PRISON WARDER KILLED.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14829, 21 November 1913, Page 13

PRISON WARDER KILLED.

VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. Charics Frederick Morgan, who was for somo time a warder at Lvttelton and recently a warder at tbo Sddington gaol, was fatally injured <-ar!v yesterday morning by being knocked down "on the Lincoln road by » motor-c.-ir proceeding to some festivities at Duvaucbdle-s, and driven by Charles Roots. The injured man was taken to the Christciiurch Hospital, and cvcrr attention was given him, but ho <iied*without regaining ron-seiousness atabout 11 a.m. An inquest was held last night at tho iospital, before Mr H. W. Bishop, District Coroner. Sergeaut Jackson appeared lor the police, sind Mr F. Johnston for the driver of the car. David Livingstone Sinclair, house surgeon at the Christchurch Hospital, rated that decease] was brought into tho 'hospital at 5.20 o'clock yesterday morning. He was then unconscious, and bleeding from the left ear. Death occurred two hours later, the. cause being fracture ol tho base of the skull. Evidence of identification vfas given br the widow of tho deceased, Frances iiaria Morgan. She. stated that her .jjuiband was forty-nine years of ago. He was in possession of all his faculties; bis hearing was good, but ho woro glasses. . THE DRIVERS STORY.

- Ciarles Henry Roots, taxi-cab driter. driving his own car, deposed fh*fc 3 t 8.1-5 o'clock yesterday morning, he was driving on the Lincoln read, goins from Kin;: Edward Barracks to l)uvanchelles Bay. At about 4-5 yards ahead of his car he saw the deceased on the north side of tho road, ■faettrnen the tramline and a small . bridge over tho gutter. Witness estimated his speed at about twelve miles ■ an hour, and ho was driving on his proper aide of the road. Ho sounded Ms horn, but deceased did not appear to take any notice. At about IB to 20 ■yards 'distance witness again sounded bis horn. Deceased was then between the two sets ot tramlines, and looked towards the car, stopping momentarily. Witness thought Morgan was stopping for, him to pass, but instead ho took two paces forwnrd. Witness them turned sharply to the right to get past, but deceased stepped right back into - the car, and was* caught by the loffc wing and headlamp of the car. being knocked backwards, his head striking .the tiamliuo. The car was pulled np in its own length, for wiwiess had " slowed down to seven or eight miles an . honr, immediately on his sounding tho . horn a second time. Morgan lay unconscious, and witness sent for Constable Pratt, after which tho unfortunate man was conveyed to the hospital. To the Coroner: He did what he thought was right, and. from his own : standpoint tho accident- wa«* unavoidable. Jfo was a licensed driver, of ' : about one year's experience, nine. v months of which was in the Old Coun- !"■•■■ try. ..;-,• ;,/:.•:-.■ OTHER WITNESSES. ■ '■'' James Claudius Browu, hairdresser and tobacconist, carrying on business .at-BS4' Lincoln road, stated that he witnessed the accident. A man drew : Bis attention to tho car coming along "jlancoln road. Tho driver sounded his itorn threo or four times as deceased .crossed tho road. The car appeared to ■ bo going fairly fast, but ho could not ' estimate tho speed. It slowed down . :*'Jfefar'e the accident. Deceased ap--sp«?sred to get confused, as ■witness fought, afe tho 'horn blowing, and , ieonwd to make a step back iv the 'direction from which he was going. , The next witness saw was that the car

[ rap over deceased's foot, and the splash.. ixHird striking him, he fell heavily. In t . his opinion the collision was quite accii,, j. dental; there was no negligence. Edward Pariane, carrier, gavo eriJcnoo oorroborative of the previous witness's story. . Ho considered the 'accident;was due to deceased stepping hack after ho was crossing tho road. Tho driver ewerrod his car, and did his best to avoid a collision. A Terdict was recordet! that deceased wot hie death by 'being accidentally Kfcrnck by a motor-car.