The other death is that of an old pioneer of the Shotover District, Mr Peter Lynch, who has also been a cattle-owner and hotelkeeper. He was an impulsive but good-hearted man and full of fun. He was a married man and has a family. Many old miners in your locality and where your paper circulates will learn with regret of his sudden death at Maori Point in his own house. The cause is either heart disease or apoplexy. Dr Donaldson attends the inquest this afternoon before the Coroner, and probably this letter may state the real facts of the case. -Cromwell Argus, 19/1/1886.
An inquest was held on Monday last, at the residence of the late Peter Lynch, Maori Point, Shotover river, before W. Warren, Esq., acting-coroner, and a jury of eight persons (Mr W. Palmer, foreman) touching the said Peter Lynch, who died the Saturday morning previous.
According to the evidence of Joseph Anderson, a labourer at Skippers Point, deceased — who had been cutting timber for the Phoenix mine, Skippers reefs — came down to the Point on Friday evening last, seriously ill, when witness accompanied him to his (deceased's) residence, and arrived at Maori Point about half-past 9 o'clock. Before proceeding home, however, deceased had a basin of maizena, and on enquiry as to his ailment remarked that Mr Evans, manager of the Phoenix mine, and Mr H. K. Moore had said it was congestion of the lungs. He did not complain on the journey home, but seemed a little worse at the latter end, as he could not manage his horse very well. To the knowledge of witness deceased only had one glass of brandy before leaving Johnston's hotel, Skippers Point, and a very small drink of brandy when riding down.
Maria Madeline Lynch, wife of deceased, deposed that her late husband left home to work for the Phoenix mine on the 23th December last, and she did not see him till Friday evening last, when he complained of having a cold. He had a little brandy when he first got home, and a little more, with an egg beaten up in it, at about 10 o'clock. He seemed to he a little easier after this, and laid down on the sofa in the sitting room where his head was propped up with pillows. His head was very hot, and his pulse throbbed very much. Witness put a cold wet cloth round his head from time to time, from which he seemed to derive great relief. Witness and deceased were talking quietly together till about one o'clock on the following (Saturday) morning, 16lfirh instant, when he died. Deceased was talking until about ten minutes before his death. At the moment of his death he never moved a muscle, and witness (who had hold of his hand) had no intimation of it except that she missed the throbbing of his pulse. Deceased made a slight gurgle at the throat a little before death, as from the effect of a cold. There was no one in the house at the time of of death, but witness and her children. Witness then went out and cooed across the river to Mr Fraser and Mr Caldwell, her nearest neighbours. Deceased was treated for heart disease about nine years ago by Dr Jackson, and about 18 mouths since for the same disease by Dr Douglas. Deceased was a Roman Catholic, a native of County Clare, Ireland, and 52 year of age at the time of his death. He was in Victoria in the early days, and afterward came to New Zealand, and was mining till about July last, when he went to work in the bush for the Phoenix Company.
Henry Donaldson, a duly registered medical practitioner, of Arrowtown, deposed to having that morning made a post mortem examination of the body of deceased. There were no external marks of violence. Internally he found the walls of the heart very thin and dilated. There was also extensive ossification of the aorta. The left was slightly congested. Had no doubt death was nearly wholly due to diseased condition of the heart. Did not think it would have made any material difference in prolonging the life of deceased had he remained at Johnston's hotel on the evening of his death. Witness found sufficient cause for death in the diseased state of the heart and lungs without examining the stomach. There was no doubt that deceased had been suffering from disease of the heart for nine years.
This concluded the evidence, and the jury, without retiring, returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony, namely, of death from disease of the heart. -Lake Wakatip Mail, 22/1/1886.
SKIPPERS.
(from an occasional correspondent). March 26. Silently, but not unexpectedly, the hand of death has been laid on another old Shotover resident, in the person of Mrs Lynch (relict of Mr P. Lynch). Deceased, who had been ailing for three or four years with an incurable chest complaint, died in her sleep at Bullendale on Thursday night. The funeral (which was a large one) took place on Sunday, her remains being interred in the Skippers cemetery beside the grave of her late husband, who died some seven or eight years ago. The Rev. Father Lynch conducted the funeral service. Much sympathy is felt for the family, consisting of four, whose ages range from 10 to 17 years. Deceased, in the palmy days of the Shotover, kept an hotel at Maori Point. Immediately after the funeral, a mob of indignant footballers assembled in the schoolground, making harangues and threats as to how they would wreak their vengeance on the correspondent (myself) who had complained of their Sunday practices. The uproar attracted the attention of the surrounding neighbors. However, the schoolmaster came upon the scene, and severely rebuked them for their disgraceful conduct, and ordered them to quit the grounds. The mob (who would compare favorably with the typical Sydney larrikins) slunk away utterly crestfallen. They are much like unto a pack of wolves — desperate in numbers, but when dispersed individually before superior mental power, slinking, cowering, pitiable objects. I some time ago complained through your columns of the bad state of the cemetery. Public attention has now been given to the matter, and I hear that our energetic member of the Lake County Council (Mr B. Rodgers) has taken the matter in hand, and there is no doubt through his exertions a satisfactory issue will be obtained. It is probable a public meeting will be held in the Skippers Library Hall in a fortnight’s time to arrange matters. It seems that two of the trustees are away, and some wish to resign. It is the wish of the community that the members elected will be centrally located. -Lake County Press, 29/3/1894.
The "occasional correspondent's" reference to the Skippers footballers' indignation would appear to refer to the following, published two week previously:
(from an occasional correspondent). March 12. The Skippers Football Club purpose holding a general meeting on Monday, 12th inst. to determine whether the above-mentioned club shall be merged into a cricket club. A gross reflection has been cast on the moral tone of the community through the footballers last season playing their game every Sunday. A good deal of comment has been freely expressed by the old residents on this glaring, unnecessary violation of the Sabbath Day. The arm of the law might unexpectedly intervene, thus giving them the coup de grace.
No comments:
Post a Comment