INQUEST.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 306, 5 June 1875, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held yesterday afternoon at the Clarendon Hotel, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner, on the body of Mr N. G. Giassford, who met his death the previous night by being thrown out of a buggy, in Oxford terrace.

The following gentlemen were sworn in as a jury Robert Wilkin (foreman), Professor Bickerton, F. Strouts, A. Appleby, J. A. Makeig, A. Garrick, T. J. Maling, E. W. Roper, H. Andrews, W, Stocks, J. Hadfield, A. Otterson, and R. Alien.. After the jury had returned from viewing the body, the following evidence was taken—- } lexander Adams—l was driving home in or about seven o’clock last night, past the Clarendon-Hotel, and on or towards Victoria bridge. I .was round about half-way between the Conrt House and footbridge, going into the Government Buildings, when I heard a noise behind me. I went on as quickly as I could to get in next the river. I thought it was horses bolting. I got alongside the footbridge as near , as I could go in the dark, and just as I got opposite the bridge, a buggy and two horses bolted by me. There was no one in the buggy when it passed me, but I saw by the light'of the lamp that something had fallen out, as if risen by the reins. My horse was restive, and I couldn’t perceive what it was but I saw the shadow of something falling out,

My ho’Sa took fright and bolted after the buggy, acd 1 got him slopped when he had gone about two chains. I then turned round and came back to where I thought I had seen the thing fall upon the ground, and I called and four or five men came instantly and they lifted a man from the road. I left as soon as the men had the man lifted in their arms and had sent for the doctor.

By the coroner—l observed nothing until I saw something fall out of the trap. By a juror—The buggy never came near my cart or within striking distance. George Clark, living in Oxford terrace,sworn, stated —I heard horses galloping very fast near my place about seven o’clock last night. I ran out to see what was up, and I saw a drayman with a dray near the side of the foot bridge, close to where the engine goes to get water. I asked the drayman if he saw anything of a buggv going by, and he said yes, that he thought there was a man thrown out of it, * I ran down and picked the man up. I could see the man opposite to the lamp. The man was lying on his back, and I and another lifted him up. The man never moved, and was quite insensible. He did not moan. We lifted him to the light, and sent the other man for Dr Turnbull to the Council. That gentleman could, not come, and I sent for Dr Symes, who attended before many minutes. We then got a door and 1 assisted to bring deceased to the Clarendon. Adams, the carter, made the remfyk that he would have assisted us but he was afraid his horse would bolt. ' 70

By a Juror —I did not. hear any collision, and from where the dray was, there could not have been one.

Reginald Foster—l was with deceased all day yesterday, from about eight in the morning until seven in the evening. We had been rabbit shooting all the day (deceased, Dr Nedwill, and myself). He left me at Dr Ned,will’s door. He left to goto Millett’s stables, with the horses, where he was going to pick up a man to drive the horses back from his place. I drove the whole day going out and coming back- The horses were perfectly quiet, and easy to drive. From what I have heard and seen, I should say deceased was quite .capable of driving and of taking charge of horses. On the way down the Papanui road, I turned round to him and said—“ Glassford, where shall I drive to?” He said, “ I should think it would be most convenient for us all to drive to Dr Nedwill’s, and for me to fake the horses on to t£ illett’s, and take a man from there to my own place, and he can take the horses back.” He also said, “ Don’t you think so, Nedwill ? ” and Dr Nedwill assented.

By the Foreman—Mr Glassford was sitting • behind coming home, and Dr Nqdwill alongside of me. I remained on tjhe seat until the guns were taken out, and whin Mr Glassford was seated 1 then handed him the reins. I saw him start > all right, andithad before this been standing on the road having some conversation with him. <, -

Dr Symes—l wai called to seethe deceased at a quarter past-,-seven last evening. I found him lying on.the ground opposite the Gloucester street bridge, and quite, insensible. There, w(j,s no pulse, and only occasional respiration. I felt his head and found the skull was fractured. I might say there was blood issuing from both ears and from the nose. I directed him to be brought to this house. He breathed a few times on the way here, and died in a few minutes'after being carried into the house, I made the post mortem examination, and found a fracture in the vertex of the skull, extending from the middle of- the left fore-part of the head to the posterior part on the right side. On removing the skull I found the fracture had extended to the coverings of the. brain, and to the brain itself.

In reply to the coroner, the jury expressed themselves satisfied of the cause of death, and returned a verdict of “Accidental Death.”