FATAL TRAMWAY ACCIDENT.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9008, 22 January 1895, Page 5

FATAL TRAMWAY ACCIDENT.

THE INQUEST. Aα inquest was held at the Christehurch Hospital at 9 a.m. yesterday touching the death of William Henry Cowper, aged thirteen and a half years, who died on Saturday night from injuries received by being run over hy a tram car at New Brighton. Mr R, Beetham, Coroner, presided, and Mr T. Danks was chosen foreman of the jury. Sergeant-Major Mason conducted i the enquiry. • Dr. Murray-Aynsley, house surgeon at the Christchureh Hospital, stated that about eleven o'clock on Saturday morning he received a telephone' message from New Brighton, stating that an accident had occurred, and asking that the ambulance should be sent to meet the tram About 12 /o'clock Dr. Hacon came to the Hospital and asked for chloroform, which was supplied. The boy arrived immediately afterwards. Chloroform was administered, and an examination of the deceased was made. The witness described the nature of the deceased's injuries. The boy was in a very collapsed, state. . Witness sent for Dr. Nedwill, the honorary surgeon for the week, who was not at home, but he arrived in twenty minutes' time. They agreed that the boy was poo collapsed to operated upon, and this opinion was concurred in by Dr. Alexander, of Dunedin, who was present. At two o'clock Dr. Ned will came again, and, the boy having rallied somewhat, his left arm and left leg were amputated. The boy improved eomewhat after the operation, but afterwards gradually sank, and died at 10 p. in.' from the effects of the shock* to the system.. He told witness that a boy in blue clot .es, who was inside ihe door of the car, had pushed him and he fell oft The boy seemed to be quite sensible, bub sometimes persons who had been under the influence of chloroform had visions which appeared to be reality. John Cowper, fattier of the deceased, deposed to his son going .down to meet the tram to see if some apples had arrived. J. Baldwin, head master of the Sydenham school, stated that he was standing on the footpath at New Brighton when the tram arrived. It was in the act of slackening speed. He saw the deceased jump on to the front platform of the front car. He immediately afterwards saw him on the ground at the back of. the front car. He must have run. through the car. After he fell deceased appeared to be drawn under the rear cac His opinion was that the deceased jumped 1 out of the front car with the object of going into the second, and jumped the wrong way. Both wheels, passed over him. Witness shouted out, and the break was immediately put on and. the car was pulled up. Dr Russell was se.nt for to attend the deceased. Witness caw no other boy on the car.

James Hunter gave evidence as to seeing the deceased step off the platform of the front car. He held, on to the car, and stepped the wrong way. He fell right at the back of the oar. There was no one elee on the platform at the time. Alex. Thomson, guard on the car, who was standing on the front platform of the rear car, gave corroborative evidence of the accident. The deceased said a boy had pushed him off, but there was no one on the platform with, him at the time. He had frequen ly jumped on and off the cars at New Brighton, and had several times been warned against doing so. To the Coroner —If there had been a life guard on the second car there would have' been less likelihood of an accident. The life guards were better than nothing, but were noii absolutely certain to prevent accidents. Tbos. Prebble, driver on the tram, stated that he was pulling up when the accident happened. When the alarm was given he put the break hard on and palled up within a car's length. Geo. Hawker stated that he saw no other -boy on the car but the deceased. Witness had cautioned him about a week ago with* reference to jumping on and off the trams. The boys frequently jumped on and off when the guards* backa were turned, and parents were generally to .blame in the matter.

John Thompson, manager of the New Brighton Tramway Company, said they had tried, their best to get safeguards for the can. One of Moor's lifeguards was on the car which went over the boy, and one of Boon and Stevens , was on the car which went over a young man named Evans a short time ago. If a person fell with his back to the car Boon and Stevens , patent was likely to keep him from going under the wheels. The guards did all they could, to prevent accidents.

To the Coroner—As a rule, the accidents nappened with the second car. It was holding on which caused a person to be dragged under the car. The deceased was sent to town by a special car. II eingle cars only were run the number of accidents would be minimised.

George Mclntyre, Managing Director of the Sew Brighton Tramway Company, said he believed Boon and Stevens* life guard would be effectual in ordinary cases. He agreed with the last witness that the running of single cars would lessen the number of aeetdents. The Coroner addressed the jury, who, after a few minutes' retirement, returned a verdict "That the deceased met bis death by being run ovex by a tram car, but that do blame was- attachable to the Company's officials."