INQUEST.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18186, 24 September 1924, Page 5

INQUEST.

SUMNER FATALITY. The, inquest concerning the death of Emily Colville Wilson, who was found dead in the sea at Scarborough on September 10th, was continued yesterday, before Mr H. Y. Widdovrson, Coroner. Dr. Elizabeth P. Lumsdcn, officer in charge of the Hornby Lodge of the Sunnyside Mental Hospital, said she had known deceased, who was a voluntary boarder'at the Lodge. She was liberated on probation on August 14th. While in Hornby deceased had shown no suicidal tendencies. She appeared to be depressed at times and Dr. Crosby had warned her relatives that when she went out they must look after her, as she was potentially suicidal. Constable W. J. Hampton, of Sumner, <*avc evidence as to the finding of the'body. He had made enquiries, but no one'had seen deecascd after she left the Sumner car terminus. Dr. A. B. Pearson, Pathologist at the Christchurch Hospital, stated that he had examined the body. Death was due to asphyxia, due to drowning. The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased had been found drowned in the sea at Scarborough, on September 10th there being no evidence to indicate how or when she was drowned. In other words, he said, the verdict was one of found drowned.

FALL FROM TRAM CAR. The adjourned inquest on the body of Mrs Mary Wormald, who died in the Christchureh Hospital on September 17th,.as the result of injuries received through falling from a tram-car at Peer street, Upper Riccarton, on the evening of September 15th, was resumed before Mr 11. Y. "Widdowson, Coroner, at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Mr "W* J. Hunter appeared on behalf of the relatives of the deceased, and Mr J. T. Hutchison for tho Christchurch Tramway Board. Dr. A. B. Pearson, Pathologist at tho Christchureh Hospital, stated that he had examined the body of the deceased and found death to be due to haemorrhage following a fracture of the skull and laceration of the brain. The injuries were such as might be received in a fall from a tram. The body was normally healthy. He stated he did not think that an operation would have saved deceased's life. James Thomson, motorman employed by the Christchureh Tramway Board, stated that on the evening of September loth he drove the 6.45 pan. tram from the Square to Riccarton- He reiceived the ordinary signal to stop at Peer street, and pulled up in the ordinary way. He waited for the starting signal, but not getting one, looked out the side and saw that an accident had occurred. Deceased was lying on tho roa-d opijpsite Ihe centre of tho front car. She had evidently alighted from tho front part of the car and fallfin. A

motor-car harl been secured and witness left when.she had been placed in the vehicle. He had stopped the car in the ordinary wa.y, but had not seen Mrs Wormaid get off the car. To Mr Hutchison: I have been :i niotorman for close on twenty years and this is the first time. I have had a passenger who was stepping off the car injured. John Arrnan, the conductor of the car, said that as the vehicle approached Church corner he expected a man and woman to leave it, but only the man alighted, the woniau going on to Peer street. As the car was drawing to a stop at Peer street a passenger cried, "A woman has jumped ouV , The ear pulled up and he found Mrs Wormaid lying on her back two or three feet from the tram. Witness hurried up to Iter and she had complained of having hurt a leg. She was quito conscious at the time. He had asked a.passing motorist to take her home. Huxley Deal said he was a passenger on the front car at the time of the accident. When ncaring Peer street he was standing on the back platform and saw Mrs Wormaid leave the vehicle from the front platform. She stepped right out on to the road and did not attempt to hold the car rail to assist her down. The car was just stopping when she stepped down. Mrs Wormaid, who was facing the opposite direction to that in which the car was going, fell on her back. To Mr Hunter witness said Mrs Wormaid stepped on to the road from the platform of the car and not from the step. Vernon Deal, also a passenger on,'the ear, said that he «»<* attended Mrs Wormaid, and later took her home in a motor-car. The Coroner said that all ho could conclude in this instance was lhat probablv Mrs Wormaid, on account of deficient eyesight or not realising what she had been doing, had stepped from the platform of the car while it was still moving. He would return a verdict that death was due to intcrcranial hemorrhage, due to deceased s accidentally stepping from a moving tram-car. He also added a rider taat no blame was attachable to any of the tramway office