INQUEST ON THE YOUNG MAN LAKE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 41, 30 December 1879, Page 4

INQUEST ON THE YOUNG MAN LAKE.

An inquest was held yesterday, before J. E. Trevor, Esq., coroner, at the Railway Hotel, Rakaia, touching the death of Richard Lake, who was thrown from a horse he was ridipg in a Hack race at the sports held on Boxing Day. Mr. Caleb Tucker was chosen foreman of thg jury. After the jury viewed the body of deceased,

Philip E. Thoreau, sworn, said —I am a constable, stationed at Rakaia. Was at the sports held there on Boxing Day. Saw the desejtsgd ridibg in a Hack pace. When the horse deceased was riding was about two-thirds over the course, I saw it stumble, and deceased fell over the horse’s head and the horse rolled over him. With the assistance of several others, picked deceased up. Ho was stiU alive but insensible, Assisted to convey him to his father’s house. I telegraphed to Ashburton for medical assistance, Last saw deceased alive at 1.45 a. m. on Saturday. Saw the race, which was perfectly fair. Consider the occurrence as purely aecidepf;al. I consider the ground was quite nt'fpr pacing op. Charles Lake sworn —I am father of deceased. He was riding in the hack race on Friday last. I did not boo him fall, I was on the course. I did not see him picked up, He was taken to my house. Dj-.Ross was gent ftp, am] attended on him, He never raljied- Ho at 3 - 45 a.m. next day, I have every reason to believe that his death was purely accidental. I think the race was perfectly fair. My son was a very good rider. The ysiin perfectly quiet. It was not sound, tut Tnever knew it to stumble. I do not think the course was a good one. There were too many narrow places and short turnings in it. The horses had to pjtf? thi'qpgh gijd>3 i|] fences. By the Foreman— 'liluj lead jug horse had passed some yards before deceased's hqrfed. This was tbs qqly evidence, and the Coroner having addressed the jury, a verdict of accidental death was unanimously agreed on. The Coroner read Dr. Ross’s certificate, which stated that the cause of death was compression on the brain, caused by a rupture of a blood vessel in the skull.