THE FATALITY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1606, 25 November 1912, Page 5

THE FATALITY.

. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. ' The inquest concerning the death of Rev. Father Venning was conducted-by. Dr. -M'Arthnr, S.M., on -Saturday morning. The principal witness. was Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., and the only others called were Drs. Martin and Pattie. .

William G. Riddell deposed that 1 on Thursday, November 21, at about 5.15 p.m.' he wis walking up Guilford • Terraoe with Mrs. Riddell, and when about 50 yards from the intersection of Guilford Terraoe with Hill Street he heard a sound behind him as ,if something had collided with a paling fence.» He looked round and saw the deceased and his motor bicycle -lying- at the foot of the j Terrace. He ran down to deceased, and another man approached just at the. 6ame time. Deceased was lying quite still, and was unconscious. His left • foot had be-' come entangled .between the step and > the machine itself. The power had been shjit off from the machine, and .the bicycle had rebounded from the fence. Deceased was bleeding slightly from the ■nose and the ear.- Seeing- that Father Venning was seriously 'injured,.-witness immediately ran to tk'o Catholic Presby-"' i tery and telephoned for a doctor. Soon after that Dr. Pattie. arrived. . Mr. Riddell added that lie knew nothing of .the ; - speed at which the' bicycle was travelling. • Guilford'Terrace was ■ a narrow ; j street, and the turn into it from Hill ; Street , was a very sharp one. : Dr. Pattie gave evidence to the effect i that the death had been caused by fracture of the base of the skull, which re- ! suited in a tearing of the membranes-of the brain. Death had been ..accelerated;? ■ by shock. • ' Dr. Martin's testimony 'agreed ...with,'. Dr. Pattie's. " ' 1 The verdict was to the effect that j Father death was due to in- ' juries accidentally received while he waj ; riding a motor-bicycb. CABLEGRAM FROM ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD. ■ | The news of Father Venning"s'death.was".: i cabled to Archbishop Redwood, who is at present* in the "United Stales, .on-ihis-way to Rome. 1 . * v " . . from Baltimore,■ United - States 66America, Ills Grace 'cabled iii reply that' j he' was very much grieved by the sad >. news.' , . ] SEAMEN'S SYMPATHY. '■ ' At'the meeting of the Catholic Spiinien'fi' Conference at St. Patrick's ,Hail .on Sat- . j urday evening, a motion'-was passed ex--. j pressing regret at the death of'tho Rev*'' ; Father Venning, their spiritual director, who was one' of the founders of -the so- , ciety, and who always took a lively inter- ; est ill tho work of tho conference. _ Seamen from all parts always found, ; ■in him a ready friend, and his many, acts of kindness will long be rememberedby them. . i HIS PARISHIONERS' PRESENT. ; A few weeks ajo the late Rev. Father Venning was presented by his parishion- •, ers with a motor-c.vcla of 3} hbrse-power.'j-As in the course of his duties lie would* . havo to do a good , deal of hill-climbing* Ire decided, on adyice, to have the machinei changed to a six liorse-power machine: In the meantime ho was lent a i)incl\ina_ to learn how to manage it. The newmachine is on board the lonic, duo hero very shortly.' ' ", .. '