INQUEST

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 December 1913, Page 2

INQUEST

An inquest touching David Musgr.ove's death was hold at Palme.rston before Mr J". W. roynton, district coroner.

i)r. Putnam deposed to recoiv. j ing a call to go to Rangitikei line to the scene of (lie accident. |. The ear was overturned, and two men were tying on the ground. One; deceased, was dead, his head being crushed flat, sonic heavy portion of the car apparently having fallen on it. The other man (SandquisO was unconscious, \ind he took him at once in his car to a private hospital. Musgrove's death was instantaneous. Alfred Musgrove, father of deceased, and pound-keeper at Levin, stated that his son's age was between ~-> and 2 J years. He was unmarried, and had been a luicklayer by trade-, but was lately engaged in taxi-driving. He was a total abstainer. Robert "William England, one of the occupants of the car, stated he was a sawmill hand at Ohakune. Andrew McCluckic engaged deceased, i\nu asked witness and (wo others to go for a ride. All joined the car at the -■land, and were perfectly sober. Witness, Kennedy, and Sand(|Uis( were in the back scat, M.cCluckie being in the front next !o the driver. After passing the bridge the car was turned round For town, the speed at the most being from 20 to 2o miles an hour. The bridge had been fiossed by !()() yards when the back carriage of the car seemed !<■ slew round at the corner. A lyre came oil', and the car immediately overturned a couple o!' limes. All were thrown out, witness landing unhurt on the middle of the road. Kennedy also was unhurt, and when witness stood ip) lie saw Musgrove, S.ind(|Uist, and McCluckie lying face down about three or four feel apart on the vA'j;o of the metal. Witness saw deceased was quite dead, and ' he then went to Alc{'luckic, who stated he had a broken arm. They went to Sandquis't, who was found to be unconscious. The car was on its side about eight feet from the road, in a line from where the men were lying. Immediately the accident happened witness heard the driver call out, but could not say what was said. So fur as he knew, the accident was due to'the bursting of the tyre. It )was ■nit true that they were going at .in outrageous speed. Andrew McCluckie, enginedriver, of Ohakune, stated lie was sitting with Iho driver in the car, ami sustained a broken arm. He corroborated the previous witness , evidence, except thai lie could not say what caused the accident. He had no clear recollection of what happened afterwards, as he became partly unconscious. S/aiiiuel Kennedy, anot-her occupant of the car, who was unhurt, slated he was a mill-hand, of diamine. !>y occupation. After crossing ihe bridge, the lyre on 1 tie !)iV buck wheel came off, thus .■ai.i.sing i.hc accident. The car •■ •;,prized, rolling twice, and leaving witness unhurt. Oscar Andrews, owner of Hie car, Mated it was in good condition, and had been about three years in use. Deceased had been driving it for about two or three weeks. Witness deposed to visiting the scene of the accident. From-what he had seen of the wheel (racks, a car coming over the bridge at a pace little more than it should, the back wheels would, owing to .the formation of the road, swerve to the right. The driver would then turn Ills front wheels to the left to right, the car. All this would happen very quickly. Apparently ike back tyre came off and the wTTcel collapsed. The other wheel may have collapsed when the car rolled over. A front .wheel had also landed in a hole at the time the tyre came off, and this would also help to contribute to the accident. Deceased was a sober and careful driver, and it was quite possible for the accident to have happened at the speed slated by witnesses. The car was about a ton in weight. A verdict of accidental death, no blame being attachable to anybody, was returned.