Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 2 December 1889, page 8


THE DEATH OF MR. WM.

WESTGARTH. -----------o-----------

(BY TELEGRAPH FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) -----------

By the arrival of the R.M.S. Cuzco at Albany yesterday, we are in receipt of the following from our London correspon-dent:-

LONDON, Nov. 1.

A very painful sensation has been caused by the sad circumstances attending the death of Mr. Wm. Westgarth. His health had been somewhat feeble ever since his return from Australia, and the weakness had become more marked since his retirement from business, though without causing any grave anxiety to his family. On Monday morning, October 28, Mrs. Westgarth left the deceased in his bedroom, and went downstairs for morning prayers, being under the impression that her husband would join the family at the breakfast table. As, however, Mr. Westgarth did not appear one of the servants was sent to call him, and not finding him in the bedroom a search was made, and the body of the unfortunate gentleman was discovered in the area. The

circumstances were disclosed at the inquest, which was held at the residence of the deceased on October 31, by the coroner, Mr. Diplock. Mr. Smyly, instructed by Messrs. Nicholson and Jones, appeared on

behalf of the widow and relatives of the deceased. The jurors proceeded to view the body, and on their returning the first witness called was Dr. J. A. Voelcker, the son-in-law of Mr. Westgarth, who said that the deceased was a colonial broker, 74 years of age in June last. He had recently seen him at his own house, and he was then suffering from great weakness. He was not despondent, but looking forward with hope to a visit to Bournemouth for change of air. He was restless at nights, and said so, but had been much better just prior to his death, He had never spoken of being tired of life or of attempting to destroy himself, and be thought that self-destruction was never further from the mind of any man. In examining the deceased's affairs, his relatives were absolutely at a loss to form any opinion whatever as to why he should be despondent. On the contrary, nothing could be more simple than the state of his affairs. He was simply weak, and they looked forward to change of air and rest for him. It was not even considered necessary to take any particular care of him, No man could have been happier in his domestic relations, as there was absolutely no trouble that they could think of. Just before his death he went out for what, in his weak state of health, was a long walk, but they had no instructions whatever to be careful with him. He was a calm minded man, and most careful in his life. The deceased, as was well known, was always a great advocate of sand tary improvements, and it might be within the recollection of some that he began to organise a scheme in that direction for the improvement of London. He was a man who held very strong views as to the necessity of fresh air and ventilation, and as a matter of fact he was constantly in the habit of opening every window in his house when be found it closed. During his last visit to the High-lands especially it was a constant practice of his to go into the different cottages to talk with the people about the need of having more ventilation. So well known was this practice among the villagers of Lethbridge, Grantown, that they had a joke against him, and he was known there as the sanitary inspector. Replying to a juror, Dr. Voelcker said that no man could be more sober in his

habits. Hewasquitecertain that the deceased was not mentally affected. Had there been anything of the kind he would most certainly, as the deceased's son-in-law, have made some special arrangements. The cool temperament possessed by the deceased in an eminent degree was against any such supposition. He had examined the attic from which the deceased fell, and it was clear to him that he

had fallen over the edge, and not jumped

over. Had the deceased used the slightest force in projecting himself from the window he must have fallen on to the bushes in front of the house, and not inside the area between the house and the bushes. He had verified this statement by throwing things from the window with a little force, and by rolling some things over

the window sill.

The next witness called was a nursemaid (Jane McKenzie), who sobbed bitterly while giving her testimony. She deposed that she had been in the deceased's service for 35 years. On Monday morning she visited the attic from the window of which he fell. The door was unfastened, and on entering the room she discovered that it was empty, and that the window stood wide open. H was impossible, without great risk of overbalancing himself, for. the deceased, in his weak state of health, to have rested on the window Bill, which he must have done in order to open the window.

A coachman, named Edward Graham, next gave evidence as to the finding of the body, and subsequently Dr. Butler, the deceased's] medical adviser, deposed that Mr. Westgarth, while suffering from considerable weakness, was in perfect mental health.

After a brief summary of the evidence by

the coroner, the jury arrived at a verdict that the deceased died from the effects of injuries received from a fall from the window, and further stated that death was accidental and not otherwise.