DEATH OF PROFESSOR ULRICH.

Evening Star, Issue 11252, 28 May 1900, Page 2

DEATH OF PROFESSOR ULRICH.

THE INQUEST. Mr Coroner Cnrew, %ritli a jury of six, conducted an inqflest this morning* into the circumstances surrounding the death of Professor Ulrich. The inquest was held at deceased's late in Duke street. The first witness was Frank P. A. Ulrich, a, medical student, who said that the body shown to the jury was that of his late father, who was born in Zillerfeld, Hartz, Germany. He was professor of mining and mineralogy at the Otago University, and had been about twenty-two years in New Zealand, having been a good many years in Victoria before coming here. On Saturday- last witness and deceased went together' to Port Chalmers, where they had also been on the previous day. On Saturday they went through the Port and up Flagstaff Hill. They took rests on the way up, as it was rather steep for-Ins father, who was recovering from a severe illness, but was getting on grandly. On the Friday deceased had wanted to go up Flagstaff Hill to examine an outcrop of metal which he knew of. They had walked about the wharves, however, and deceased was tired, and witness suggested that they should go another day. Saturday was 'a very fine day, and deceased said he would have an outing. Mosgiel and Port Chalmers being suggested, he (deceased) said he would rather go to the latter place and see the outcrop. They left by the 10.4 (rain from Pelichet Bay, witness canying his father’s leather belt in which the hammer was hung. After they got up Flagstaff Hill deceased said he would sit on the seat and enjoy the scene for a while. Thcy sat talking for about ten minutes, and admired the view. Deceased then said they might as well have a look at the outcrop. Witness told him ho did not think he (deceased) would get over the picket fence, but he replied that it would be no use his (witness’s) going without him. Witness helped him over the fence in the easiest place, and he got over all right. Deceased walked over to the edge, „aud looked down, and then shrank back, telling witness not to go too close. Deceased then said ho would stay where ho was and tell witness which rocks to go to and break pieces off of. Witness broke one or two pieces, and brought them to his father, who examined them through a magnifying glass. He said it Was the right rock, but he did not see the crystals in it. He pointed to a rock close by, and asked witness to breaa a piece off that. Witness did so, _ and ho then pointed to a rock a little further away and lower down. While he was, going to it or while breaking a piece off, he could not 'recollect which, he turned

round and saw his father rolling down. ;He was some, yards away from his father when he fell, and could do nothing to save him, for had 1 he jumped he'wofild have gone over too. He watched the body rolling for some distance,until it went over a sharp edge, and then it was out- of sight. He did not see the body land. Witness at once went down the hill, and when he got to whore the body was some other' people were there. They thought that witness was falling too, and yelled out to him to keep hack. / Deceased was unconscious, but was not' dead. The accident happened a little after eleven o’clock, and deceased continued breathing until abut half-post two, when he died, They removed the body to an office near by, and he was there when Dr Borrie arrived. The back was found to be broken, and the bead and other limbs were also injured. The body was removed to Dunedin in the evening. The complete fall to the bottom of the hill must have been about 50ft. Before that the descent was more of a roll than a fall. Witness did not think at the time that the place where his father was standing was dangerous. He ■was very cautious, and told hint (witness) to bo careful and not get too near the edge. On Friday, when they were at the dock, deceased complained of having a feeling of giddiness. He was a fairly strong man, but was not so strong as before Ids recent illness. On the morning of the aocideVit he was in good spirits, and after they had • walked to the Pelichet Bay railway station ho said he was feeling “grand.” On the way up the hill at the Port deceased manifested an interest in the scenery, which was very fine. By Dr Davies; They walked briskly to tho train. In the morning his father said he fait a depression, as though all the world was an him. He gave that as the reason for wanting to go out. He said that feeling always left him when he got out. Dr Davies deposed that he knew deceased well for some years, and had been attending him professionally lately. He had seen the body, and was quite satisfied from its appearance that death was due to cerebral compression caused by a fracture of the skull and of the spine. Ho last saw. deceased before the accident on Thursday last. He had recently undergone a serious operation after an illness extending over, some years. His recovery had been wonderful considering his age and the longstanding complaint from which he was suffering. The operation was a great shock to his nervous system, due to sudden relief from long-continued pain. He would not say that he was mentally affected in any way, but he required careful nursing and attendance. _ Any mental disturbance there was had quite ceased some weeks ago. Two nurses had been in attendance, but one had been discharged, and the othter was leaving almost immediately, as there was no further need for their kind attentions. Previous to witness knowing him deceased had had severe illness, one of the symptoms of which was a feeling of giddiness—a feeling of depression, as if some great weight were coming down on him. From whnt witness knew of deceased there was not the slightest grounds for suspecting or suggesting that his fall was due to anything other than pure accident. Witness heard of the accident just in time to catch the 12.15 train. He found Mr Ulrich in the office referred to. He was in n profound state of comof and was dying. Blond was oozing from a bandage around his head. Dr Borrie was of opinion that deceased’s state was due to compound fracture of the skull. This was all the evidence called, and the jury, after a brief consultation, returned a verdict. “That deceased died from injuries sustained by accidentally falling down Flagstaff Hill at Port Chalmers.” The late Professor George Henry Frederick Ulrich, F.G.S., who was the first professor of mining and mineralogy at the Otago University, and was director of our School of Mines, was bom in ClausthalZillerfeld (Prussia) in 1850, and was educated in his native town at tne High School, subsequently graduating at the Royal School of Mines, Clausthal. Hart*. Mi Ulrich entered the Alines Department in his native land, and .after serving four years resigned his position to accept an appointment in the Bolivia silver mines. Just as he was preparing for the journey to Bolivia news came of revolutionary movements in that country, in consequence of which Ills appointment was cancelled. He thereupon turned his face to the colonies, and went to Forest Creek, Victoria, in 1854. For nearly three yearn after hia arrival in that colony Mr Ulrich worked at the diggings of Forest Creek, Daisy Hill, Bendigo, and at other places, until he was appointed, in 1857, assistant secretary and draughtsman to the Royal Mining Commission in Victoria. Mr Ulrich was afterwards appointed assistant field geologist under Air Sehvyn in the Geological Department of Victoria. During the eleven years in which he was engaged under that department he assisted in the preparation of the plans of the different Victorian goldfields, notably Forest Creek, Flyer’s Creek, and Tarrangower. In 1857 he obtained leave of absence for one year to visit the first Exhibition of Paris, having a commission to procure a good selection of exhibits for the Melbourne Technological Aluseum. During his absence he travelled through Upper Hungary and other parts of the Continent. On his return to Victoria Air Ulrich wrote a little work on tho .methods of gold extraction at Sohamnitz, Upper Hungary, giving drawings of machines and apparatus employed. He continued tin officer of the. Geological Survey Department until its abolition in 1869, when he became curator of the mineral section under the late Air Cosmos Newbery, superintendent of the Industrial and Technological Aluseum, and lecturer in mining at the University of Afelbourne, having at the same lime right to practise as a consulting mining expert. Professor Ulrich was appointed by the South Australian Government to report on their copper mines and goldfields, and in 1875 he. paid his first visit to New Zealand and reported upon the Otago goldfields, which report was published with Professor Hutton’s report on the geology of Otago, under direction of the Provincial Government. He wqs appointed to the mining chair in the Otago University in 1878. lie was a corresponding member of the Royal Society of Afelbourne and the Tasmanian Royal Society, a Fellow of the London Geological Society, a member of the-American Institute of Alining Engineers, honorary member of the New Zealand Institute of Alining Engineers, and was one of the original members of tbe Australian Institute of Mining Engineers. Professor Ulrich was married in 1871 to a daughter of the late Mr Thomas Spence, of Belfast, Ireland, and leaves a widow, four sons, and three daughters. At the Dunedin Stock iExchange this morning the chairman (Air Herd man) made feeling reference to the untimely death of Professor Ulrich, and referred in kindly terms to his private worth and valuable public services. The Exchange adjourned this afternoon out of respect to the deceased. ■ At a meeting of the students of tho Alining School held this afternoon, convened hv Afr D. B. Waters, it was moved by Air Street and seconded by Air Lusk—That a letter be forwarded to Airs Ulrich and family expressing the deep sorrow' and sympathy of the students and staff of the Otago School of Alines at the loss of the late Professor Ulrich.”