FATAL ACCIDENT.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 281, 11 July 1908, Page 5

FATAL ACCIDENT.

MRS. BALFOUR KILLED.

A sad accident occurred in the main street shortly after half-past two yesterday afternoon, causing the death of Mrs Balfour, wife of Mr T. Balfour, of Lindsay. A horse bolonging to Mr F. C. Cook, carrier, was tied up in the railway yard, just behind the shed, and an engine passing through the shed startled it and caused it to break loose and dash away. One of the porters made an effort to stop the animal, but without success, and it rushed out of the yard and down the main street. Mrs Balfour was sitting in her trap with her little boy, waiting for the servant, who was in Mr Murphy’s drapery store and the terrified animal made straight for the trap.- It is supposed that Mrs Balfour, seeing the horse coming, got out of the trap to go to her horse’s head, and the runaway crashed into the trap, and getting its forelegs into the spokes of the wheel it fell and rolled over Mrs Balfour. Mr Murphy, who was in his shop at the time, heard a scream, and rushed out before the collision had actually occurred, but his efforts to turn the scared animal from its course were in vain, He succeeded, however, in securing Mrs Balfour’s horse and preventing it bolting while Mr Westbooke lifted the little boy from the trap and then raised Mrs Balfour. It was at once seen that the latter was seriously injured, and she was carried into Mr Bailey’s. Dr Wilson -was out of town, but a telephone message was sent to the hospital, and two of the nurses reached the scene in a very few minutes. Their efforts were unavailing, however, for Mrs Balfour passed away within half an hour of the occurrence of the accident.

Mr Cook was driving up the street at the time of the accident, and he was so distressed over it that he fainted. The funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon, leaving the hospital at 3 o’clock.

THE INQUEST.

An inquest was held to-day at the Hospital before the coroner, Mr J. C. Taylor. Mr P. W. Sampson was chosen foreman of the jury. Dr Wilson gave evidence as to the state of the deceased’s body, and said death was undoubtedly due to fracture of the base of the skull. C. W. Seymour andß. R. Arthur gave evidence as to how the accident occurred. F. C. Cook said he was the owner of the horse. He had tied the animal up in the railway yard, and had taken a load to town, On returning he saw his horse galloping down the street. He saw a trap in the street, and a lady descended from the trap to go to the horse’s head. The horse struck Mrs Balfour and knocked her down. He rushed up and pulled Mrs Balfour clear of the trap. She was carried into Mr Bailey’s shop. In reply to the jurymen witness said the horse was tied by a stout rope to a plank at the shed door. The horse had been accustomed for two months to being tied up in a similar position. He had no idea why the horse should bolt. It was not a vicious animal. The horse had never attempted to bolt before.

J. McNulty, railway porter, said an engine passed through the shed,'and he noticed Mr Cook’s horse pulling back. After four or five pulls he broke Joose. He tried to stop it, but it swerved past, and dashed towards the gates. Horses were frequently ied up in that place. There was not proper accommodation at the station for tying horses. The horse had frequently been tied in that position. The jury returned the following verdict:—“We find that Isabella Balfour met her death through accident caused by a .runaway horse knocking her down,” and

added a rider recommending to the Railway Department that proper accommodation for tethering carriers’ horses be provided at the station yard.