Fatal Accident in Waimate.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 147, 9 May 1901, Page 3

Fatal Accident in Waimate.

f •On Tuesday evening a terrible fatality took place -in Waimate,’ resulting' in the death of Mr John Cochrane, a much esteemed, farmer resident at Waituna. From the very meagre evidence, it appears that. Mr Cochrane, who left Waimate at 8. p.m. with a load of coal, arrived safely at a nasty hill going down past Mr MehrtensV Here the chains of the dray must have broken and, the shafts falling, threw Mr Cochrane on to the road and the whSel passed over his chest,, killing him instantly. Deceased was about forty years of age and has been Jong resident in the place- He took great interest in sports, especially in connection with the Caledonian Society. Ha has a large circle of relatives and friend,s in the district. Much sym pathy is felt for them as well as for the loss of one who was very popular throughout the district.

INQUEST. An inquest was held at the housyjof deceased’s mother. Waituna. before Mr ,L Sinclair, J.P. (acting coroner), and a jury consisting of Messrs W. Osborne (foreman), F. J. O’Brian, D. R. Buckingham, T. S. Hardy, W. P. Freeman and W. Medlicott. Dr Margaret B.Gruickshank deposedthat Hie was caked out on Tuesday evening by Constable Witlton to an accident at Waituna. Went and found body of deceased iu a cart. Made an examination and found life extinct. Made another examination between the. hoars of eleven and twelve, in deceased's house. It was fully clothed, except "the hat. The clothes were covered with dust, and blood was c miing from his mouth and nose. There was a slight bruise below the right eye on the cheek. The body appeared to have, bian dead some hours. There ware no cuts or fractures to be detected from outside the skull. The right elbow was grazed and several ribs were broken on tiie right side. Did not think the fracture of the ribs would account for sudden death. Dec -ased must have been thrown on his head, thereby sustaining concussion of the brain or fracture o.f the skull. \yhich would causa instantaneous death. There was a pronounced smell of liquor on the body. There was no mirk'of wheels on his clothes. Isabella Cochrane, sister of deceased, said ho !«ft home in the morning at about 930 with a dray and three horses. Witness went to bed at about 7 p.m., but was awaksqed at 9 p.m. by Iter mother saving that she dray and horses were iq the yard. Wont out and found that two of the horses were out of the dray, which was drawn by one only. Took the harness off the horses and put' them in the stable, and then got a horse and went to find her brother. Galled, at Mr Menzies’ house and handed the horse to Mr Meyers, who was there, and who undertook the search. Herman’ Moyer, junr., said that when Miss Cochrane called he went down the road add found Mr Cochrane lying on the right side of the road near Mr Wiluam Meyer's house. He was quite dead; Went.bade and informed Mr Menzies and then went into Waimate for the police. The body was lying across the wheel marks. Assisted the police to put the body into a trap. There was a small drain on che aide of the road, which would cause the dray to jolt. Between deceased's house and the place where the body was found there was a quantity of harness, coal and sacks, bat nothing on the Waimate side. The breeching strap was broken, as was one of the hooks of the hames. Thriraas Henry Mann, saddler, of Waimate, stated that deceased came into his shop, the worse for liquor, at about six o’clock. He purchased some harness, and left to help Mr John Patterson to load some sacks. John PaU-erson, farmer, first saw deceased on Tuesday at two o'clock. The two of them, with Mr White, went to Middleton’s and had one drink. Deceased had whisky. They then went to Collett’s and ordered some porter, and had a drink there. They thon went to the Co.-operative, and afterwards to Manchester’s. Accompanied deceased as far ns Butcher’s Lane. Had only two drinks with deceased during the day. Considered he was quite sober and able to drive. It was between seven and eight o’clock when they parted. The ehafter was iu for the first time. H. Saunders saw deceased' about three o’clock. He was quite shber. Again saw him at 6.30 p.m. with dray and horses. He was quite capable of driving. The horses were quite safe. Deceased told him the shatter, an aged horse, was in for the first time. S. Collett remembered deceased coming in and giving an order. He had a glass l of whisky in the office. Deceased left at 5.15 p.m. with his order. The verdict was that deceased accidentally met his death by being thrown out of his dray, causing fracture of the base of the skull.