The Inquest.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 51, 24 May 1884, Page 2

The Inquest.

An inquest, before Harry Kenrick, Esq., R.M., Coroner, took place in the Court-house on Monday about half-past two. The Following jury were sworn :—: — T. 11. Smifch,>, I). OBrien, 8. fimnrilon, H. Buttle, J. Bennoy, T. Skellon, G. Thorn, 11. Me Liver, A. Jamieson, D. Sampson, L>. Murphy, I). Taylor, I). Hogan. Mr Buttle being chosen Foreman. Wm. Collins (a lad of about 15 years) on being sworn, stated : 1 reside at Waiorongomai. Am a washer of blankets at the Battery. I knew deceased. Haw him on Friday last about 730 p.m. at the Buttery. We were just going to go up to 1 the water-race to sweep away the leaves froni the gratings in front of tli<s pipes in the water-race by the order of Mr Hirst. Hirst is an amalgamator at the Battery. Wo both went <vml did so. On our way back (it was quit« dark when we went up but we had a lantern) the accident happened. In going nnd coming from th 6 race \v\? had to cioss a bridge over the creek. The bridge is high one end and lower the other, sloping towards the battery. Deceased asked me to slide down the bridge. I said "No ;" he might go ihrousjh. He did not say any tiling but commenced to slide. I had the lantern, and was in front. He slid all right the first time. The second time he went over the side of the bridge under the hand-rail. There is a hand-rail on one side of the bridge and iron pipes on the other. He fell the hand-ra 1 side ; he tried to catch hold of the rail biit failed, he was going so quickly. I was in front of him holding the light for him. I have not known deceased slide on the bridge previous to this occasion. The bridge was we*, and slippery after rain. The bridge is ionuod of two planks. This is only tt 1 "* second time I have been •sent up thero ((irsfc at night.) I thtiik deceased ha« boon up several times. He did not spe.ik .ifter he fell over. I called him, but got no answer, and only heard the noise of his fall. I then sung out to Mr Chilis who was outside the battery at the pits. Collins came at once, and we both went down to the creek and found deceased lying on some stones besi lo the bed of the creek. He did not move or speak. He was carried into the retorting house. By the Jury : I have been working nt the battery about four months. I think the occurrence was purely accidental. The bridge was quite safe to walk across at night, ; the rail is about three feet high, and the lantern showed a i^oo.l light. The bridge is about two feet wide (two plank*). The accident occurred through the deceased sliding. James Collins, sworn : I work at the battery. Was there on Friday night last, lfifch in^t. About 7.30 or 8 o'clock deceased c.ime to me and said Mr Hirst had told him to ask me for my oilskin coat that he was going up to the tank, and it was raining at the time. The boy Collins had a lantern. Borne time after that (about half-an-hour) I saw the light coming down from the tank on the bridge and heard the boy Collins calling out I went at once to him, and he told me deceased had fallen down the creek. We went down as quickly as we could to the creek and picKod up deceased from the side of the crock ; he was insensible. He was lying on his back on a large stone, his head up the creek . I lifted him up and sent the boy Collins for MiHirst and Mr Adams as fast as he could, which lie did, and we carried the boy into the retort house. lie never spoke. L saw no marks on him ; he was bleeding at the lip. The bridge is a footbridge, 2 planks wide (about 1 foot each) sloping towards the battery ; piping on one bide, the hand-rail about 3 ft hitch on the other. 'I he bridge is about 20 feet above the crrck. I consi ler the bridge quite safe with ordinary care. I knew deceased uoll. By the .Jury : The boys often went up to do the *aitie kind of work, in fact deceased was up there the night before. I think a plank nailed alongside the floor of the bridsre would help to prevent any one falling over. Henry Hopper Adams, sworn : I am Manager of the Battery at Waiorongom.u. Was there on Friday night last about 7.30 or 8 o'clock when the accident happened. The first I knew of the occurrence was the boy Collins mooting me as I was coming out of the office. He told me the boy Julian had fallen over the bridge and was killed. I w<nt down at once and found the hoy iying along-side the creek. Mr Collins said the boy was dead. I put my hand on his wrist and found his pulse was beating, and told Collins to take the lamp and 1 would carry him into the retort- house ; this was done. I took his boots oil and got two of the hands in the battery with myself to rub his feet, and he came to and moved his limbs. I sent off for a doctor. The doctor arrived about 9 o'clock, and he was then taken home. He did not become scnsiblp. The boy died on Satan lay night about 9 o'clock. He continued insensible to the last. He had a bruise at the back of one ear, and there was a little blood discharging from the left ear. The bridge crosses the creek from the battery to the track on the water- rac«>, and is on tiie same trussling th«it carries the 20in, pipe supplying the motive power, and is ni'ide of two 12x2 about 2ft wide (the foot way), has a hand-rnii on left-hand side going towards the rut\;. The rail is about 3tt

high from the plank. The bridge is quite safe for Foot-pns^ngers. It slopos towai-ils the batter)'. There is nothing but <he hand-rail and pipo to protect passengers crossing from falling over. £ don't think battens nailed on would he any protection, woiilil only to catch in one's toes. By the Jury : The distance the lad fell would be about 14ft. I consider this would be quite sufficient to cause death. I believe deceased came by his death from the effects of the fall referred to. The grad^ of the bridge is about lin 12. Battens nailed on would be likely to cause a person to trip I think. The deceased was employed to wash blankets, and occasionally sent up to ' clear the gratings. There is a man employed to attend to the race in day time*. I saw Dr Payne who attended him. He told me the skull wiis fractured right across the back of the head* There was no danger to the boys with ordinary care. The night before the deceased was taken to task by one of the men (Sampson) for sliding on the bridge, and advised not to do it. i)r Payne gave a certificate of the cause of death. Certificate produced, and is as follows :—": — " I certify that I saw Bernard Kilian at Waiorongomai on May 17, 1884 ; that he was then in an unconscious state, and that he died on May 17 to the best of my belief from concussion of the brain and fracture, of the base of the skull. — Martin H. Payne, F.C.S., M.R.C.S., L.U.C.P., L.S.A.— May 17, 1884." Geo. Wilson, sworn : I am Mining Inspector for Te Aroha. I know the bri Ige referred to, I consider it quite safe for foot-passengers with ordinary c ire. I would not consider the- re would bd any unusual risk in sending hoys across the bridge referred to. I believe battens nailed down across would ivn lev it safer. I consider the bridge safe for the purpose constructed, not a safe bridge for ordinary foot traffic, but safe for the purposes required by the Battery Co., and for this use only. The Jury came to a itnaninious verdict without retiring as follows :: — u That the said John Bernard Kiliau, on the 10 th day of May; 1884, did casually, accidentally, and by misfortune fall from a foot-bridge across the Waiorongomai creek into the bed of the said creek, by means of which the said John Bernard Kilian did then receive a mortal fracture in and upon the hinder part of the head of him, the said John Benard Kilian, of which said mortal fracture and from concussion of the brain caused thereby on the 17th day of May, in the year aforesaid the said John Bernard Kilian did die ; and so the jurors aforesaid, upon their oath aforesaid, do say that the said John Bernard Kilian, in manner and by tue means aforesaid, accidentally, casually, and by misfortune did die and not otherwise." Rider to verd-ct : " That in the opinion of the Jury it would be dcsi luble, in order to assist in preventing future accidents, that battens should be nailed across the bridge, and a board placed upon the uprights and underneath tue hand-rail." The following rider was attached by the desire of a majority of the jurors : We yinay add, however, the bridge is generally considered as quite safe for the purpose erected, and that no blame whatever is attachable to the Battery Company, or their employees, in respect of the accident.