UNUSUAL FATALITY

Evening Star, Issue 22443, 14 September 1936, Page 10

UNUSUAL FATALITY

TWO GARS INVOLVED IHQUEST PROCEEDINGS CONCLUDED A fatality that presented unusual features and involved the death ot a motor cyclist at the corner ot Princes and Jetty streets about 2.25 on the morning of August 30 was the subject of an inquest concluded before Mr J. R Bartholomew. S.M., this morning. The cyclist, Mackay Robertson Spence, single, aged 32 years, residing at 24 Oakland street, Anderson’s Bay, was proceeding south along Princes street, and when nearing the Jetty street intersection he grazed the rear of a motor car which Was travelling over the crossing. He was thrown from the cycle, and before he could regain his feet a second motor car, which was travelling behind him, passed over his body. The evidence of Eric William Dyer, of Christchurch, the driver of the car that was involved in the collision with the motor cyclist, was taken when the Inquest was opened. Sergeant Boulton represented the police, Mr E. J. Anderson appeared for Albert Leonard Lamb (a taxi driver), and Mr C. A. Hamer for. the relatives of the deceased. . Dr E. E. D’Ath, pathologist, detailed the results of a post mortem he had made on the body of the deceased, and stated he was of the opinion that he had died from internal haemorrhage, the result of extensive injuries to the organs of the abdomen and chest caused by some, heavy object passing across the bodyria the region of the lower part of the chest and the upper abdomen. To Mr Hamer, Dr D’Ath said- that slight injuries to deceased’s head were consistent with a fall on the roadway, and possibly might have had -the effect of stunning him, irrespective of whether he had had liquor or not. Replying to a further question, witness said there were two distinct sets of injuries. Those about the face and head could scarcely have been caused at the same time as the injuries to the internal organs. When the injuries to the chest and abdomen took place deceased must have been lying on his back. The state of his head and face suggested that Spence was probably thrown on hia head and then landed on his face. For that reason he concluded there were two separate sets of injuries. Harry Child, residing at 99 Tainui road, said he had known Spence for some : six or seven years, and had accompanied him to Carisbrook on the afternoon of his death. After having two glasses of beer at witness’s home, deceased left about 5 p.m. to go home, and later accompanied witness to the pictures. Spence finally departed for his home at 11.55 p.m. on his motor cycle, which ho was perfectly fit tip ride, being quite sober. It was not till the following day hie learnt that Spence had been killed, and he could offer no explanation why he should have again visited the city after leaving witness’s home. . Andrew Clifford Brown, a motor cycle dealer, detailed an examination he had made of the machine following the fatality. Albert Leonard Lamb, a taxi driver, said he was driving a passenger _to South Dunedin. He saw no object lying on the ground at the intersection of Princes, Jetty j and Stafford streets, neither did he see the constable, who was stated;to have signalled witness to stop. When at the intersection of Jetty and Princes streets, he felt a hump such as one felt when driving aver a hole in the. street. He formed the opinion that it was the front near. ; wheel which had passe.d over the object. His passenger mentioned something about the bump, and witness slackened down and returned to the intersection, where he discovered a man lying on the road. He appeared to be unconscious, and a constable was in attendance. “I am definite I was driving carefully and keeping a good lookout, giving the road in front special attention,” added witness, who added that when the Street surface was wet at night it was most difficult to pick up an object lying on'the street. During the 24 hours previous to the accident he had no liquor whatever. To •Mr Hamer, witness said that directly the buirip was experienced he mentioned the fact to 'his passenger, and'they both looked back. The headlights‘were full oh, and could easily throw a beam of 100 ft. At the time the blimp was felt it was raining. Witness;, was positive ;ihat his speed was between 20 and '25 miles per hour. At the time of the accident he had been 13 hours,on duty, but did not feel tired. .“It was very hard to pick out an object,” said witness to Mr Anderson. The deceased was wearing a dark overcoat. and motor .cycle leggings. Edward Heepey, a barman at the Prince of Wales Hotel, a passenger in the taxi, said that at the time the bump was felt the car was being driven at a reasonable speed of approximately 20 to 25 miles per hour, and. the driver was exercising proper care and keeping a careful look-out. Witness saw no object lying on the road, neither did he see the first car or the motor cycle. “ Under the prevailing conditions it was no time for speed,” said witness to Mr Anderson. Constable T. Drayton said that about 2.30 on the ( morning of. the fatality he was standing in a position that commanded a view of the intersections of Stafford and Jetty streets with Princes street. His attention was attracted to a motor cyclist proceeding south along Princes street at a speed he estimated at 40 miles per hour. Then he observed a motor car proceeding from Stafford street into Jetty street and saw the cycle strike it. The rider of the machine was* thrown clear of the ground, and witness immediately went across to the scene of the accident. As he did so he saw a taxi proceeding towards the intersection. “ 1 Hashed my torch several times towards the oncoming car, but failed to attract the driver’s attention, with the result that the near wheels of the car passed over the motor cyclist’s body,’’ said the constable. The taxi driver, Lamb, stated subsequently that he felt a bump, but did not know what he had run over. Lamb appeared to be per-, foctly sober. Deceased had ample J room to ‘ swerve' to the rear of the first car. “ The smell of liquor on the deceased probably came from the liquor on his clothing from a broken bottle,” replied in answer to Mr Hamer." Reviewing the evidence, the Coroner said that it disclosed that, due to what had been described as a “dirty, wet night,” a drizzling rain made the road greasy. The motor cycle touched the rear of the- car coming down Stafford street, with the result that Spence was thrown from the machine and stunned. The oncoming taxi, the speed of which appeared to have been reasonable, proceeded on and ran over deceased without the driver being aware of what had occurred. Obviously, neither driver of the two cars was in any way to blame. “It is notorious that dark objects tend to merge into the background under such conditions,” said Mr Bartholomew. His verdict was that Spence died from internal haemorrhage,

the result of extensive injuries to the organs of the abdomen and chest caused by being run over by a motor car in Princes street on August 30.