FATAL ACCIDENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1542, 25 August 1905, Page 3

FATAL ACCIDENT.

THE INQUEST. "\:J \ T \

. James Allen, the elderly manpicke up on Tuesday afternoon, died late on Wednesday night. .. ’ , . L An inquest was held yesterday afternoon before Mr Barton, 3.M., Coroner, aud the following jury: tTames East (foreman), A. J. Hodgson, B. Gray, W. H. Smith, H. Martin, 0. A. Nield. J. A. Lucas, Matawhero, identified the body as that of James Allen, a waggoner, who had lived with witness for the oast seven weeks. Allen had a bad toe and was boarding with witnessj who had' known him for seven months, during which time Allen had worked at Matawhero. Deceased left the Bridge hotel on Tuesday, 22nd, to come to town to see Common, Shelton and Co., to look after a situation. Allen was accustomed to riding, and had previously ridden the same horse, which belonged to witness. Allen borrowed the horse from witness. It had the name of being a very quiet horse, and was used daily. Allen was a sober, steady man, but he had seen him under the influence of liquor. Allen left witness’ house at 10 a.m on Tuesday. Dr Morrison deposed that Allen was admitted to the. hospital at 6.30 on Wednesday morning, he saw deceased at 9 a.m and found him in a semi-unconscious state. There were marks at the back of the head, showing that deceased had had a blow, tad he was without doubt suffering from internal brain injury. Witness did what li© could for deceased) wlio never recovered consciousness, and .died from brain injury. A fall from a horse would be sufficient to account for the injuries to the head. The bruises were on both sides of the head, as if deceased ,had struck an uneven surface. The skin was not broken, but only bruised. Harry Benjamin Buttorworth, carpenter, stated that on Tuesday afternoon he was on the main road to Makaraka, and saw the deceased riding along the road. Allen appeared to.be intoxicated, deceased was swaying about, and could, not sit straight in I the saddle. Witness passed the deceased, who shortly afterwards passed witness. When witness passed Allen, deceased’s horse was walking, hut when Allen passed witness deceased a horse appeared to be running away with him. After Allen had got 15 or 20 yards ahead of witness he fell from his horse. Deceased was swaying from side to side, and fell off on the left hand side, falling clear. Deceased was not dragged. He appeared to fall on his head and shoulders. Witness got off his bicycle and picked deceased up, sitting him up. Deceased did not speak then. Afterwards Mr Lewis came along, and when they tried to put him on his feet deceased said, “ I can’t.” They lifted deceased to the side of the road, on tc the grass. Deceased fell on the side of the road, which was fairly hard Witness did not think the horse struct deceased. • By the foreman: When the horsi was galloping past witness, decease: was holding the mane of the horse, and had no control of the animal. Elizabeth Lucas, wife of J. A. Lucas, was in town on Tuesday, and on her way home sbe saw deceased lying on the side Of the road. She saw Constable Koenan lift deceased up from the ground, and asked Allen if he knew her. Deceased replied, Yea.” She said, “ Hore is the police ; they have come to arrest Deceased replied, 11 They canlfc take me, or words to that effect. He did not complain of beiDg hurt, and seemed stupid. Tho police removed him In a cab. Constable Keenan deposed that on Tuesday, at 4.50 p.m., he went to Te Hapara and found deceased lying on a byroad a few yards off the main road. De. ceased, in witness’ opinion, was drunk, and was removed to the police station by Constable O'Hara and witness, Between

5 and 6 tho next morning doooased was romovod to tho hospital in an unoonsoious state.

By the foreman : "Witness had no idea when ho took the man to the station that Allen was Buffering from oononaaion of tho brain. If ho had done bo ho would havo romovod him to the hospital. Constable O’Hara doposed that while on tho way to town in tho oab, Alien askod him whoro they wore taking him (docGaaod) to. Witnoss replied, “To tho poliao station.”! Allen askod what ho was ohatgod with, and witness replied for being found .drunk. When found Allen had every oppoaranoo of boing drunk. At tho station they lifiod Allen out of tho oab, and doooasod walked into the watoh-houso with a little assistance. Allen spoko aua asked witnoss not to look him up, and mauo some other remarks. Witness put him in tho cell aud covered him up. At 9 p.m. witnoss visited Alien again, and deceased appeared to bo all right. Allen did not complain of pain. Witnoss did not dream of any oonoassion of tho brain. Aftor 9 p.m. witnoss went off duty, and ho did not know when Allon was visited again. Constable Hanoox stated that on Tuesday ho was on duty from 9 p.m, till 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Ho know deceased, and visited him in his cell at 1 a.m. on Wednesday. When ho. got tp Sargood’s oorner he hoard a knocking' in the direction of the - station. He visited Allon’s coll, and found him in a fit, with his knoos and feet knocking against tho wall. Ho took Allon’s boots off and waited by him till he recovered. Tho fit only lasted ton minutes, apd Allen recovered and spoke to witness, who stayed with him till after 2 a.m. Mr Fraser, nightwatchman,alao oamo round and saw dooeasod. They left Allon shortly after 2, and deceased appeared to bo sleeping quietly. At 4.89 a.m. doceaßed. appeared to bo sloeping, bnt as his right hand was moving convulsively witness tried to wake him, but found him unoonseious. As Allen did not oome to, witnoss called in a dootor, who ordered deceased to the hospital. Mr Martin: Did you .notice liquor on him?-

Witness : Well, there was a smell of liquor in the cell, but, of course, it was hours afterwardo when I saw him.

Sorgeant Mackenzie deposed that ho was in tho police station when Allen was brought in in a oab. Docoascd walked into watchhouse with a little assistance. He was druok. Witness saw deceased at 8 and also shortly after 11 p.m. Tho three prisoners in the oells were all quiet. Shortly before 5 witness .was colled by Constable Honcox, who informed him that deoeased was unoonsoious. Witness despatched the constable for tho nearest dootor, Dr Coker, who on arrival ordered Allen’s removal to the Hospital, which was done.. Witness did not think tho serious effects of the fall were felt by deceased until after some hours.

The Coroner said the jury should havo no difficulty in arriving at a verdict. Their duty was clear. The jury, without retiring, brought in the following verdiot:— 11 The jury are of opinion that doeeased mot bis death through falling from his horse'while in a state of intoxication.”

The Coroner quite concurred in the verdiot. He did not see how they oould arrive at any other from the evidence.