INQUEST.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2260, 29 September 1891, Page 3

INQUEST.

Au inquest was held in the Geraldine Hotel on Saturday morning last, touching the death of Benjamin Berry, who died’ from injuries received by an accident at Orari Gorge on Thursday last. The inquest was held before C. A. Wray, Esq., Oaroners, and a jury of six, of whom Mr Richard Berry was chosen foreman. Benjamin Berry deposedl am a laborer, residing at Waimate. Deceased, my son, was 23 years of age, and was in the employment of Mr 0. G. Tripp, at Orari Gorge. William McLeod deposed: lam a teamster for Mr 0. G. Tripp. I knew deceased, who was employed as ploughman by Mr Tripp. On Thursday moping last deceased was employed in driving a loaded dray of 2£ tons of manure. 1 1 was present when he started. The dray was standing loaded at the woolshed. I helped to put , the horses in about 8 o’clock. . Deceased started for the stables, about twenty chains off. -There was e good road from the woolshed to the stable. I went through the paddock by a short cut to the stables. The first thing that attracted my. attention was that this dray had stopped abont halfjway between the stable and woolshed after I had gone into the stable and come but again. ‘ I thought something was wrong, and ran towards the dray. When I got about, half way I noticed the body lying across the road. Deceased’s head was lying iii towards the dray, about a yard from the nearest wheel. Deceased was lying on his back. I put my. hand on deceased, who was motionless. I thought he was dead, and ran back. I met John Evans, who was riding towards me, and told him. I held deceased up and loosened his clothes, aud he began to breathe a little. Deceased was then carried to the shearers’ whare, about five chains off. When I left deceased he was walking beside the dray. When I saw deceased his head was lying in the centre of the wheel track, with his feet towards the near side of the road. The wheel must have passed over him just below the chest.

John Evans, stockman at Mr 0. G. Tripp’s, Orari Gorge, sworn, said; I knew deceased. On Thursday last I was going to the stable on horseback, when I met McLeod coming away from the dray. I went up to the dray and saw deceased lying on the ground. He seemed to be just coming to. I helped to carry him over to the men’s hut, and afterwards remained with him. About a quarter-of T an-hour afterwards he became conscious. He spoke, and seemed to know jne. He asked me first who were

the men that had been in the room, and I told him Mr Blackstone was one, and he dozed off. About ten minutes afterwards he opened his eyes again, and I asked him where the dray ran over him; he placed his hand over his stomach. He then said he was going to die. I told him I did not think so, and he said “ Oh, yes, I am.” I then asked him if he fell off the dray, and he said “ Yes.,’ 1 heard him say his father’s address was Parsonage Road, Waimate. Dr Fish said : On Thursday morning, about 9.15, a messenger came to my house and said a man at Orari Gorge had met with a very serious accident. I went up there to the shearers’ whare, where the man was lying. I could see that he was very seriously hurt. His" hands were cold, and his pulse imperceptible. He was sensible. I asked deceased if he was in much pain, and he pointed to the place where the injury had been received. He asked for something to drink. I gave him water at intervals of a quarter-of-an-hour, and remained with him some time. I was not present at death, but was there shortly after. I didn’t examine him minutely, but I think the cause of death was severe internal injuiy. The wheel went over his chest a little below the heart. A loaded dray of 2\ tons going over bim at that part would cause death. Constable Willoughby deposed: I arrived at the Orari Gorge Station at the same time as Dr Fish, and was present at ten minutes past one, when deceased died. I afterwards prepared the body for burial, and examined it. There was an abrasion on the left arm the width of a wheel tyre and slight marks across the body to a point 1 fourteen inches from the right shoulder. There were no other marks but such as showing the pressure of the gravel on the back. Part of the clothing was a white corduroy waistcoat. In the watch-prcket was a watch, which appeared to be crushed by the wheel and stopped at five minutes to eight, about the time of the accident.

The jury returned a verdict of Death by Accident, in accordance with the evidence.