ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS.
SUDDEN DEATH.
(Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Feb. 20. Peter McCabe, a trimmer, a returned soldier, dropped .dead in a hotel bar to-day. He is supposed to have suffered from heart trouble. -Ashburton Guardian, 21/2/1922.
RETURNED SOLDIER’S DEATH
THE INQUEST.
An inquest was held yesterday afternoon by Mr H. Y. Widdowson (Coroner) regarding the sudden death of Peter McCabe at the Terminus Hotel on Monday afternoon.
John Reynolds, ship fireman, identified the body of the deceased, a returned soldier. He had known him for seven years. The deceased was a fireman and was stopping at the City Buffet. He told witness he had left the Wahine at Lyttelton and had come down to Dunedin. Witness had seen him frequently during the last three weeks. He was, as far as witness knew, a sober man.
James O’Donnell, another fireman, said he had known the deceased for two years, and had seen him knocking around for the last three or four weeks. He appeared quite healthy and never complained to witness of his health. Witness was in the bar of the hotel when the deceased came in about four o’clock. He walked straight up to the counter, leaned up against it and fell without a word. Witness and another man lifted him to a couch, where he apparently expired. The deceased was not a drinker, though he took a glass occasionally. Witness would certainly say the deceased was a sober man.
William Ware, labourer, residing at the City Buffet, said he met the deceased for the first time about three weeks ago. He occupied the same room. The deceased always appeared to be in good health. He came back to the boardinghouse a little after noon on Monday and had his dinner. He then went out and came back again about half-past one. He said he had pains between the shoulders and that he would go to bed. He took off some of his clothes and got into bed, asking witness to call him about a quarter past three. Witness saw him later, about 2 o’clock. He got up and dressed, but threw himself across his bed. saying he could get no relief. He undressed and got into bed again. He told witness he thought that if he got some brandy it would do him good, and witness replied that it might. Witness last saw him alive about twenty minutes past two, witness going out and not returning till close on four o'clock. As far as witness knew the deceased was a sober-living man.
Dr Drennan, who conducted a post mortem examination, said that the deceased had the scar of a gunshot wound on his left chest and a similar scar further back. The third and fourth ribs had been fractured. The heart was congested and the arteries showed considerable degeneration. Dr Drennan detailed the state of the various parts of the organ, and gave it as his opinion that death was due to the degenerated condition of the blood vessels. It was probable that the condition was due to war service; he had seen similar conditions in other cases of sudden death among returned soldiers.
Constable Sughrue stated that about 4 p.m.. on Monday, he was called to the Terminus Hotel. On his arrival he found the deceased lying on his back in the public bar. He was in a state of collapse, so witness immediately summoned Dr De Lautour, who pronounced life to be extinct. Witness removed the body to the morgue. There was a sum of £17 5s 9d on the deceased, and among various papers several ships’ discharges, the last being from the steamer Wahine, in January. The papers showed that the age of the deceased was 41 and that he belonged to Liverpool. The military papers showed that the deceased had over two years of war service and that he had been in receipt of a pension. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical testimony. The magistrate remarked that the deceased was entitled to a military funeral, and advised the police and the representative of the Seamen’s Union to communicate with Major Fraser. -Otago Daily Times, 22/2/1922.
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