INQUEST AT ROTORUA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3037, 2 January 1892, Page 2

INQUEST AT ROTORUA.

(BY TELEGRAPH—OWN OOnniSPONDENT.) Rotohua, Thursday. The inquest on the body of J"!in Cnnnintrham Blythe t>ok place to-rlnv at the late residence of tho deceased, befnre Captain Trtvey, cironer, and the following jurv : — Messrs Collett, Hntfc, Williams, Larkin, Neighbour, and Purcell. Mr Collett was chosen foreman. Tho first witness eilkd was J.ino Ann Stephen Blythe, wifoof tho deceased, whn stated that her husband enme home from Tiiupo on Wednesday, wont to WmoUpy, and returned in the nveninsr. They woiitl-i decoiute the Catholic Church, and came home about twelveo'clock at nitrht. Hmding her a Christmas carl and Catholic prayerhnok, he said: " I fern is a Olifistmasbox for you." , Thny li.nl breakfast next morninsr! and rineeasfi'l then went to Wliakaiwarewa. They had tea at home. In t'io evenim.' they wont t> benediction in tin; Catholic clmrah, and ii'iout i> t>.in. came hnmp. !)--c:ens!>d said: "I'll t;-.':e a ran up town." Witness wn aftinvanis awakened by some noise, and α-xmc into fin dining-r-'mm, and saw her linshand standing with a glass in his hand, rlc said : " This fim'she< all." Witness said, " What'-- the matter V H», .-aid. "Oh. ivithin?." Witness called for Mr Murphy to tike fie el-iss from his hand. He did so, and t'len de-inased said, "Conio into the ottien wit'i nip." She followed him into the nffion. Hβ wrote s-mie-thing to Murphy. Witness left tho offico and went luck again, but could not find him. She so.ircho-l the room and got a lantern and went outside, but without success. Ho c.vno in shortly n.ft-.r-wirds. Murphy put him to bed about 12 o'clock. Witness asked him how he was. He said, "Oh, all r'm'ht" He f>nt up in the tr.orninsr and harl some breakfast. He developed two photographs of the Catholic Church. On Sunday witness went to Church in the mornii'tr. In the afternoon he drove to Father Holierhnck's place and returned. They went to bed as usual. On Monday he said, " I don't feel very well; I would like you to send for Father Holierhock," who Mine and spoke to him, and then came to witness and Paul, "I think you ought to send for the doctor. The doctor was sent for at once. He came and said, "Whal's the matter, Ulythe." Hβ replied. ".I do not feel very well to-day.' . The doctor said, "Your kidneys are in a. bad stall , , have you been travelling?" Witness foM Hie doctor that ha had been to Waiotaou the dav before Christmas, The doctor prescribed and witness cave the medicine according to instructions. Deceased took a event deal of milk and seemed better. Towards evening he slept well. At six o'clock next morning he seemed to be worse. Ati nine o'clock he did not know witness, who sent for the doctor, who s.vd he was in a dangenus state. Deceased continued to BMW worse and worse, until he died in the

evening. Tho witness was cross-examined at some length, and stated, in reply to question?, that she did not know that anvthing ha-1 been taken to bring on this attack. On Tuesday she found a puner in his own handwriting, without signature or data, stating lio had taken some pyrogall'c acid. In the Uitchon on Christmas night Murphy struggled with Blythe to take a glass from him. No words passed between witness and her husband. Witness had read the document, and hnd no motive for not. handing it sooner to the police. Deceased never siid anvfching to her about biking poison. The note found was addressed to the coroner, as follows :—" I have taken this to end iiiv miserable life hern." Witness had no kn«w!edge how he came by his death, nor did she know that he had made a will. His life was insured in two different ijnlieies. One for £1000, and only a few months in existence ; the other for i'soo, about 12 yeaiM in force, both in the Government nlKce. He had not willed them to anyone. She did net know wha f , he mount when he said " This muh nil." Nothing was wrong with his mind. They had not been living happily during the past six months, and had occupied different bedrooms. Deceased was always kind to her. [A. prayer-book wa« produced with their man-iage notice and u quotation from the Bilile, n Christmas ciivl with inscription, ■nd a Bihle, all of which contained wor.ls of endearment.] By the foreman : Why did you not send for the. doctor on Christmas night ? I asked him if he had taken anything. Hβ sai'l "N0. ,, He transferred his insnranon papers about three months ago. Sho did not know his position financially. Did not think he was in any way embarrassed. Did say he owod Mr Speucer pome money, but wanted to pay it at the end of the year, and then be clear. Mr Malfroy, through the cm-oner, asked, " Was any influence brought to boar on deceased to get him to sign these papers?" Witness said " No." She had not the romotest idea that he was going to do so. He made several wills, but destroyed them all. One was that he desired to be buried in silence. He did not ask to see anyone except Fatlipr Hnldierhock, Murphy was next called, but nothing fresh was elicited.

l> flinders' evidence was brief. Hβ gave his opinion that the dose which caused deceased's doat.h must have been taken very shortly before it showed its dangerous aymotoms. _ The inquest finished at (!.3O p.m. The following is the verdict of the jury :— "That the decPiised Jnlm Cunninglmra ttlythn, whilst suffering friim temporary insanity, brought abuut his own death by swa'lowing a quantity of nyrofrallic acid, causing uongestlm of the kidneys, followed by uriemia and urieuiic coma, and so not by any hurt, injury, or violence done to him by anyone else, but by hia own act did die. _______