DEATH 0F MR ISAAC BAIRSTOW.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2889, 3 May 1888, Page 2

DEATH 0F MR ISAAC BAIRSTOW.

The Coroner's Inquest. A Coroner's Inquest was held before Mr Yon Stunner, li.M., District Coroner, at the Club Hotel, Mastorton, yesterday to ascertain by what means the late Isaac Bairstow, of Clareville, had met with his death. The following jury of six was empanelled Messrs S. 11, Wickerson (foreman) G, Colter, G, Townseml, Marsh, Hare and Elliott,

After the jury had viewed (lie body, the following evidence was taken Joseph Bairstow, deposedl am a son ot the deceased. I last saw my tatiier alive at Clareville at nine o'clock on Tuesday morning, at which hour lie left to transact business in Masterton, I came to Masterton last night upon hearing of the accident and found my father lying dead in a room of the Club Hotel. The horse my father rode was six years old and very apt to shy, but not to stumble. I met the horse after the accident on the road, about two miles from Clareville. The gear was all right, excepfcthat one stirrup leather was thrown over the saddle, My impression is that the horse shied violently from one side of the road to the other, and that my father fell off. His age was 54. (To the Corouer)— There was no reason to suspect foul play.

Dr Beard deposed: I examined the body of deceased, I found superficial abrasions on the hand and left knee, such as would be caused by grave!, Half the right car was torn from its connection. Besides a minor wound behind the right ear there was at the back of the head an extensive fracture of the skull as large as the top of a small tea cup. This was the cause of death. To Sergeant Price: I should say that the deceased was thrown from his horse, was dragged by the stirrup, received a kick, and that the blow released him from the stirrup. Death would practically be instantaneous, To the Coroner: The abrasions and the torn ear indicated that the deceased had been dragged. The wound at the back of the head was such as would be caused by a horse's hoof or by a blow on stones, The appearances did not indicate that a wheel had passed over tho head.

Geo, Arnold, bricklayer, of Masterton, deposed that his attention was called to the deceased at 25 minutes past six o'clock on Tuesday evening by a lady, who, with a boy, was in a trap. The body was lying about threequarters of a mile past the Waingawa bridge on the Carterton side. The man was dead. H&sent word to Masterton, and a timber wagon coming by, deceased was conveyed in it to the Club Hotel. Deceased's head was on the wheel track, It was dark, Ho did not recognise the deceased at the time, but identified him on removal to the hotel, He had seen deceased's

horse at the side of the road half a milo before coming to the body. He met the woman aboutlbe same dislanco from the spot. She bad passed if. The hat was close to the body, and there was tio appearance of dragging.' Peter Brown, farmer of Te Ore Ore, gave evidence as to being with the previous' witness when the body was found, W. B. Ingram, printer, deposed that lio saw deceased about 25 minutes past live passing through Kmipuni towards Carterton, He was swaying on his horse; he was only going at a walking pace. Witness did not think deceased was capable of going at a fast pace—at a gallop. Constable Salmon testified to having met the timber waggon as it came into Masterton, Life was extinct, although the body was slightly warm. He took charge of the body. The Coroner, in summing up, said that the evidence had been given very straightforward maimer. It las very plain and required no comment on his, part, He would therefore leave the ]ury to record a verdict in accordance with the facts submitted to them. After a momentary retirement the jury returned a verdict of death from accidental causes. The Coroner thanked the jurymen for their services, and remarking that, lie quite concurred with the verdict, dismissed them. 1