A TRAM CONDUCTOR'S DEATH

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 287, 30 August 1919, Page 8

A TRAM CONDUCTOR'S DEATH

" rO- T ' SAD FATALITY WAR INJURY CAUSES ACCIDENT , ; The ciroumstaaees surrounding the ; death of Albert George Guidon .which. 1 were revealed at the coroner's inquest 1 yesterday disclosed the fact that a wound received on. active service was 1 tlie cause of the accident. The decensed was a, tram conductor, and whilst 1 off duty on Tuesday morning he jumped oil a moving tram in Maimers Street with the result that he sustained injuries whicli brought about his death at tho Wellington Hospital on Thursday' morning. Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., investigated the happenings, and Senior-Sergeant Wil- ■ lis commoted the inquiry on behalf of thb police. ' .Dr. Waterworth, house surgeon at tlio Wellington Hospital, said that when admitted tho | deceased was guttering from iv fracture 'of tho right leg and shock. Ho appeared to make good recovery, but on the morning of August 27 there were definite symptoms of gas gangrene, a disease which had been very.oommon in France. Witness oonsidered that death , was due to sovero septic poisoning due to gas gangrene caused by infection of the wound on deceased's broken leg by tlie street soil. Erio Sydney tram conductor, | said, that deceased was .a returned soldier, and on Tuesday morning was travelling on witness's. car as a passenger.' | Shortly after leaving the stop at the | Cuba and Manners Streets intersection \ witness felt a slight bump'and gave the | emergency signal. The tram was prompt--1 ly pulled up and the deceased was found ' lying beside the car just clear of . the " track. Ho was carried to Mr. M'Ken- : zie's pharmacy for attention. The tram ■ • would bo travelling at about. 12 miles ; per hour at the moment of. the afceiderit, ' but witness, knew nothing of how it ha.p- '' pc-ned. The deceased was an active 1 young man and perfectly sober. Arthur Harnett, ihotorman of tho • tram, said that ho had spoken to the : deceased on Tuesday morning and was aware that he was going to call at an outfitter's shop in Manners Street. Tho i deceased was sitting, in the front com- i .partment of the tram, and as'he neared [ Jiis destination he stepped down to the j .front step and 6aid ho was getting oil. | The next witness heard was the emer- . geiicy Ibell. He stopped tho tram J promptly. . Witness had hoard that deceased liad a weak ankle.' and this no i doubt caused him to slip. 5 Constable; Healey said deceased was , quito conscious after the accident and , had stated that as lie stepped from the j car his foot doubled under him and ha , fell. Ho said that lie was solely to I blame for' the accident. Deceased was perfectly sober. ' Eyidencfe was given, by a brother of the ' deceased to the effect that deceased was a single mail 24 yea-is of age and a re- ' turned soldier. Deceased suffered from . n weak ankle as'it had been broken on Gallipot i.. 1 The coroner said that it was very sad that a young man who had passed 1 through all the dangers of war should 6 have met his death in the manner lie. B did. Had his ankle, been sound the acB cident would probably not have occurred, 0 but therq was Always a considerable risk in stepping from a moving vehicle. The. verdict would be in accordance with the medical testimony. No blame was attachable 'to' tho driver or the conductor J of the tramcar. ' 1 THE FUNERAL. 0 i? The late Mr. Gurden will be accorded :] a full military funerai on Sunday mom- - ing. The cortege is to leave the mort tuary oliapel of Messrs, R. H, Wilson . and Son, John Street, at-9.30 a.m., and will proceed via the city streets to the Karori Cemetery. The Tramway Band will be in attendance. Special arrangements have been made for trams to convpy friends, one leaving Thorndon at 8.45 0 a.m. and one Island Bay at. tne same 5 hour for Newtown. Other trams will ° be in attendance at tlie Government 13uildings to convey friends to Karori.