SUDDEN DEATH AT HAMILTON EAST.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2801, 26 June 1890, Page 2

SUDDEN DEATH AT HAMILTON EAST.

The Inquest An inquest was held at the Waikato Hotel, Hamilton East, yesterday, at 11 a.in, before Mr W. N. Soarancke, coroner, on the body of John Collins, who died suddenly on Tuesday morning. The jury was composed of: Messrs Hood (foreman), Trip, Kent, Mulcahy, Gardiner and Casey. Dr. Murch deposed that he was a duly qualified medical practitioner, residing in Hamilton. On Tuesday morning he was called over to Hamilton East to see a man who had fallen down in a fit. He made all haste over, but before he arrived the man was dead. The body was still warm. As far as he conld judge, the man died of an apoplectic fit. The nock had a rather conjested appearance, as if he had been drinking heavily lately. Did not detect any smell of spirits. John Wright, carpenter, stated that he knew the deceased by sight. Saw him on Tuesday morning at about 8.30 o'clock. He was working at a fence near the stable then. He looked very weak, and was a peculiar colour. He was not drunk. He next saw him at about 11. A few minutes after he heard a groaning noise in the water closet, and heard someone fall down. Ho went, and found deceased leaning backward on the seat. He was in a convulsive fit. Witness and some others lifted him out and laid him down on his back on the, ground. One of the men then gave him something in a glass and it revived him, and he was able to walk inside. He saw him about twenty-five minutes after in the harness-room lying on his'back, and as he came in he breathed his last. He had seen deceased off and on for about 10 years. Believed he was a heaiy drinker. • Had not seen him drunk during the last three or four days. Did not know whether he had any relations or not in the colony. Should think ho was about 35 years of age. Simon Peacock, stableman at the Waikato Hotel; deposed that deceased had been staying at the hotel for the last fortnight. List saw him alive about 11 o'clock. He was lying on the bunk and looked ill, but he was not in a fit. Witness left him and returned irt about ten minutes, when he found deceased lying on his face on the floor. He called in some persons, who assisted him to lay deceased on his back. He looked pale, and was unconscious. He then informed Mr C. LeQuesne, who went for a doctor. Was not there when he died. John Collins, contractor, deposed that he resided at Tauwhare. Was no relation to deceased, although of the same name Deceased had been working for him since Christinas last. Had been in Hamilton for the last fortnight. Deceased had beeu doing nothing, did not complain of any illness till about 9 o'clock on Tuesday morning, when he complained r»f a pain in his chest, and witness told him to walk about, and not lie down. He did not see deceased till about 11 o'clock, when he saw him in the harness-room dead. Deceased was a single man, about 37 years of age. Had not heard hini speak of any relations that he had in New Zealand. Constable Murray deposed that about half-past eleven on Tuesday he was informed that a man had died suddenly in the Waikato Hotel. Found deceased in the harness mom, and apparently quite dead. I carefully examined the body, but did not find any marks of violence upon it, nor did he detect any smell of liquor. The body appeared well nourished. Had known deceased off ond on for about 7 years. He appeared to be a man who drank heavily at times, but was very quiet. The jury returned a verdict that deceased died whilst in a fit of apoplexy, in accordance with the doctor's evidence.