INQUEST.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2470, 7 March 1882, Page 4

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Junction Hotel yesterday at 3 p.m., before W. T. 8. Coward, Eeq., coroner for the district, and a jury, of whom Mr Leggett was chosen foreman, on the body of John Anderson, who died from the effects of injuries received, owing to coming into collision with the Papanui tram on the night of the 27th ult. Mr Garrick attended to watch the case on behalf of the Tramway Company. Sergeant-Major Mason conducted the enquiry on behalf of the police. The jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken : Pobort Billens —I was standing at my door in Victoria street about a quarter or twenty minutes past eleven p.m. on Monday, 27th February.” I saw tho tram coming round tho Junction Hotel corner, and then I heard some traps coming down the road from Papanui. I saw a double buggy coming olong and a waggen. I saw them first just passing the Carlton Hotel. It was quite moonlight, and I could sec them plainly. The buggy, when opposite my place, went off on to the opposite side of the road. The waggon continued on the same course right in the middle of tho road, and I could see it was going into the tram. 1 called out to a friend in my back room that there was a trap going into the tram. When the horse in the waggon got close to the tram it swerved off, and tho front wheel of the waggon caught the tram. The wheel was the near side wheel of the waggon, and the deceased was thrown out on to tho road. I should imagine from tho pace the waggon was coming that the man driving had not control of the horse. When I got up to tho tram I saw the front wheel of the waggon smashed, the whippletreo broken, and tho horse clear of the waggon. I took the horse away then. I saw deceased being picked up by some one off the tram, and ho was put into the other buggy. By Mr Garrick—l was Dome twenty or thirty yards off at the time. There were no lights on either the waggon or tho buggy. The tram had three lights burning. By the Foreman—The driver of tho waggon was on the wrong side of tho road. The Coroner thought that the public could drive on either side of tho road.

Sergeant-Major Maaon said that the rule of tho road was not abrogated in relation to the team car.

By Mr Q-artiok—Tho horse in the furniture van waa coming at a pretty good pace. It was cantering at the lime of the oolliaion. By a juror—Tho tram waa not travelling very fast. It was going at the usual rate. Had the tram stopped tho furniture van must have bean bound to have gone into it. The tram did not ring the bell. The foreman enquired whether it was considered necessary for a trap to carry lights on a moonlight night; The coroner said that only licensed vehicles were bound to carry lights. Robert Anderson, son of deceased—On Monday, February 27th, I went about 11.15 p.m, to meet my father at Fapanui, and met him just a little beyond Rhodes’. I turned round and followed him. He was driving a four-wheeled waggon and I was driving n phaeton. When he got to the Carlton I passed him. Ho followed down close behind

my trap till wo got down to close to Billons’ store. The horse I was driving saw the lights of the tram, and slackened her pace. My father kept on straight and passed me. Ho went down the tram line, crossing it a long slant to the right, the opposite side of the rood. Just about Greenaway’s he came up against the tram, the near forcwheel of the van striking the tram. He was thrown out of the trap on to the road. I picked him up and helped to put him in the carriage I was driving. My father was not accustomed to take drink. I cannot say whether ho was sober or not, because I did not speak to him. All he spent from the time he went away till he returned home was Is. My father was on the right-band side of the road till he reached Billons’, when he got on to the left side of the road. When ho came near the tram cars ho intended, I suppose, to go over to the other side ot the road, and took a long slant across the tram line. By Mr Garrick—Meeting the tram his proper side of the road would bo the left aide. My horse slackened its pace, and my father passed me. If there was room to pass it would bo right for him to return to the left. I caw him attempting to cross the lino. I did not shout out to him. I went to meet him, because he had been longer than I thought he would have been. If he had gone sharp to the right across the tram line he would have cleared the tram, as it was twenty yards off. By the Foreman—l headed my father till ho got to St. Albans. To a juror—The boll of the tram was never rung. The tram driver sung out to my father when ho was about two yards off the tram. By (he Foreman —My father was not shortsighted so far as I know. Ha was rather deaf.

William Henry Moyle—l am an engine driver in the employ of the Canterbury Tramway Company. On Monday, 27th February, I was driving the 11 p.m. tram from the square. When opposite Greenaway’s, on the Papanui road, I saw two vehicles approaching me in the middle of the road. They had no lights, and wore within a few yards of me when I saw them. I then called out to them. They wore both abreast ot each other. I at once reversed my engine to stop the train. One of the vehicles pulled off on the right side ; the other hit the engine, breaking part of the engine. I saw some one lying on the ground whom I afterwards found to bo the deceased. He was insensible when picked up. By Mr Garrick —The one vehicle pulled off to the right side of mo, or the loft hand side of the road. We did not stop at Greenaway’s that night. We were travelling very slowly, at the rate of about four miles an hour, at the time of the accident.

By the Foreman—Wo ring the bell to take up or put down passengers, or when we gee a cart coming. la this case, neither vehicle having lights, I did not see them in time to ring the bell, but immediately reversed my engine to bring the train to a stand-still, as I saw an accident was about to baopen. James Fergus—l am a guard in the employ of the Canterbury Tramway Company. I was on the tram leaving the square at 11 p.m on February 27th. When approaching Greenaway’e, about 11.10 p.m., I heard the driver sing out “Hi ! ” and he Immediately tried to stop the engine by reversing it. On looking round I saw a man falling out of a trap on his head. I had just previously heard a crash. Some of the passengers got out of the oars and assisted to put the man in his son’s trap. By Mr Garrick—The reversal of the engine had the effect of nearly throwing the passengers off the seats It was done so suddenly that I was nearly thrown over the end on to the road.

By tho Coroner—l should say we were going under six miles an hour at this time. We were going slow. Frederick G. M. Britten—l am a duly qualified medioal practitioner. I was called a few minutes past twelve o’clock a.m. on Tuesday, 281 h February, to see the deceased. I found him in bed with an abrasion on the right eyebrow, two black eyes, and he was also bleeding from tbe nose. He also had a bruise on the right forearm just above tho wrist. He was only partially sensible. I attended deceased up to Saturday evening, and he died on Sunday. I have made a post mortem examination. [The witness here proceeded to describe tho results of the examination]. I attribute the death of deceased to inflammation of tho membranes of the brain, the result of the laceration of the brain substance. Deceased was never conscious enough to say how the accident occurred.

This was all the evidence, and the jury after a short consultation returned a verdict of “ Accidental death.”