TRAMWAY FATALITY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 824, 24 May 1910, Page 2

TRAMWAY FATALITY.

ACCIDENTAL DEA'tH.

An inquest touching the death of William Henry Shilli'to, of Ashburton, who died at the Wo'ilington Hospital on Saturday evening last, from injuries received through falling oft' the 6.30 p.m. Lambton Station-Constable Street car in Jervois Quay the previous evening, was held at the hospital before Mr. W. R. Haseldcn, district coroner, yesterday afternoon. Saruh Ann Sbillito, wife of. the deceased, stated that her husband was on his way homo from Auckland, where he had been attending a conference of the Society of Friends. He was about 55 years of age, and of strictly sober habits. Alexander Sutherland, motorman of tho car, said that at tho time of tho accident, his car was travelling at 12 miles per hour—full speed. Leonard Taylor, grocers' assistant, who was a passeuger by the car in question, said that it was his impression that tho deceased had got- out on to the footboard to get his luggage from the rear of the car when nearing the stopping place, and slipped oIF. Shillito was sitting in the same compartment as he himself—the rear smoker—and had with him a rug and an umbrella. When opposite the Post Office, deceased asked him the locality of Jervois Quay, and witness replied that tho car was then in Jervois Quay. Deceased then said that: he wished to alight, but was advised to ring the bell and wait for the next stop. He thou stepped out on to the foot-board, apparently with the idea of . making his way to tho rear platform. The next thing that hanpeuod' was the accident. John Joseph Madigan, conductor of tho car, said that he did not sec the deceased immediately before the accident. He stopped the car 011 seeing a man lying 011 the road. Deceased's portmanteau was still in the car. The medical evidence, by Philip Stanley Foster, assistant house surgeon at Wellington Hospital, stated that tho cause of death was fracture of the skull. KWdcnce was also given by Constable Hall. The coroner's finding was "accidental death," caused by a fall from a ear while in motion Mr. O'Shea appeared for the City Tramways Department.. Sergeant Mathicson represented the police.