THE TRACTION ENGINE ACCIDENT.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 8990, 1 January 1895, Page 3

THE TRACTION ENGINE ACCIDENT.

An inqueßt was held at .the. Starran4 Garter Hotel, Waikari, before W."*S;.Smft|ij ' Esq., J.P.. acting-coroner, and-a'jury,'oi whom MrWm. White was chosen foreman, on the body of Daniel Murpby.vi/ .^,, _> John Brown deposed-' that oh" Decemuei 28th' he was driving his traction engin? from Highfield to Chrjstchurch. He hac Fred Cawood with him steering;' "''Between - 6 and '7 o'clock, while in the ""veka Pass, a part' of' the machinery broke," %ad the ~ engine ran towards the. bank'of the hilt; VAlfred Cawood deposed that the engine was going down hill: at the rate' of' about five miles an hour. The engine was in the '■_ middle of the road. He felt the niain steering chain bre_k. The .engine .au t into >, the hank and turned over, throwing fth%on ' the road. ' When he got up he *»wjl__te 4 deceased lying on the road and pieces of wood lying about him, parts truck. ' Before' the.' accident the deceased --- was riding- M\the tank truck, next the engine. toM, '*w " '■' .-', i - '< George' Wiinam, Sell-.- deposed that he - saw tbe deceased lying on x the ioad with his brain protruding from the sJKull; and ' about his face. „' >■'~ ,-" . Dr.FitzHenry deposed that'he was called to-an accident'in the WekaPass, and found" tbe deceased dying from extensive.fractnres of the skull, together with, protrusion of a large portion of tho brain.. He was past all surgical'aid. - .: *. ? * ... Thomas Harrison and COastablO Roche, gave evidence, ' ' _ • "' The ( jury * returned a verdict* Thatlth* ;\ deceased accidentally rhetrhis death by the, capsizing of a trac'aon engine in the W,eks>V.f Pass." .' . * ' ' ,'.. *" *lf ,f The deceased was interred in theWaf-.. kari Cemetery, the funeral, befog largely attended. - -* ;. ~. -,'