ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1086, 27 March 1911, Page 6

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

A STRANGE OCCURRENCE. OLD MAN LOSES HIS LIFE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Christchurch, March 25. This afternoon, about half-past four o'clock, a sad fatality occurred in Gloucester Street, near Latimer Square, whereby Henry Garland, an old resident of Christchurch, was killed. Mr. Garland, who wns 81 years of age, has been in illhealth for tho past four or five months, but was convalescent. Shortly before tho fatality the members of his family were under tho impression that he was walking in the garden, but it appears, however, that he hart wandered on to the street. According to two eye-witnesses of the occurrence, he stopped oii to the roadway, and, catching hold of the side of a cart loaded with metal, threw himself under onb of the wheels, which passed over his neck, death following almost instantaneously. Ho was removed to his residence, and medical assistance was obtained, but life was extinct.

Further details indicate that the occurrence was probably purely accidental. Mr. Garland was in a. weak physical state, and it is assumed Unit, when crossing the road, he becamo bewildered, with the result that ho wavered and fell under tho dray. , So far as is known, there is no reason to supposo (hat ho contemplated ending his life. An inquest was held to-day. One eyewitness stated that ho saw deceased behaving in a rather eccentric manner at tho rear of tho dray. He passed along tho riglit side.of the dray, which momentarily obstructed his (witness's) view, and he next saw deceased lying on the road just in front of tho wheel. Next moment the wheel went over him.

Replying to the Coroner, witness said that; when he first saw deceased ho (witness) assumed that he knew the driver of tho dray, and intended throwing a stono at him in a joke. He did not actually see deceased fall.

The driver of the dray stated that, he knew nothing of the occurrence till it was all over.

Another eye-witness. who was riding.a irony, and was approaching the dray, stated that he sav.- deceased. walking across the Toad, and, when about level with the back of the rim of the wheel, he put his hand on the dray, and then took a step forward, and fell in front of the wheel. It happened so suddenly that witness was unable to warn the driver. Witness thought that the hub or nave of the wheel struck deceased, and swung him round. The occurrence appeared to be an accident. Deceased did not appear to come from the rear of the dray, and he was walking shakily. Ho appeared to be in trouble, and clutched at something to save himself.

Deceased's son stated that his father had been ill for the past four or fivo months, and had had a paralytic stroke. Ho was very tottery, and the state of his health made him absent-minded. In addition, he was short-sighted. Witness was of opinion that the occurrence was entirely accidental. At his father's request he (witness) had come from Wellington to discuss making arrangements for his father and mother to reside with him. A verdict of "Accidentally killed" was recorded.

CAST HP ON THE BEACII. Dunedin, March 25. Portions of a human body, believed to be those of Joseph Williams, who was drowned at Ocean Beach a fortnight aeo, were washed up on tho beach last night. FALL INTO STEAMER'S HOLD. Harold Anderson, a married man, residing at No. 3 Semeloff Terrace, was admitted to the Hospital at 1 p.m. on Saturday, suffering from rather serious injuries. He is a wharf-labourer by occupation. While working aboard the steamer Victoria on Friday, Anderson fell into ono of the holds. He was taken in the first instance to his home, but when (he serious nature of his injuries, became evident he was transferred to the. Hospital, where it was found that he was suffering from badly-injured ribs. Although the injuries are serious they are not expected to prove dangerous.

PECULIAR CITY ACCIDENT. Early on Saturday morning a man named AVilliam Dowman, 21 years of ago, was found lying; unconscious at the foot of a bank which borders Mortimer Terrace. On being taken to the Hospital, bowman remained for some time, unconscious, but he is now reported to be doing well. Apart from general shock he had apparently sustained a slight fracture of the skull. From inquiries made, by Sergeant liutlcdgc, of the Mount Cook Police Station, it appears that Dawmnn paused, while malting his way up the sleep incline of Mortimer Terrace, to lean against a guard-rail at the edge of a bank. The rail broke, and Dowman fell a perpendicular distance of fourteen feet to the bottom of the bank. He is a single man, and resides with relatives at 7t Mortimer Terrace.

FRACTURED ARM Mrs. Godet, a married woman, eighty years of age, residing in Bolton Street, broke her arm on Saturday afternoon in a remarkably simple way. She was endeavouring to open a door, which worked rather stilTly, and in giving it a push snapped a lionc in her arm. When she was ivlmitted to tho hospital at 5 p.m. on Saturday the injury was diagnosed as a simple fracture.