INQUEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18806, 8 March 1923, Page 2

INQUEST

AN ELDERLY :MAN’S .DEATH, . The inquest on the body of John M‘C'onnell, aged 78 years, who fell from a tramcar at the intersection of Frederick and George streets on February 19, and who died in the Dunedin Hospital from his injuries on March 3, was continued yesterday morning before Mr J. R. Bartholomew’, S.M.. sitting as coroner. Sub-inspector Eccles represented the, police, and Mr Ramsay ■watched the -interests of* the City Corporation. . V. ' ■ ■ - ■ ; Frederick John PAynh;" (aged 13 years, said he remembered being at the corner of George and Frederick streets about 20 minutes to 4 on the afternoon of ]>ebruary IS. He saw an incoming car leave the stopping-place, and when it was about halfway across the intersection towards Mollison’s shop a man stepped off. He ran a few yards with the oar and then fell over with his left arm under him. He was taken into a chemist’s- shop, and a doctor was sent f0r.,.,. ' . ~ . -John Hallick, conductor on the tramcar, said that the car stopped, at Frederick street for two minutes, and when it started again everything was clear, and there was no one boarding or leaving the oar. The deceased hud joined the car at the Norman by terminus and paid his fare to the Stock Exchange. Witness did not ascertain until the car had nearly reached Hanover street that anyone had fallen off the car. , •■■■ ; ' . 1 i Constable M’Raosaid he helped to take the deceased into'the chemist’s shop. The old man was picked up some 10 or 12 yards from tho point where the oars started. Dr Moore, who saw him in the chemist’s shop', ordered his removal to the Hospital. The Coroner said it was quit© clear how this unfortunate accident had happened. It had been caused through the deceased stepping off a oar after it had left the stopping place. It was clear that there was no negligence on the part of the conductor, who had adopted the usual precautions and who could have don© no more than he did. It had also been shown that there was no hurry about the car leaving the stopping-place. His verdict would be that death was due to heart trouble following shock caused by injuries received through tho deceased falling from a moving tramcar.