DEATH OF ROBERT HENDERSON

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 40, 16 August 1917, Page 4

DEATH OF ROBERT HENDERSON

An inquest concerning the death at the Wellington Hospital on Tuesday morning of Robert Henderson, a waterside worker who fell into the harbour the previous evening whilst attending to the lines on the hulk Lutterworth, was held yesterday afternoon. Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., acted as Coroner, and Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for the relatives of deceased.

The first witness called was Dr. Kington Fyffe, who said that he had held a post-mortem examination of, the body. Deceased had a small bruise over the right eye, and the lungs were full of water. The heart showed considerable signs of fatty degeneration of the muscular tissue. The cause of death was in his opinion aedema of the lungs, complicated by the effect of shock on a dis-

eased heart. In reply to a query by Mr. O'Leary, Dr. Fyffe said that deceased would have been much better left where he was than removed to the Hospital. Alfred Collett, coalworker, said at 10 p.m. on the 13th he was working "with the deceased on the hulk Lutterworth. Henderson was hauling on a rope, which got caught in another rope on the hulk. Henderson said, "I will take it to the winch," and the next thing witness heard was a splash in the water. He lit a flare, and then «aw Henderson alongside the hulk. Witness called "Man overboard," and another watersider named Graham went down the rope, and, assisted by a man named Carwood, managed to get Henderson on to the deck of tha hulk. John Duder, a ship's officer from a neighbouring vessel, rendered first-aid, and restored Henderson to consciousness. Deceased assured.his mates he wa» "All

right." Dr. Pollen examined the man's mouth, and said he was safe. Deceased was taken on a nearby ship and made comfortable, but he took a turn for the worse soon after, and was sent to the Hospital. As far as he knew, deceased was a single man. Henry Graham, co«lworker, gave corroborative evidence, and said that Mr. Dnder, the ship's officer, had done everything possible for the deceased. Mr. Duder said that the man should be taken to the Hospital, but the doctor said he was all right provided he was kept

warm,

Constable Cosgrave also corroborated thi> latter part of the evidence of the previous witnesses.

The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.