SUDDEN DEATHS
TWO INQUESTS.
Mr J. R. Bartholomew. F.M. (sitting as coroner), held an inquest yesterday concerning the death of George Wilson, a returned soldier, which occurred on Saturday, at the Gridiron Hotel.
Sergeant McMahon staled that the record disclosed that the deceased was a returned soldier, No. 49,497 (Otago Regiment). He was classed permanently unfit on October 15, 1917, and discharged from the forces on April 17, 1918. His age on enlistment was given as thirty-six. Base records showed that his mother was Mrs. Nutt, of Higham, England. He had no relatives in New Zealand.
Albert Edward Johnston deposed that deceased was assistant foreman with the electric power department until a few mouths ago, when he left of his own accord, and had been out of work ever since. He was a single man. and was under treatment at the hospital about twelve, months ago for internal trouble.
Thomas Henry Farrell, residing at the Gridiron Hotel, said deceased occupied a room on the same floor as himself. Deceased came to witness’s room at, 11 p.m. on Friday, under the influence of liquor, and talked to him for an hour about the war, sitting on the foot of the bed. Witness tried to get him to go to his own room. Witness went to sleep, and woke again about 2 a.m. Deceased was then lying on the bed with his head against the wall. On examining deceased he saw that he was dead, and summoned Mrs Hinchcliff, wife of the licensee, and Dr Evans was sent for.
Dr Evans deposed that he had held a post mortem examination. Death was due to heart failure, following atheroma of the aortic artery and chronic Blight's disease. He considered that the deceased was considerably older than the military papers showed.
A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical testimony. -Otago Witness, 27/6/1922.
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