SHOCKING TRAGEDY

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2455, 18 July 1922, Page 2

SHOCKING TRAGEDY

MOTOR CYCLIST COLLIDES WITH CART. BODY IMPALED ON SHAFT. TRAVELLING WITHOUT LIGHTS. A shocking fatal accident occurred on the Motuiti Road, about three-quarters of a mile from the borough boundary, on Saturday evening at abou.t-d5.30 o’clock whereby a young man named Bertram William Spelman, single, aged 24 years, met a tragic and sudden death.

It appears that.Mr Irwin Wright, accompanied by his grandmother, were proceeding towards Foxton in a cart, from the plantation, where they had gathered a load of cones. They left the plantation in the waning light and had hoped to reach Foxton before darkness set in. They were proceeding at a leisurely pace to within about three-quarters of a mile from, the borough boundary, keeping well over to the railway line, when suddenly a motor cycle came upon them, the cyclist striking the left shaft with such force that the blunt end, attached to which was an iron loop, was driven through the body of the unfortunate man, the end of the shaft protrudng about 18 inches. j The cycle’s impact, with the horse cut a gaping wound just below the anmifiLs shoulder and caused it to rush ' forward for some .distance, but was pulled up at the opposite side of the road. Tile unfortunate man was. still impaled on the shaft but death must have been instantaneous. The whole thing happened ip a few moments and the occupants of the cart were bewildered with the suddenness of the tragedy. Mrs Wright immediately set oft for medical aid. Within a. sjiort time Dr Wyllie and Constables Owen and O’Donnoghue were on the scene and the body was removed to the morgue. At the time of the accident it was quite dark and a keen southerly wind was blowing. Neither the cart nor., motor'cycle had lights. There was ample room for vehicles to pass at the spot. The news of the accident cast quite a gloom over tlie township on Saturday night. The deceased was the only son of Mrs .J. M. Boyle, of Taikorea, and was employed by Mr P. Baldwin pt Motuiti. He was on his way to Motuiti, where he resides, when the accident happened. . . *' The bicycle was slightly damaged presumably by the horse treading on one of the wheels. Irwin Wright, the driver of the cart, is in the employ of Mr R. N. Speirs. He' knocked off work at noon of Saturday and borrowed the cart i from his'employer to bring in a load of cones from the plantation. Much sympathy is felt for the young man as this is the second tragedy that he has experienced within a few months. The previous experience being a drowning fatality. The sympathy of the town and district people: will be extended 'to Mrs Boyle in her tragic bereavement. The funeral of the deceased young man rook place at Rongotea this afternoon. THE INQUEST. ADJOURNED FOR A WEEK. An inquest into the circumstances Surroniidihg the death of the unfortunate man was opened in the Court House yesterday before Mr A. Fraser, Coroner. Constable O’Donnoghne deposed that at about 7 pan. on Saturday night, in response to a telephone message, he, in company with Dr. Wyllie, journeyed to the scene of the accident, about a mile and a half from Foxton on the FoxtonPalmerston Road. He found deceased impaled on the left hand haft of a. cart. He was quite dead. Vit ness know deceased, lie was a single man, 24 jjears’of age, and in the employ of Mr P. Baldwin at Motuiti. Together they removed, the body from the shaft and witness: and Constable Owen brought the body into the morgue where deceased’s mother identified the body as that of her son on Sunday. ed’s father was dead. At this juncture Constable Owen asked for an adjournment for a week, which' was granted.