Henry MEARS was found in the hotel’s pantry by the hotel’s cook, Mary CLARK, who immediately ran for Walton, whose account begins earlier in the morning when he was first asked by Margaret MEARS to watch her husband:
Thomas Fellows Wharton WALTON on his oath saith as follows:
I am a labourer. On Saturday morning last about 10 O’clock I was called in by Mrs MEARS, wife of deceased, and asked to look after him as she was busy. I took him in hand. I went into his bedroom. He was lying on the bed partly dressed. He looked very wild. I spoke to him and he said good morning. He said he would get up. He put on his shoes and came out of his bedroom and went into the Bar Parlour. He sat there some time. He had about half a glass of Ale. He drank some. I said it is a fine morning, you had better come outside it will do you good. He went outside and walked to Mr SMITH’S shop, about 20 or 30 yards off. Deceased sat on Smith’s doorstep, I sat inside. He sat there from 10 to 15 minutes. He then got up and came to his house. He took half a glass of beer. He then vomited. He then came into this room and lay on the sofa. He might have lain 10 minutes. He was very restless. We went to Smith’s shop again. He sat again on the doorstep for five or ten minutes. He came back to the house. He challenged a person at the bar to Billiards. He went into the Billiard Room and began playing. He played very badly. He continued for about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. He seemed to get sick or faint and left off. He went to the bar and had half a glass more Ale. Dinner was then announced. We both went to the kitchen. It was about half past twelve O’clock. Deceased took the head of the table, and took the carving knife and fork in his hand. He helped me and two other lodgers came in. He said to one of them, John SMITH, you carve, I am too shaky. He laid down the knife and fork. He then sat on the right of the Carver. He went round with meat and greens. He ate four or five mouthfuls. He rose from the table, placed his hand over his mouth and ran out of the room. I saw him vomit outside the room. He did not come back but went along a passage leading to his bedroom. I finished my meal and went after him. I was not more than two minutes away from him. I saw him to his bedroom with his wife. I went into the bar. In about five minutes Mrs Mears came into the bar. She was by herself. I thought deceased was lying down as ordered by the Doctor. In about a minute Mrs CLARK came into the bar and said that deceased had got a knife and had gone into the back room. I ran to the room immediately. I saw deceased lying on the floor on his left side, with his left arm under his head. He was lying in a sort of half-circle. I observed a deep gash to his throat, blood was boiling out. I called out for help. I lifted his head on a bag, for a pillow. I seized the wound to his throat with one hand and placed a garment (?) round it to stop the bleeding. I placed my hand upon it. I told Mrs Clark to go for a doctor directly. I saw a white handled dinner knife lying by his side. I believe the knife was produced…? He lived for five minutes after I saw him. He did not attempt to speak. Mr SUNDAIN (?), I think, was the first person to arrive. The doctor arrived before he was dead. He was moved into the kitchen on the arrival of the doctor. He was then alive. He expired in about two minutes after he was moved into the kitchen. He never spoke after I saw him. I am not sure of the time but I think it was between one and two O’clock. I have attended deceased on a previous occasion, he was suffering from Delirium Tremens. He seemed suffering from that disease on Saturday last. I had no suspicion of his attempting suicide. He did not seem in his usual jovial temper. He had nothing but Beer in the morning of Saturday.
Signature of: Thomas Fellowes Walton.
(Source: Archives NZ ref: J46 1871/1496)
