RECENT TRAMWAY FATALITY
MOTOKMAN EXONERATED. • Mr. S. li. Jl'Carthy, S.JL, held the adjourned inquest on Saturday concerning tho deatli of Karl Axel Liudstrom, a ship's fireman, who was knocked down by a tramcar in Manners Street on the ovening of April Iti, and died at tlio Wellington Hospital early tho following morning. Senior Sergeant Willis appeared for the police, and Air. J, O'Sliea, city solicitor, represented the Tramway Department. • Dr. Alexander S. Morton, house surgeon at the Wellington Hospital, gave evidence as to the injuries to the liead and i'aco suffered by the dtceased, who was admitted to tha hospital about 9 p.m. in an unconscious condition. Death was due to the fracture of the base of tho sk\ill, resulting in compression of the brain. Witness was of opinion that even had the services of a 'loctor bean secured immediately after the accident nothing could have- been done to save the life of the man.
Colin James Bradley, railway cadet, 6tated that he saw deceased crossing from tlie south sido of Manners Street. 11c weiit straight on, looking neither to tlio right nor left, so that he- apparently did not notice the near approach of an outward-bound car, which had just rounded the Duke of Edinburgh corner. Deceased stepped on the lines when the tram was only a few yards distant. Witness considered that tho jjiotorm'an had not sufficient time or warning .to prevent the accident. The. deceased was dragged along some distance, and was then extricated. Witness considered that deceased was not under tho influence of liquor. Sergeant'C. W. Lopwell, stationed at tlio Taranaki Street Police Station, stated that from the account of the accident given him by two friends of the deceased who were present when ho was knocked over the car did not travel more than fivo or ten yards before it was pulled up. His friends also stated that deceased was under the influence of liquor. Motorman L. S. Reeves, who was driving the tramcar, said tho first he saw of the deceased was when ho.nadea -headlong rush a few feet in front of the car, consequently there was no time to avoid tho iiccident. Witness sounded the gong and put on both the Westinghou'se and magnetic brakes, but at the same instant the car struck the man, who was carried from fivo to seven yards before the mr was brought to a stop. The car was pulled up so suddenly that the conductor was thrown from one compartment to the other. Several doctors ■were sent for, but none rrrived More the man was removed to the Hospital. The Conner returned a verdict that death was due to fracture of tho base of the skull, caused bv a collision with a tnmcar; that deceased was drunk at the time, and was n r glifent as to the approach of the car, and 'hat *he motorman was ill no way to blame.
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Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 183, 23 April 1918, Page 6
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485RECENT TRAMWAY FATALITY Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 183, 23 April 1918, Page 6
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