The Recent Fatal Accident at Birmingham

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 115, 22 March 1890, Page 2

The Recent Fatal Accident at Birmingham

THE INQUEST. . An inquest was held on Friday 21st, in Lowes' Hotel, on the remains of the unfortunate man, Fortune Gihnour, killed in the coaoh accident on the 19th instant. The following gentlemen were ernpannelled as a jury : — Messrs T. Lowes (foreman), Messrs Cox, Martin, Scrimjevin, Barrow, and Salter. Marian Edith Hay thorne, sworn, said : I am the wife of Edward Haythorner I remember Wednesday last, the 19th of March ; at about 11 o'clock in the morning I was in my house and, looking down the road, I saw a brake coming over the brow of the hill; when I looked down the road a second time I saw two horses standing in the road ; I was seated' in my front room, and had a good view of the road ; my attention was directed then by hearing a crash ; I saw the brake shortly afterwards when I got on to the road ; I have often driven over this road, and do not consider it dangerous ; there are no obstacles upon the road, and 'it is very easily graded. Edward Hay thorne deposed: I am a settler residing in the Kiwitea; I am aware of the accident that happened to a brake on the 19th; I know the spot where it occurred; it is not a difficult road to drive over, and with ordinary care it is not difficult to drive a four horse team over it and the grade is easy ; I saw an old man on Thompson's cart afterwards and I was told he had been on the brake when it was upset. • Bobert Gardiner, sworn, deposed : lam a carpenter and reside at Birmingham ; I remember the 19th instant ; I was coming to Birmingham and was a passenger by Daw's brake, driven by Bobert Sommerville; we left Feilding about 10 o'clock; I was the only passenger until we got to Cheltenham,' when we picked up an old man, he seemed perfectly sober ; we were both seated on the box seat with the driver, and we reached Hay thorrie's hill all right, this .would be about noon ; going down hill the brake refused to act ; we .were going on the embankment side of the road and close to the edge ; the driver applied the brake as soon as we began to descend the hill; the leaders became restive and the off wheels were on the edge of the embankment ; the driver pulled the wheelers to get them in on the road, the pole broke, the brake instantly capsized and went over the embankment ; the deceased, the driver and myself were on the seat at the time; after I recovered myself I asked the driver 'how he felt and he said bad ; we heard a groan from the- old man; I procured water for deceased and sent to the hotel for help ; after the accident deceased was conscious and told us his name was Fortune Gihnour; I do not think there was any carelessness or negligence on the, part of the driver; I think the accident was due to the brake not answering. Thomas Lowes deposed : I never heard of the brake on the vehicle in question being defective ; I understood deoeased to say his name was Michael Gilmour. Dr Mussen. deposed : lam a duly qualified medical practitioner residing in Kiwitea ; I was called to attend deceased at Lowes' Hotel on the 19th instant ; when I saw him he was very weak but conscious ; his right arm was broken close to the shoulder and he had extensive contusions about the chest ; he appeared to have internal injuries also, with the shock to the system, quite sufficient to cause death ; I thought after I saw him the case was a hopeless one; I reduced the fracture and did all I professionally could for him. ' The jury consulted for a few minutes and brought in a verdict of accidental death . through the overturning of jjhe coach. The deceased was interred in the cemetery at Birmingham yesterday afternoon.