AN UNKNOWN MAN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1380, 5 March 1912, Page 3

AN UNKNOWN MAN.

DEATH BY MISADVENTURE, WILLIS STREET THAM ACCIDENT. An inquest was held at the Hospital yesterday by Dr. A.' M'Arthur, Coroner, concerning (he death of the unknown man who died on Friday last, from injuries received the previous evening by being knocked down by a train-car in Willis Street. Sergranl Mathieson conducted the case for tlit- police, Mr. A. W. Blair fur the I ramv.ays' I'niuis, and Mr. J. O'Shea lor the City Corporation. Ihe man had been identified on Sunday by two men who said that bevond all doubt lie was one Michael Walslie, a miner from Denniston. Yesterday, however, the city police received telegraphic advice from tho Denniston polico that Walsh was at his work as usual. Tho polico have now no due as to the man's leal identity. All that is known of him has been gathered from an examination or his clothing. Jf o wns a man of alxiut U years of age, of stout build, with a heavy red moustache, blue eyes, dark brown eyebrows, and dark brown hair turning grey. Tho clothes he wore were pf navy blue twill, and thev bore the business mark of G. Ferguson, Westport. In his pockets were found a new openfaced keyless Swiss lever watch, number 450919, a gold albert, two or three racecards, and £2 10s. 7d. in cash.

At the inquiry Dr. Hardwicke Smith gave evidence that deceased was.admitted to the Hospital on Thursday evening, unconscious lie hud a largo sculp wound on the left side of the head, and his left side appeared to bo paralysed. Deceased died without recovering consciousness, and a post-mortem examination discovered a fracture of the skull. Sergeant Kelly gave evidence of the dispatch of deceased to (he Hospital. Witness produced the deceased's hat, a new one of dark grey felt, which bore the mark of the New Zealand Clothing Factory. The local manager had informed witness that tho hat. had not been purchased in 'Wellington, but at one of the company's other branches. Ho could not tell which one. Alexander Anderson, a warehouseman, said he was passing up Willis Street at 5.15 p.m. when the accident occurred. Deceased was crossing from the west side of tho street, at a very fast walk, almost a run, when a tram-car passed up the street from Lambton Quay. Deceased did not appear to notice the car until he was almost, on the first rail of the line on which th? car was running. Tho motorman rang his bell. Deceased hesitated between the rails, and then made to cross in front of the car, but was.struck by the car. Apparently he was .struck-oil the hip, and the shock knocked him aside, but, as deceased fell, Ms head struck the buffer, and ho was thrown still further out. clear of the rails, but with his feet under the-car. Tho front wheels brushed his feet clear, but they fell back ever the rails again. Tho car stopped suddenly, and when deceased was picked up he was lying about the centre of the car, with his feet over the outside rail. After the impact the car must have stopped in half its own length. In witness's opinion, the motonnan did everything he could to avoid the, accident, a,id the tram was being driven at. about the usual pace. James Lawriey labourer, gave almost exactly tho same account of the occurrence. He, too, was sure tho motorman had done everything possible to avoid the acci- ■ dent. Three other witnesses were called, George. Holland, Henry . Ferrill, and Norman James Oliver. The evidence of Anderson was read to t.hem, and they agreed that it was substantially correct 'as to all ' important facts. ; During the progress of the inquest Ser- i geant Mathieson received a telegram from ■ the Denniston police suggesting that de- > (••eased might be one Matthew Walsh, \ brother of Michael Walsh. One witness, ! Peter Brown, who had previously identi- j hod drceased as Michael Walsh, said, * however, that the deceased was certainly \ not Matthew Walsh. " \ Bertie Edward Church, motorman on fi tlu car which knocked deceased down, \ 'gave evidence. Deceased left the we<t fi side of Willis Street and hurried at-a fast F < walk to cross, the street. He was comin? >■ almost at a 'run towards the car, hav"- | ing apparently noticed someone on the v other- side of the street whom he wish- jj ed to meet. Witness rang tho gong and < applied the/emergency brake, which took | effect just as the front ( of the car struck % tho man. ' i "Pure misadventure, an accident if ever % an accident took place,", said the coroner, § after the evidence had been taken. "I am sj only too pleased to bo able to say that \ the motorman did everything on hi's part \ to avoid an accident, and that no blamo & is in any way attachable to hini." f[ Tho coroner's finding was death by niic H adventure. " a