Inquest.

Manawatu Herald, 20 August 1895, Page 2

Inquest.

On Saturday afternoon the Coroner, Mr Thynne, held an inquest on the body of Felix O'Sullivan McCarthy, who was killed at Shannon on Friday, at the Albion Hotel, Shannon. The jury summoned were, Messrs W. Thompson, John Vernon, A. Keith, T. Lind, G. Hook and E. Gascoigne (Foreman). The following evidence was taken : — Peter Gotty being sworn, said :— I knew the deceased ; yesterday a little before twelve o'clock I was taking some timber in the dray from the railway station to my home about a mile from the township ; 1 unloaded the timber and then went to the paddock where some strainers laid and put on two to take them to some fencing that the deceased and West were putting up for me; Charles West and the deceased got upon the dray ; as we went down a siding the dray on one side canted up on a rata root and upset ; I was pitched out, and I heard West say "Good God what's this?" I saw the deceased lying upon a log with a strainer on the top of him ; I went up to him and found blood running from his nose and the side of his left jaw appeared scratched ; I took the the strainer off the deceased and laid him on the ground and called my wife to look after him whilst I went to my neighbour to get assist* ance ; my wife covered the deceased with a rug, and washed his face with wator, and waited there till I returned with Mr Hook; we then carried him into a tent ; Mr Gordon, the chemist, arrived almost directly ; I have carted timber from the same spot previously. Charles West being sworn, said : — I was fencing with the deceased yesterday on Mr Gotty's land; we loaded two strainers on Gotty's dray and drove towards the road ; just after starting the dray capsized by running on a root on the side of the hill ; the deceased and myself went out of the dray over the left side and the largest btrainer fell on the top of both of us ; Gofcty lifted the strainer ' and I scrambled out ; the strainer remained on deceased's back and : Gotty and I moved it off; he was aiiv^, bui; did not speak ; blood was running out of his ears, mouth and nose, and hia right shoulder appeared crushed as it moved about anyway ; Mrs Gotty brought some water and washed his face ; I went to town to tell Mr Higgins to send a telegram for a doctor and a constable ; I went round to Mr Gordon to ask him to go up, which he did. I Thomas Gordon being sworn. I said :— lam a chemist living at shannon; yesterday I was sent for to ace the deceased ; I found him lying iv a whare just dead, warm but pulseless ; I examined the scene of the accident and then returned to the body ; I found that the right shoulder and collar bone was broken, and there was a large bruise on the left side of the face ; there was also a considerable effusion of blood from the mouth and ears with froth ; On examining the neck I could hardly tell whether the neck itself was broken or only dislocated, but from the time ihe deceased had breathed since the accident happened, whioh must have been ten or fifteen minutes I conclude that the neck was not broken, but the actual cause of death was concussion of the brain in connection with the other injuries. The jury immediately found a verdict that tho deceased was accidentally kjjled.