KILLED IN THE STREET

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 262, 27 March 1911, Page 5

KILLED IN THE STREET

AN OLD MAN'S FATE. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Christchurch, Saturday Night. This afternoon, at about half-past four o'clock, a sad fatality occurred in Gloucester Street, near Latimer Square, whereby Henry Garland, an old resident of Christchurch, was killed. Garland, who was 81 years of age, has been in ill-health for the past four or five months, but was convalescent. The members of his family were under the impression that he was walking in the garden. It appears, however, that he had wandered into the street. According to two eye-witnesses of the occurrence, Garland stepped on to the roadway, and, catching hold of the side ol ft cart, loaded with metal, threw himself under one of the wheels, which passed over his neck, killing the unfortunate man almost instantaneously. He was removed to his residence, and medical assistance was obtained, but life was extinct. Further details indicate that the occurrence was probably purely accidental. Garland wa« in a weak physical state, and it is assumed that when crossing the road he became bewildered and his mind became confused, with the result that he wavered and fell under the wheel of the dray. So far as is known, there is no reason to suppose that Garland contemplated ending his life. THE INQUEST. Christchurch, Last Night. At the inquest on Henry Garland held to-day, one eye-witness stated he saw deceased behaving in a rather eccentric manner at the rear of a' dray. He passed along the right side of the dray, which momentarily obstructed witness view. He next saw deceased lying on the road, just in front of the wheel ci the dray, and next moment the wheel went over his neck. Replying to the Coroner, witness said that when he first saw the deceased he was assured that he knew the driver of the dray and intended throwing a stone at him in a joke. He did not actually see the deceased fall. The driver of the dray stated that he knew nothing of the occurrence till it was all over. Another eye-witness, who was riding along and was approaching the dray, stated that he saw the deceased walking across the road, and when about love,] witili the back of the rini of the whcll, he put his hand on the dray, then took a step forward, and fell in front of the wheel. It happened so suddenly that witness was unable to warn the driver. Witness thought the huh or nave of the dray wheel struck the deceased and swung him round, and the occurrence appeared to be an accident. Deceased did not appear to come from the rear of the dray, and was walking shakily. He appeared to lie in trouble, and clutched at something to save himself. Deceased's son stated that his father had been ill for the past four or live months, having had a paralytic stroke, and was very tottery. The state of his health made him absent-minded. In addition, he was very short-sighted. He was of opinion that the occurrence was entirely accidental. Witness, at his father's request, had come from Wellington to discuss making arrangements for his father and mother to reside with him.

A verdict of "accidentally killed" was recorded.