground'. Tho fi're-esc-i|ie •bli ps are very dangerous,

Mr F. W, Low re-entered the box and gave further evidence. £y Mr Cioxton: My brother went to have a sleep about two o'clock. By the Coronor; I attribute the accident to deceased attempting to go. down an unsafe, fire-escape, By Mr Croxton: 1 wciit up the., fire-escape after my brolhvr was carried in, after the accident. I s-nv a. small blood mark on oiio of' tbe panels of the top landing. I thought it. might .have been, off the doctor's' fingera. By Constable May; 1 only noticed cne blood stain.

fir. Douglas deposed: lam a medical practitioner residing in Masterton. I was called to the Star Hotel yesterday afternoon, and found deceased lying on his back. I ordered' Lis. removal to his bedroom. I indicated to bis friends that the accident was' of. a. serious- nature, He waß inffcring from hemorrhage of the right ear arid: also from contusions on both sides of his head, His left arm was also broken. 1 gave instruction's and left hitn in charge of .his brother, I vwSjh'fvtyvX whenhedied. I made &post morlm examination to-day. I found, tho braiii to bo fractured besides other injuries'. This to my idea,', was sufficient to cause death, and no other examination was necessary.

By Mr Croxton; The discolors tion under tho oy.o was the ■ result of the blood flowing forward from the head. I consider it highly improbable that he could have, qot up and walked from the bottom ot''be stairs to where he lay. 1 con-} eider:.^. o ' theory given by Mrs Webb •! with regard t° '1)0 coise between tho. I thuds were paused through his head 1 striking tho and his feet coai- ' ing in contact wi 'b something in tho ' descent caused the groping described. 1 He must have lundea o |l his head to have produced, tho injuriy3 received. Dr. Ilosking deposed; I am a 1 medical practitioner residing in Mas'- 1 terton. I was called to see tho de- 1 ceased, Harry Low, at a little after ' (our o'clock on Wedneiday. I made, an examination. I consider the man; had (JiMrotna fracture olthe base, of ihc ewT Ho was bleeding from the car. ; I assisted at the' post mortm today.i. We found' what was expected —an extensive fracture of the skull. . I attrib.iite. ibe cause' of death to: a severe fall or blow.. His wife told me lie had been acting as if he bad been insane, and asked her " what all the. coffins wero for." Sho also told ine that he seemed very suspicious, and •kept Oil looking about him, and acting like no esne pcteoii should do. i consider ho was delirious, and: fancy 1 * ing some one pas following him. By Mr Croxton: IP'as not called to see liwr previously. J ehould air tribute death to accident, iiot to suiMr- hero slafed, ■}!!s there was another witness, who w?b not present, and said it remained, wi'lt:.'' l . o jury to decide as to whether they considered it necessary to adjourn for a : abort tiine to procure this witness, or whether they considered it u.nneceßs- ,; ary.—They decided that it Was: .' unnecessary to wait. ' Mr Hutchison then addressed the. jury , at some length, who, retired to •agree upon a decision, The jury after retiiing for a short; time came to the conclusion that deceased .' met his death by accident, They also' added a rider to the follow•ing effect -:— I We, the undersigned, .constituting the Coroner's jury to inquire into tho death of Harry Low, 4r e of opinion that the firo escape . irom the tho top of which the decrased ja tupposed to have met hi* death, is

unsafe and badly in need of of repair, —James Nicol, W. F, Croxton, W. W. Scott, John Hood, W. Macintosh, E. Mould,"