MOTOR FATALITY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 639, 16 October 1909, Page 5

MOTOR FATALITY.

THE INQUEST AND VERDICT. - '■'~•. ACCIDENTAL DEATH, /' \^Z ! > \ \ [Q. -;:'f'j (By-..'Telegraphs-Press Asiocja'tion.),;•'..•, .;■ >.vl _ ; .i Chrlstchutch, October 15. -.; ''■•>■'. : : : : inquest,touching .the death of Captain Pavitt, killed-in tho : motpr-car;; accident when ■■~; Q returning'.on Wednesday;from the volunteer ~';;■:-'; manoeuvres, was:resumed. to-day.- ',:"';■/'-":,';'■■;; ■: : v :A<-i Captain,Salter/ of trio Second Infantry Battalion, an occupant of the car.-statcd that whon'./-*'.:';';'■ ;the car loft Yaldhurst; the driver' (Humphreys)" :-; r ,.'!' ; was fts eobor as witness was at the present .> .I-J moment. Humphreys's driving from' tho: com-'.'■■■■ ','.'■.■.;.;; mencomont ..impressed him'i »S'; being, tarried '~. j'i out with the utmost'care. ..:- •' -'-• ; : ! ,.v.;;: Lieutenant-Colonel G.vJ.:Sroith,^M,LiC.|wMi ! '- : t : : asked by„tho. Coronor,(Mr: -,W: R. Hoseldeu) wag -, ■,£:'' ■'■: '•': ,thero', anything about' Humphreys's Condltioa' ,"•,';■; to suggest'infiObb'iety;;>. vuKu. ov:-::-;"Hw;,.-; .'.•.■:.'> \ Lieutenant-Colonel .Smith; No,notinnjy6pin- :;■:'. i'i ion. I „won|d..have had no .hesitation in going ': '■ ,! ,in the car; myself.;,' '-a *;;;;>.;•! - ■!;■ ":"::':-■;; : '*, : The. Coroner-.Something had been said to you : -': previously? . ■ .-; - .-:; ■. -;.;.■.'■-.. ■;■■: •- '•; :•,-: . -:-'V';-.-liieutenaht-Colonol Smithi One of the offlcere ii ;'i of the LytteUon.force Said; tbiiioi/'Humphreysv ji ■■' : ' has beendrinking.. to.look, but 'for'' ' i.- ? :';'' .lum.'.' \1 told him >to. report .'thd matterl" to' th» '.:■■■'■■' oihcor.comnionding tlle'distriot.;-Shortlj^ , after-' , '.-.: ; .v'i; wards, Coloiiol'Hawkinsfiaid tomoV "I'ttiii told vV, that Hunlphfeys has been drinking; .You had ;■.--' better soolhat somo one is sentdown who-will ,- : . v ;':-;' keep his steady.",-I -went across to sea what:.•'•''•'.•'■■.' his condition ; was .to: satisfy, myself. -As to his:'. : '~Z\ condition, Iwas-perfoctlysatistied that ho via '■■ '■'- ! >: sober j quite: sober! .Absolutory, sober. .If..que^.','' ■■ A 1:. tion had not: been raisedVthero',v.-aß',Tiqthi}ig .'■•'('■*■■' in'his manner to indicatb-lhat had -any' ■'••' ■■■'. : : ' drink.. ■'■■•; .:■. ; ■:>;■,% ;:■;• -_.i.-',„:•.,/..-.■-:":,.-■:-.;!";' : '.The Coroner:. You have, rather'strict'views?'.r'-V;'. ,Lieutenaht-Cblonol Smitlu-law o.prohibition^/ :- ; V::.: 'ist.''-'..." :•"- '•■•"- '.' ,;.i-..-.•"'.•: ■•: '■:■".':, .■■■;:■'■■■■'.■ '". ':■> : : 'The-Coronerilf-Ton .BnyHlie : ''man'Vas: l ab--,.' ':: : v : 'v ,soiutcly'sober theroJs'an;:ena..to''it.;'iHb.:w« V-:;>:■-sober." ,;■•'.. • .-.. -■"■■•■-, ■.'.". \'-'-; : :'•'■•■■';.■.■':.■'■.''.,"":..•• ■','..;•.,;:.' '-'''j Koutenant-Colonol I won't' say tbiti-'''-V-'-'".'--ho wasjperfectly sobori '■■',■■.■'.■;.-.' ! ; .•■■' ... .:'....:,: ■'.':''''• '■• The Coroner;,. For. the purpose of this inquest ./-'"• ' : I ■ shall tell tho .jury that perfectly sober means ; H ■ ' '•'■.! that 4 man is quito capable of carrying but afty ' '••'•"■;.'■; duties of trust, and. that, he-is ,in' his>normal - V ■'•'/< condition,' -.: ; - -..;..r;';..V-"i '-.-j-'-J'-j v..>-:'.■,-',:•'■.-''v'.'';s>' Lioutouant-Colbncl : Smithi' On that; definition '-'''■ '' : >.' he;wasiX!rfectly"sober, and I..would -have had .''if'.; nc hesitation, in going ihthocor myself.■ ;' ■.-.,,.": -V; "■ Mr." Hunt, who appeared for the relatives "or. '~•":■' tho-dsceasod, asked: Had you any reason "to ', '' choos'o this car to go first?.'.-.' ,; ... >•■ s;,.', .>'■■■.■'.■;■'.< 4; Lieutenant-Colonel Smiths'': Colonel Hawkini' : said te:me'that as;ithM:bebn" reported-to that Humphreys, hfldbben drinking, it'would W' ••' ; -W: better to got nim-.nway:' early.. '•% ■,' ;: -- '■•-■ '.'?'.•.•, - ■■ -■ -,v ; :F. : W. (Smith,:motor;enginoor,'Statcd'.that/h'b %■''. ■'■'V examined tho car, ; after' the accident; . It' had" V . : ' ■ twisted, steering.' gear. ..While" tho oar was up— »". : " ''<■■■■ side down there -wits: a fnir'amouhtof back ksh'''. ; j: ;! ':. : or slack, 1 but otherwise it was;'intact tin'd'in''^ ; ; v';; working ordor.. The: chain speed lover. was-in '-i; ; .- the top, gear.; ■ The' throttle iwas .'about: three- " : ';^i : : quarters open; '.;..-.'.,■ :'„•-,-.'•,'..,.'»•..,.'...:.;.;. -.;V;.,i..... i ..> lW •.■■'.• '■■;;'J--:;, Had tho. car- been driven' at' a: high''rate:of : speed:before it capsije(lf"-.--'i•••'■':'' . .■ : : ■.'.■':., ' ■■■':': : ;:■■';' •'Witness! Well, unless ; 'ybu know ; the: indirt' ;:U : & dual.car'it :is : hard:te: tell', what' speed 'a- car was, joing .with:; its .gear; and v:'": ; position;described. vSome::onrs,:ga;faster:withtt.,''/ the throttle: full, opon,. and::othcrs->\nth':ihß ■":-■- '•'. throttle 'half open; ;'': '-" •■,.'.• : ■•/;•.;';■: .■>•;.,',•• rV-'':'.-'"-' -:V' ; Thp Coroner! Supposing the man' was 'slowing.' ' v' ; ' :'■> down to ten miles,-.would'.tho: throttle' bo- in'"'-:;.':.'; the position found?--,-;-'.•.>.'.•;',: ; .,',>-. .;'.:■ V■■>'^-"■;sVi- E —^"-' : ■"•";,' '. Withcss:.The.throftlb wb\ild:h'ava:been'nvarly'-;^ ; 'i; i ; : closed, .If theoar was.in good workingoorde r ; «--";i'=;-'-V"r3 it ..ought, to havo, been ,going at'3o: miles an' i -^' i . hour- according to the.position. of<-the .'throttle, ;•.■", - ■■' :bnt;.d' lot' depended, on the 'condition' iof 'the ';. V : ' : ''': fnffino.e','-. ? :-,.;."i;•-- !'Y^:W^:•■':;?: '■{./■:<-;> -:',■;-;'■> -',k-.,"■ '■: j, Lieutenants Matthews"-»ria''Outhrie'? thV.'o'te'i': v, ? y. ! . occupants of the: car, also '.gave evidence; -which" '.'. ''■'"■ K .generally.,supported that of Salter.. >•<>: t v : ■; Geo.'Crosswell, an.'eye-withe'ssof.thelaceideat" ■>'±W expressed -the' opinion':that v the .rate.W,whioh' ■ '■' -i the "car,,wasitravellihg'.was. exeessire'{ •;-.-. ■."',!,'■', r-,■ '' . Counsel for' Humphreys :hddrcss'ed ; ;thb'jurT,' ; ■'•■'*s; The ,cpronpr.;Bum,mcd...up,v l and after;, an • " ':', analysis of the' bvidonCo, romftrked whatever '■ 'mystery.tho jury' thought,still;existed he was, .-■'.■ '>;•■ bound to toll :them that thcrb was:no direct: ; ''"."'' evidence of .negligence '"on.- the•'•■ part" -. of '■'"• Humphreys that would justify a verdict of man-■'•'■'• l slaughter; If .the ; ]'Ury brpaght' in;, 6Wh .. a '': :.' : verdict, the; result- would,be 1 , thatan-'infarma'i :' i'tion would bo' laid ■ against ■ HumphrevSj and '■■ , i it .'would, be folt'.;immcdlately':that:,hp .was: ,'o>.; being made tho victim '.of an'uhfeirtnnato set,. ; "'■ "• ; .;' of and the sympathy now being l ; : .'-Sti deeply felt for Captain :Pavitti would:in'somei : \ .measure,bq transferrod'teVHumphreysH .',-; :'■." ',;■ ,:; ■ •■ After • a retirement 1 of.'; about.'a.;'quaJ:ter -"of an , , :: ■;■ - hourj.,the jury.'returnedr.vithiiaoTtrdletitbat' •■ : -' deceased { was accidentally ; and. that ho: V - blame was attachable .to anyone.'- In , a,'rider- >:: they expressed,thovdeo'pest,sympathy ;with..the- • :.'■: ■'■} relatives of deceased.;:; -..>yi :-?:>',;<-,.-,;.:-?v-' v v:'- '.' '.'' '-, Captain Pavitt was buried te-fe'.'vfitjl' full':' ; :. ; military atton-rv-. danco of voluhtesrs and of:civilians, v .v-i..,, . ' .:,'..,\ The. secretary;;of ;tho. pducatiou ; Beard has •.'•;<•''■■,?:'■ received the following telegram' from the Hotv : I). Buddo:—"Deeply regret; to'hear of Captain '►; '■*. PaVitt's death. ' A; 16yal member of the;board'a, : .. f staff,' ho will bo regretted: by, all who :knew r ;:;;: : him: Kindly convey my sympathy to, .hip ■>~'•■■■'••'> Sorrowing 'rolatives." ' : '.:;-.:v :-'■,.■;:- \-'-t, r- ;:,;'::.- ( V;f