INQUEST THE DEATH OF MR W. J. YOUNG.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 145, 12 April 1873, Page 2

INQUEST THE DEATH OF MR W. J. YOUNG.

Tin: inque»t on t lie body of Mr Young was held jesterdin at 2 o'clock, p.tn , ul the Grange, beyond. Otuhuliu, before J'aul de Qumeoy. l'lv^., coroner of tin* dixtnct, and a jur^ of twelve gentlemen, of whom Mr W. GoodfeUow was foreman. Mr Wt'ston, solicitor, instructed by Mi'*»m Hesketh nnd Hiclunoml, solicitors to the faiaih, appo.ured to watch the ciiie on their behalf. Mr Hill, jiui , solicitor, wus present to watch the case on behalf ot the insurance companies. The first witnesses called were John Dudley Slack and Patrick Morau, wlio-ie evidence substantially corroborated the particular* of the occurrence as tliey aj)pearod in our issue of jesterday. l)r Elmslie on being sworn stated that on Tuesday afternoon he was sent for about 3 p.m. to go to Mr Young's. AYlien he arrived at the Grange ho found the deceased lying in bed dead, his two shirts and vest being saturated ' w ith blood. Ou oxaunnatiou he found a circular opening on the right side of tho chest, about four inches below the nipple. Tho turrounding skin was black, as it burnt with gunpowder. He probed tho wound with Ins linger, and found portion of the cartilage shot away. Could trace the wound in a doublo direction, upwards and inwards, in the direction of the heart. At the request of tho Coroner ho made a post-mortem examination in company with Dr Ooldsbro'. lie found portions of a shot charge in Iho pericardium, wlnlo the liver was very much lacerated, the wiie of the cartridge being imbedded m it. The wound was suUieient to cause death. The muzzle of the gnu must ha\e been directed towards the bod\, and within a lew niche ol it. He believed tho wonnd to have been received accculeiit illy. Mr We»ton addrocied the jurj, contiuding that, under the circumstances, no other verdict could be returned than Accidental death. After a few minutes' consultation, the jury unanimously returned a verdict to this effect. — Cion.