FATAL FALL.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17748, 21 March 1927, Page 4

FATAL FALL.

fOUNG MAN'S DEATH. INQUEST HELD An enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Arthur John Henry, a young Glenavy farmer, who died at Oamaru on Friday from injuries received through falling from a tre.e, was held before the acting-coroner (Mr W. Sumpter, J.P.) and a jury of four on Saturday morning. Albert Henry, an uncle of deceased, stated that his nephew was 27 years of age. Witness called at deceased's farm about 11.15 a.m." on Thursday last and found him in bed with his head tied up. He was quite conscious and told witness that he had climbed up a tree at the entrance to his residence. Deceased said he did not hold^ on to anything. He hdd one foot on the branch he was chopping and the other foot on a branch underneath. Deceased said he had rfot chopped much of the branch when it suddenly broke, deceased falling to the ground. Witness thought deceased fell 15ft or 16ft. Deceased, who was married, was strong and healthy. Dr Smith-Morton was called and ordered his removal to a private hospital in Oamaru, deceased leaving for Oamaru at 5 p.m. To the acting-coroner: An effort was made to get a doctor from Waimate but they were not successful. Dr Smith-Morton arrived on the scene about 2.30 p-m. Ruth Janet Henry, wife of deceased, said she called her husband when she heard the branch fall, but getting no answer she went out and found him lying near the branch, quite conscious. There were cuts on his head and bruises on his shoulder. Dr Smith-Morton said he' wlas called to deceased's place at 2 p.m. and on arrival he saw deceased in a semi-conscious condition. There was a wound on the top of the • head on the right side and. evidence of a fracture of the vortex and the base of the skull. There were also signs of compression of the hrain. Witness ordered deceased's removal tq the hospital and there he perfbrmed an operation to relieve the compression and arrest the bleeding. Deceased rallied for a time after the operation but died ahout 10.30 a.m. the following day. Death was due to ' laceration of the base of the hrain following a fracture of the skull. The injuries would .be consistent with a fall from a tree. Replying to the foreman of tH§ jury, witness said deceased appeared to be strong physically, but tbat would not affect the condition of the brain. The jury returned a verdicf bnj the, lines of the medical evidence. The acting-coroner expressed hi'§ sjunpathy with the relatives of deceased.