CORONER'S INQUEST.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 2 December 1881, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

♦ An ir quest was held yesterday before G. iC. Bowman, Esq., J.P., into the circumstances attending the death of Peter Alsted, whose charred remains were found under the ruins of Dawson's Hotel, The following evidence was taken :— Dr Thorpe : I am surgeon 1o the Reefton Hospital ; at the desire of the Coroner I performed a post mortem examination of the human remains just viewed by the jury ; all the bones and flesh were charred, but from general appearance the remains were those of a male ; no remains of the head were found except some teeth ; a small portion of the upper and lower extremities remained ; the cause of death was suffocation and burning Martin Conradson : I am a miner et present residing at Antonio's Flat ; I remember the morning of November 30, 1 was in Reefton, and stopped that night at Daw* son's Hotel ; I knew one Peter Alstad ; I was awoke out of my sleep by the alarm of fire being given ; I gob out of bed and dressed as quick as possible ; coming to the passage I met Fedderson with a lighted candle in his hand ; I followed him to the room where Peter Alstad was sleeping ; he went in to the room and called " Peter " who made some answer ; I also called out to him to get up, as the house was on fire; I then assisted removing some bedding from the house, and did not see Peter afterwards ; I have seen the remains at the morgue, but have no means of identifying them ; as a matter of fact I believe the remains are those of Peter Alsted ; to my knowledge the deceased had an appointment for the morning at 9 o'olock, which he did not keep, Frederck Fedderson corroborated the previous witness, Detective Quina described the burning of Dawson's premises, and he knew the de» eea-ed ; in consequence of reports of the disappearance of Alsted, made search, and about 10 o'clock found certain charred remains in the ruins of Dawson's hotel. This closed the evidence, and the jury found, that the remains in question are those of Peter Alsted, and that he came by bis death by suffocation and burning.