DEATH FROM A FALL

Evening Star, Issue 15606, 24 September 1914, Page 8

DEATH FROM A FALL

EAGER TO SEE THE TROOPS.

Eagerness to see the troops marching down King Edward road caused the death of Charles Alexander Restieaux, aged 79, an inmate of the Benevolent Institution, on Monday afternoon near Caversham.

The old man was on his way to visit his son, when, hearing the strains of the regimental band, ho endeavored to climb up the steep railway embankment so that he might obtain" a view. The excitement probably brought on an attack of syncope, and he fell back over the bank, sustaining a fracture of the skull, from which he died in the Hospital the same day. An inquiry into the circumstances of the death was held by the Coroner (Mr C. C. Graham) yesterday afternoon. Augustus Restieaux, bootmaker, identified the body as that of his father, and said that deceased, had never complained of any illness, except an occasional touch of sciatica. Dr Falconer, medical superintendent of the Hospital, said that deceased was brought to the Hospital by the police about 3.20 p.m. on the 21st inst. He was then -unconscious; practically in a moribund condition. There were abrasions on the palms of his hands and on his knees, as though he had fallen. There was no external injury about the head, but a diagnosis revealed cerebral pressure. He died abouj; two hours after admission. A post-mortem examination, at which witness had been present, was held by Dr M'Kay, who found a fracture of the base of the skull extending towards the left side. The state of deceased's arteries would indicate that he had probably had an attack of syncope, and fallen. Death was directly due to the fracture. No operation could have been of any avail. Mrs Arabella Sutherland, of Caversham, said that she was walking along the street towards Dunedin about 2.30 p.m. on Monday last, when she heard, a noise which caused her to turn around, and she then saw a man in the act of falling to the ground over a bank about 6ft high. She went along and felt the pulse of the man, who was unconscious, and judged him .to be dying. An ambulance was summoned, and he was taken to the Hospital. A young man, also present at the time of the accident, told witness that he had. seen deceased fall back while climbing the steep bank by the railway line. The Coroner said, that it was clear from the evidence that deceased had fallen, while climbing up the railway embankment, probably to see the troops march by. He would Tetuin a veTdict I that death had occurred through a fracture of the skull, caused by deceased | accidentally falling over » l**" l *-

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