SAD FATAL ACCIDENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3771, 28 March 1891, Page 2

SAD FATAL ACCIDENT.

A fatal accident of a most distressing character occurred on tho Upper Taueru road about 7.80 p.m. on Thursday. It appears that a young woman named Kate .Butler, employed as a domestic servant by Mr S. Mawley, oE Ditt.ru siav.on, left home on horseback, in company with a man named McPuee, intending to take part in a dance to be held in the Wangachu schoolhouse. She had proceeded some distance on the way, when her horse took fright and bolted, and as she had not been used to riding she lost complete control of the animal. When overtaken by McPhee the horse was iound to be riderless. Intelligence of the occurrence was conveyed to those congregated at ihc schoolhouse, and on a search being made the body of the unfortunate girl was discovered some distance back at the bottom of a ten foot embankment, quite dead. In her hands was clutched a quantity of grass, and although it is quite evident | her neck was broken, death could not have been instantaneous. Information of the sad affair was quickly brought to Masterton, and Constable May was despatched to the scene of the accident. The body was conveyed to Masterton and deposited in a building at the rear of the Occidental Hotel to await an inquost. The deceased, who was twenty-two years of age, is a native of Auckland, and has not been long in this district. She has a sister in Carterton, the wife of Mr Wilton, butcher, The news of tlie sad occurrence cast quite a gloom over Masterton, where Miss Butler was well-known and highly respected.

THE INQUEST. An enquiry into the circumstances touching the death of Kate Butler was held before Coroner Roberts, R.M., and a jury of six, of whom Walter Smythson was chosen foreman, this morning.

Dr S. F. Beard, sworn, deposed : ' I am a duly qualified medical prac- | tionor at Masterton. I have seen the , body oi the deceased subject to this ' inquest, and examined it externally. I There is no injury to the body at all, excepting ut few abrasions on the face. On examining the neck I found a fracture of the upper vertebra, [ sufficient in my opinion to cause , instantaneous death. A fall from a I horse on to the top of the head would cause the injury mentioned. ( Emma Elizabeth Mawley, wife of [ S. Mawley, of Ditton station, Wangaehu, deposed : I know the deceased, [ who was living with me as domestic servant. On Thursday the deceased I said she would like to go to a dance to be held in the evening in the schoolhouse, Wangaehu, which is about six miles froa the homstead on the way to Masterton, She said she would like to ride on horseback. I tried to persuade her not to go on horseback, because she could not ride. I offered to drive her down early in the day, but she refused. I told her I'thought she would be too tired if she went 011 horseback. She left, however, on horseback, about six p.m., in company with John McPhee, a rabbitter on the station. I have not seen the deceased since. She had been about four or five months in my employ, The horse she rode was quiet, and belonged to the station, John McPhee, sworn, stated: I am a rabbilter on Mr Mawley'a station. I know the deceased. On the evoning of the 26th I left for the Wangaehu schoolhouse, where a dance was to be held, in company with the deceased. The schoolhouse is about six miles on tho Masterton road. We were both on horseback. The horse ridden by the deoeased wa3 quiet, as it had been ridden by other girls. The deceased was not a good rider, in fact she could not rida at all. Told her in the morning she had better go with Mrs Mawley in the buggy, She replied that she would sooner go on horsebick, as she was very anxious to learn to ride. We started together about six o'clock. It was light at the time. Soon after starting the hat of the deceased blew off, and I dismounted and picked it up, After that we waiked along the road about half a mile, when she said she would like another canter. We started in a canter. I told her to keep a little behind me, as I thought the horse might go steadier. The horse was going to break into a trot when she struck him with her whip, Tho horse started to go quicker, and she then sang out to me. I looked behiud and saw her slipping off the saddle. I pulled up quick and just managed to catch her by the shoulder, She fell to the ground on her feet. I thon got oS my horse and told her she had better stop at Mr Wilton's, as this was only about a chain away. She .said, " No, I would sooner go on." I told her then tQ please herself, ant\ §he went on. I assisted her on to thejhorse. We walked for about 8 mile. She said she was gettiilg on fine and getting used to the saddle. I then asked her if she would like another canter. It was just getting dusk. She said she did not mind having another canter, so we started, and rode about a quarter of a mile. The horse then bolted. Gould not say whether anything frightened the horse. Did not notice anything likely to frighten tho animal. When I thought she was far enough away for her horse not to hear mine I tried to overtake her. I galloped alons; and passed her horse without seeing it, as it was off the road. Did not think of looking off the road. Went to the school house, which was about a mile, before I pulled up. Enquired if any one had seen a horse going along the road and was told no. Went back along tho road and about a mile from the school found the horse riderless, standing feeding at Mr J McKay's gate, Went into McKay's and asked if they had seen anything of a young lady. They said no, and Mr McKay offered to go back with me and look for her. We went together about four chains from where the horse was standing, and discovered deceased lying down a gully, about ten feet below the road, quite dead. I left deceased as I found her and proceeded to Masterton and informed the police. A constable went out with a brake and took charge of the body. Constable May gave evidence of finding the body and bringing it to the Occidental Hotel. He also stated that he had noticed a large black stump standing on a small cutting, and on the opposite side of the road. The marks of tho horses' feet were visible over tho edgo of tho gully, I-

would appnar from this that the horse bad shi6d at this stump. This was all the evidence. After a short rctir ment the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental Death."