FATAL ACCIDENT AT HENDERSON'S BUSH.—INQUEST.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1743, 19 February 1863, Page 4

FATAL ACCIDENT AT HENDERSONS BUSH.— INQUEST.

Yesterday, at noon, an inquest was held, at the Eoyal Hotel, before T. M. Philson, Esq., coroner and a respectable jury, Mr. Charles Williamson, foreman, on view of the body of John Smith, aged 33 years, bushman, who was killed by the falling of a tree, at Hendersons bush, on Monda) r last. Deceased hud formerly been a seaman on board the ' Queen of the North.' The jury having inspected the body proceeded to hear the following ovidonce : — Bichard Wilmott was the first witness called. He said : I am a bushman, working at Hendersons Mill Bush, aboutfive miles from thoDundeo saw mills. I was employed by Mr. Henderson to fell timber. I was felling timber on Monday last. The deceased, John Smith, worked about twenty yards from me. He was a bushman, but had formerly been a seaman. He had been employed felling timber about four months. I believe he would be 33 or 34 years of ago. There wero two others working with Smith and myself at the time of the accident. About half-past 1 o'clock on the day stated, the deceased and myself were felling a riimi tree, about 3 feet 6 nehes through, and about 60 feet high, with large branches. I was cutting the tree through with an a^e, and had almost cut it through, when I cried out for the other men to get away. The deceased immediately ran to the opposite side to whore I stood, but nad not gone far enough when one of the branches of the tree struck him on the left shoulder, and he was crushed to the ground. He was struck by a branch limb. Myself and the two other men immediately ran to deceased, and assisted him up. He was lying on his left side across another piece of rimu, about two feet thick. Possibly the riimi he was knocked over broke his ribs. I saw his left arm was broken ; and noticed scratches about the wrist. He was not sensible when we picked him up, but recovered in about a quarter of an hour. He said he was killed. "We made a stretcher, and removed him to Mr. Hendersons, where we gave him some wine. He complained all the way down to the mill — a distance of five miles. He drank a groat deal of water whilst we were convoying him to Mr. Henderson's. He did not vnmU, ivov spit blood. After a short stay at Mr. Hendersons, we procured a boat, with the intention of bringing him to the hospital. When about five miles from the mill, on our way to the city, the deceased expired. This would be about seven o'clock, lie told to me he was going to die. I had my arm under his head, and he told me not to withdraw it, as he was going to die. I don't know anything |of his friends. Ho came out as a seaman on board the ' Queen of the North.' He was a sober man whilst at work in the bush. No drink is to be obtained where we were working. We reached Auckland with the body about eleven o'clock the samo evening, and placed it in charge of the police. I have been m the dead-house this morning, and can identify the body lying there as that of John Smith. I took every possible care in felling the tree to prevent an accident. There is a person superintending the men felling the treei. I believe tho deceased met his death quito accidentally. By the Jury : The deceased was not working with me in felling the tree. I was working by day work. The deceased and myself were on perfectly good terms ; we were mates. William Eynon, bushman, said : lam employed at Hendersons Bush, and was working there last Monday. I was employed "jacking ' timber along with three others. Deceased was at work on the road near the spot we were working — perhaps about forty yards off. I. did not see the last witness cutting the tree. About half-past one o'clock I heard some one call out for the men to keep clear of the falling tree. I looked up to see which way the tree was falling. It fell in an opposite direction to whero I stood. I saw deceased running across the road as the trco was falling, but ho did not run far enough, and was struck. We all ran up — perhaps ten or twelve of us, and assisted nim up. He was lying half on his side across another piece or timber. I noticed that he had a bruise on the left shoulder and on his wrist. He was not bleeding except a little on the wrist, where tho skin was off. He was groaning. I got some water and bathed his forehead. A stretcher was afterwards made and I helped to bring him down to the mill, and afterwards assisted to row him in tho boat to Auckland. I knew his arm was broken. I Heard him say that he knew he should die. He complained of his inside being crushed to pieces. No medical man saw the deceased after he was injured. We wero bringing him to tho hospital. He died about five minutes past 1 o'clock. I think sufficient care was taken in felling the tree. From the way the deceased ran the accident could not have been avoided. The roots of the tree twisted it quito round as it was falling. I have not known another accident of the nature in question happen in the bush whilst I, have been working there. We are superintended, and advised to bo cautious. Eichard Johnson, deposed : lama bushman, working at Hendersons Bush. I was employed there on Monday last, making a road, about five miles from tho mill. The deceased and three others were working with me. I saw Wilmott felling a rimu tree with an axo, about two yards from where, we were at work. I heard Wilmott cry out to " clear," wid heard the tree cracking. Myself and another man ran down the gully ; but the deceased ran another way, and was struck by the tree. He ran into danger. I saw the tree fall upon deceased. I have never known a man killed that way before. I d6n't think Wilmotfc is to blame in the matter. By the Jury : The tree was 60, feet high, and we wore working 20 yards away. The deceased ran towards the tree — towards $ie butt — and was caught by a branch. P. 0. Negus said : The body of deceased was half-past 11 o'clock, by [Richard Wilmott and a party of men. They brought, it in a boat from Hendersons Mill. I placed the body in the dead-house., I did not know the deceased. There were marks of injury on the left shoulder and wrist. ';' I, did-uot poserve any fiact&res,

The men were sober who, handed,, the body to i'meT "Th'oy'sfafei mat the man hndHied on tho passage down. ,1 have known two or, three accidents of a like natnro happen before. ' If o property was found upon his person. The jury jvftor a short consultation returned the following verdict : — " That tho said John Smith accidentally mot his death, on Monday, 16th Fobruary, 1863, by tho falling of a tree, at Hendersons Bush."