A BAINESSE FATALITY

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3584, 8 January 1927, Page 2

A BAINESSE FATALITY

FARMER’S NECK DISLOCATED.

CORONIAL INQUIRY

A coronial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Gilbert McDowell, a young man, aged 23, who was found dead in his bed at Oroua Downs on Thursday morning, was held in the Courthouse yesterday, before Mr. A. Fraser, Coroner.

Evidence was given by Janies John Gray, the last person (o see deceased alive, to the effect .that he had known deceased for a period of two years and three months —ever since his' arrival in the Dominion. He-last saw deceased alive at 11 o’clock on Wednesday morning. He had been assisting witness with haymaking for an hour by driving a hay rake. Deceased left witness’s place on horseback for his farm to look for a cow he had missed when milking in the morning. He was then in the best of health but had had a bad head the night before. Deceased had worked for witness for nine months when he first came out to New Zealand and had often complained of pains in the head but they seemed to go away very quickly. When deceased left witness he promised to come back and help him on the following morning. The only reason deceased had given for the pains in his head was that he had been hurt by a weight falling on his skull prior to coining to the Dominion. Hugh McDowell, farmer, of Kellows Line, Bainesse, and father of—deceased, said his son had a dairy farm close to witness’s. Witness called at his son’s farm every morning and took his cream to the factory with his own. On Wednesday morning his son was in his usual good health but on witness calling at the farm on the Thursday morning there was no sign of his son nor was any cream ready. Witness went up to the house in which his son was living alone. Tiie doors were open and witness walked into the bedroom where lie saw his son lying face down on his bed fully dressed. Witness put his hand on him to waken him up but found he was dead. The cows had not been milked on Wednesday nigh I or Thursday morning. The horse ridden by deceased was tethered at the cow-shed and appeared as if it had been standing there all night. About four years ago deceased was lifting the frame of a land roller off the wall when it fell on him, and cut the top of his head open. He had often complained of pains in the head since then but had always enjoyed good health. 'f

• Medical evidence was given by Dr. -Wyllie, who stated that on the morning of the 6th* January, he examined the body of deceased had then been dead for about 12 • hours. He was lying face'down on the bed with his face pressed upon the pillow and the distortion of the features with the position of the post mortem'discolouration, proved that he had assumed this position either before or very shortly after death. Ilis arms were at. an. angle to the body with the elbows bent forward palms downward and was such as the average person would himself assume upon lying down on his face. The cause of death was not discernible and a post mortem examination was made by, witness. The only external marks on the body consisted of a bruising, not severe, but widespread, across the back and upper surface of the shoulders, somewhat more marked on the left side. The muscles of the back of the neck were also bruised, the neck was dislocated at the junction of the first and second vertebrae. The interior of the spinal canal contained blood between the membranes but there . was no obvious damage to the spinal cord. The heart, lungs, stomach, abdominal organs were normal. Witness was of opinion that death was due to dislocation of the neck, To Constable Ryan: It was hardly probable that deceased could have walked- from his horse to the house in his> condition. The whole appearance of everything suggested that deceased had fallen backwards off the back step of the house and struck himself on the shoulders and dislocated his neck. It was about 200 yards from the horse to the house and it was hardly probable that a man could walk that distance * in such a condition. It was not impossible, however. Constable Ryan gave evidence of a formal nature after which the Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, deceased had met his death by dislocating his neck but there was no evidence to show how it happened. The late Mr McDowell arrived from Scotland a little over two years ago and was very popular with the settlers of the district, being of a sociable and genial nature, and his sudden death has called forth general regret and the sympathy of the settlers is extended to the bereaved family.