THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT TE RORE INQUEST.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1204, 16 March 1880, Page 2

THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT TE RORE INQUEST.

The inquest ou the hotly of Mr William Craig Chester was held at Te Rore on Saturday before Thomas Gresham, Esq., coroner, and a jury of twelve of the householders of the vicinity. Mr Nicholas Thomas Maunder was elected foreman. Mr Walter Hugh James deposed that he was present when the accident took place on Wednesday, 10th March. He had gone to Mr Chester's house at 7 in the morning, having previously arranged to do so in order to fetch cattle from Ohaupo. The deceased's horse was restive. The deceased supplemented his bridle with a rope. The deceased had some difficulty in mounting, and after he did succeed in getting on the horse's back Mr Chester struggled with the horse for about five minutes to try to get him to start. In the end the animal reared up and fell backwards on deceased, falling on his chest and stomach. Witness jumped off his own horse to help him. The deceased speedily regained consciousness, and complained of pains in his chest. Mr Hodgson then came up, and together they helped Mr Chester into his house. He vomited directly after they got him there. There was no blood in the vomit. Mr Isaac Hodgson, farmer of Te Rore, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness, and stated that there was no external injury that he could perceive on the deceased. Dr Blunden, of Te Awamutu, stated : I received a telegram on Wednesday morning, about 11 o'clock, from Mrs Chester, stating that Mr Chester had been hurt by a horse falling on him, and was almost killed. I attended him the same afternoon. He was quite conscious. He complained of great pain in the chest and lower part of the abdomen. There was no external mark or bruise upon deceased whatsoever. I heated him, and left directions with Mrs Chester to send for me if any change took place. I received no information of his state from the time of my leaving him until I heard from you (the coroner) that he was dead, and that Constable McClera had telegraphed to you for instructions as to summoning the jury. I have viewed the body of the deceased, and from the symptoms which his widow has detailed to me as happening immediately before the death I consider that he died from internal hemorrhage resulting from the injuries he sustained on the 10th inst. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the evidence. The funeral took place immediately after the inquest. A long procession followed the body to the grave in the uemeteiy tit Alexandra, "where the Rev. Mr Bruce, the Presbyterian minister, performed the funeral service. The deceased was very highly respected in the neighborhood, and considerably over 200 persons were present, of whom a ]orge number had followed the corpse ftqjU Te Hqr-e ( ~{Corr.espqndoni,;|