INQUEST.

Evening Star, Issue 6819, 5 February 1886, Page 4

INQUEST.

An inquiry into the death of Timothy Rabbitt was held at the Hospital yesterday afternoon, before Mr E. 11. Carew, Coroner. Bridget Rabbitt, wife of the deceased, stated that her husband was a laborer, and ho had recently been working at the cutting between Princes street and Rattray street. He went to work in the morning about seven o’clock, and she had not since seen him alive. He was a native of Galway, and had been about twenty-four years in the Colony. He left two children.

■William Baird, foreman of the works at the cutting, said that they were carried out by the Corporation. He saw deceased at his work in the morning with the mate that he was accustomed to work with. He had to undermine for a fall and throw it down. It was an open face that ho was working at, at the side of the road. The full height of the face was about 20ft, but it was being removed in “benches.” Tho deceased was working on the middle bench, and there was a ledge 4ft or oft wide for him and the other men to stand on. About 9.10 a.m. witness heard a sound of a fall of earth. He was about two chains away, and on looking round he saw a cloud of earth and dust. He went to the spot, and saw some of tho workmen lifting deceased in their arms. He saw that a fall had come down whore deceased was working, and that all the fall that should have come down was down. It was the laborers’ duty to give notice to witness before the “legs” were taken away from an excavation, and he then had to send a man on top to tell them when the earth was giving way. Deceased and his mate gave him no notice this morning, and ho believed that tho accident occurred through their knocking out the “legs” before the proper precautions were taken. The fall was about Tit gin in height, 10ft along tho face, and ISin deep. Deceased was sensible after the accident, and drank some brandy that witness sent for. A\ itucss sent him away to tho Hospii ! in an express. Dr i.) ivies stated that ho was at the Hospital yesterday when deceased was taken there in a dying state. Witness sent for Dr Roberts, who called witness’s attention to a contused wound on the deceased’s abdomen. Witness was told that tire wound had been caused by the point of a pick, and it might have been so caused. He thought deceased must have died from shock and internal injuries, and most probably from hemorrhage. John Russell, who was filling drays a short distance from where the deceased was working, said ho saw the deceased picking at the earth and it commenced to come down. Before witness had time to call out ho saw the deceased turn and run down the slope; but the earth overtook him, and ho was thrown down on to tire slope, the earth falling on top of him. Witness subsequently, with the assistance of Charles Barry, took the deceased to the Hospital. After deceased was taken from the fall and put on the level ground he said “lam killed.” He made no complaints, nor did lie explain how tho accident happened. It was not a regular thing to have a man on top on the lookout when falls were to bo made ; sometimes a man would bo there and sometimes not. The ground where the deceased was working was very treacherous. Witness thought it was rather dangerous to take away a piece of earth of tho same height as the one in question. He thought it was only right, seeing tiie ground was treacherous, that a man should be stationed on top of the earth to look out for cracks and give notice of danger. Witness had seen slips on that ground without any undermining. Charles Barry stated that he saw the deceased picking away at one end of the fall a little while before the earth full, There was no man on the top of the fall, but on dangerous ground like that witness thought there should ho. Witness had heard men complain to Baird about not putting men on top of falls, but he could not mention the names of any men, nor did he know whether it was that day or not that they complained. Robert Mackay and Constable Crawford also gave evidence. The jury, after retiring for a few minutes, found that the deceased was accidentally killed by a full of earth ; and added a rider to their verdict to the cll'ect that, in their opinion, a man should bo placed on top of all such works as the one in question to look out and give notice of danger.