THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE RACES: CORONER'S INQUEST.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 474, 3 June 1875, Page 2

THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE RACES : CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held on Monday aftertifon, by Dr Goldsbro', at the junction Hotel, Newmarket, to inquire into the cause of the death of Robert Cobine, which afiqurre^on Saturday last. — Twelve jurymen were sworn^m,>ho,chV»e Mr John McNeil as foreman. — Aite* viewing tW bq£y the following evidence was taken :— William Alfred Clarke, settler, residing at Grafton Road, deposed that on Saturday, the 20 th, in company with Mr Skey, between two and three o'clock in the afternoon, he was walking to the racecource. Two men on horseback passed them at afthriftUs rate,^oing in the same direction. About fifty y#d|«J>eMnlk these men was deceased, following at pace, evidently trying to catch them. Deceased appeared to have lost all control over his horse. When he had got about two hundred yards ahead he was thrown violently from his horse. Mr Skey and witness ran to pick him up. He was unconscious. They removed him to the side of the road, w^ere there were some running water. They bathWffls face, stnd did what tljey coild do for him, but^d^ed in a^pu^five minutes. Witness sent for a doctor;vho, upon examining deceased, pronouned him to be dead.— Henry Skey, also residing in Grafton Road, corroborated the previous witness" —John Sceats, licensed victualler, residing in Greystreet, deposed J;o having seen deceased ridino- with a boy do^SSKyder PaJte^on the 29th May, and noticed that rax* horse w*ik unruly. Witness saw no more of him till near the Harp of Erin. There he saw the horse coming without my rider and immediately turned round to look for the rider. Witness found fcim in the care of two men, on the road. TW told^ituess, to ride away for a doctor. He rode tpHp«oeooui»tnd said he had a race on the course. Witness tnen applied to Dr Hooper, who at once went to the deceased, and upon examining him declared life to be extinct. Witness had the body removed, and brought to the Junction Jiotcl, ±ie had known the deceased bv . sight twelve years^- John Hooper, medical rt&^ turner, deposed to having been called to see a man who had met with an accident. Witness found the deceased lying at the side of the road, and quite dead. Witness had made a post-mortem examination. The body, to all appearance, was that of a very healthy young man. The brain was covered with clots of blood, which had been effused by an extensive fracture of the occipital bon* of the skull.

ture "fieatS mus^haye been almost instantaneous. wLXSL* «in of alcohol fc» ML -Joseph Cpbine, labourer, in Aluc^lanA 1 uc^ land ' 1 °X 88 e ce r Cl that deceased was his brother, and also a l»J°uPßr, ag^d 26. The last time he had seen deceased aln c was about eight o'clock on Saturday moining. deceased was then quite sober. He was not g^en to drinking.- The jury returned a veidittof Acci dental death.—" D. S. Cross."