OPEN VERDICT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 May 1940, Page 4

OPEN VERDICT

RECENT HOMEBUSH FATALITY

DEATHS OF TWO MASTERTON RESIDENTS. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. An open verdict that death occurred as a result of injuries, in accordance with the medical evidence, as a result of a motor accident at Homebush on the Gladstone-Masterton main highway was returned by the District Coroner, Mr E. G. Eton, at the adjourned inquest into the deaths of Brian Patrick Brennan and Lyle Leslie Barber, both of Masterton, held in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. Sen-ior-Sergeant G. A. Doggett represented the Police.

Dr. Graham Cowie, of Masterton, gave medical evidence to the effect that he had been called to the scene of the accident at 7.30 o’clock on April 13. Brian Brennan was already dead, death having been due to a compound frac- / ture of the skull with laceration of the x brain. Two other men in the car, Leo McCracken and Leslie Bellworthy were suffering from concussion and scalp wounds. Lyle Barber had a fractured skull, and died following an operation on April 17. Mr Eton: “Did you observe any signs of liquor- on the -three men admitted to hospital?” Dr. Cowie: “Their breaths smelt slightly of alcohol.” The driver of the car, Leo McCracken, aged 22 years, stated that after picking up the other men, the party proceeded to the Gladstone Hotel, ' where they arrived at about 5.40 o’clock. They all consumed 3 bottled beers and a portagaff. They bought six bottles of beer and six bottles of stout and a bottle of raspberry cordial and left the hotel. Bellworthy sat in the “dickie” seat. McCracken estimated his speed at between 35 to 40 m.p.h. He could not remember events at the time of" the accident. Corroborative evidence was given by Leslie Bellworthy. Gordon Strang Cooper, a farmer of Gladstone gave evidence as to discovering the accident. He could not detect any' signs of liquor on the men. William Arthur, of Masterton, also gave evidence, stating that the car concerned in- the accident had passed him on the road. His own speed was about 40 miles per hour. In response to a question by Senior-Sergeant Doggett, Arthur stated that the other car would have had to have been doingat least 10 miles an hour faster, to pass him. Constable C. H. Reardon stated that in company with Constable R. H. Berry he had proceeded to the scene of the accident. He stated that the- car was lying upside down on the north side . of the road and glass and parts of the torn hood were lying around the damaged car. The car had veered on to the sandy rubble on the driver’s left hand side. . . . The car came to rest about 42 feet from where it first capsized. The contents of the bottles in the cathad not been tampered with. The road at the curve where the accident occurred was well built up and was one that could be negotiated at speeds up to 45 miles per hour. Inquiries showed that there was no other involved. The marks on the road dicated that' some difficulty was experienced in getting the car around the bend, and in doing so it was pulled over on to the road too sharply, after regaining the bitumen, with the result that the car capsized and later skidded along the bitumen upside down. In returning his verdict the Coroner expressed the sympathy of the Court to the relatives of the deceased.