INQUEST.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2314, 3 September 1881, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Hospital yesterday, before J. D. Frankish, Esq., coroner for the district, on the body of Michael Howard, who died from the effects of an accident at the railway station on Thursday. Mr John Oarson was chosen foreman of the jury. After the jury had viewed the body evidence was taken.—DrMeikle, house surgeon at the Hospital, deposed to the fact of the deceased having been brought there on Thursday at noon, suffering from an accident which had taken place. Deceased never rallied, and died two hours after admission into the Hospital, He was conscious up to the time of bis death. Death ensued from shock to the nervous system, following upon the severe internal injury, the result of the accident the deceased had met with.—Robert Mutch deposed to the fact of the accident taking place, by which deceased lost his life. Witness gave the usual signal about 11 a.m. to pull three loads of waggons from the shed to the Port road. After going some twenty feet deceased pu his foot on the brake of the second waggon, and he slipped from the brake in between the waggons. Witness immediately pinned the foremost brake down, and ran back to the second waggon, catching the brake, but not in time to prevent the accident. The second waggon was eased down and fell back some eight inches. Deceased was lying down with the waggon wheels on the lower part of hia body. He crawled out from the waggons, and laid on his side, —In answer to a question from a juryman, the witness said deceased did not get on the brake until after the waggons had left the shed. When waggons were to be removed the clerk of the shed gave instructions. Deceased was clerk of the A shed. Sometimes the acting foreman brought the instructions of the clerk, which was the case on this occasion. It was quite an unusual thing for the deceaied to put his foot on the brake. Witness believed that he did so to get a look into the waggon to check his bags. It was quite outside his duty to do so.—By Sergeant-Major Mason—lt is against the rules of the service for a man in the position of deceased to put his foot on the brake. The deceased was perfectly sober at the time of the accident.—John Jenkins deposed to the injury received by deceased. He saw deceased lying on the way under one of the waggons, and immediately stopped his horse and slipped the chain. When the waggons left the shed the deceased was not on the brake as he looked round. It was customary for the olerk of the goods shed to give notice to the shunter if he desired a wagon to stop, but it was not customary for him to interfere with the brakes. It was against instructions for anybody to do so,—Sergeant-Major Mason said that Mr F. Back, general manager of the railway, had attended to speak as to the fact that the deceased was acting outside his duty, but in face of the evidence given be did not think it was necessary.—Mr Back said, as the question had been asked ae to the sobriety of the deceased, he desired to say that he had been in the employ of the Government for a number of years, and had always borne a very high character for sobriety and good conduct. —The coroner said there was not the slightest doubt that the deceased was acting outside his duty.—The jury, after a brief consultation, returned a verdict of “ Accidental Death,” adding a rider—“ That the jury were of opinion that the deceased came by his death whilst performing an unnecessary duty, and one not required of him by the Government.”—Tho brother of the deceased, Mr D. Howard, said he desired publicly to thank the authorities of the Hospital for their kindness to the deceased.—The coroner said that he would take care to have this conveyed to the Hospital authorities.