STREET FATALITY

Evening Star, Issue 19722, 24 November 1927, Page 1

STREET FATALITY

OLD MAN’S DEATH i % KNOCKED DOWN BY TRAM That death was duo to 'laceration of | the brain as the result of an accidental j collision with a tramcar, no blame being attachable to tho motornian, was the verdict returned at tho inquest at tho Hospital this morning concerning the death of Simpson Dunn, who died in / the hospital yesterday as tho result of being knocked down, by a tramcar in Custom House square* on Monday afternoon. Mr J. 11. Bartholomew, S.M., sat as coroner. Sergeant Gilligan watching proceedings on behalf of the police. William Craig Dunn, son of tho deceased, identified the body as _ that of his father, who was 72 years of age. and was a retired carpenter. He did not possess very good eyesight. Henry Barron said that about 4 p.m. on November 21 he was standing near tho Fountain in Custom House square, when ho saw an old man facing west just behind the second opening of a tramcar travelling south. His feet were on tho ground, and his head was leaning forward slightly. The ear was travelling about two miles an hour. Next witness saw the old man reeling backwards to fall heavily on Ids rignt side. At tho same time ho heari a crash, and on looking at the old man observed blood issuing from his- mouth and nose. Witness endeavored to cajch the man, hut missed; him, mediateiy afterwards ho was picked up by two men. Tho. body lying in the morgue was that of tho eld man ho had seen. Dr W. S. Fogg, house surgeon at tho Dunedin Hospital, said that tho deceased was admitted to tho institution about 4.3 U p.m. on November ,2J, then being unconscious. He appeared ii be suffering from compression of tike brain, which became more apparent as time went on. An operation was performed the same evening at 8 c ’clock, this disclosing a large blood dot the right side of the brain. The deceased rallied for a short time; alter the operation, but sank later, and died at noon on November 23. Death, in witness’s opinion, was due to laceration of tho brain, which would result from such a fall as that described by the pievious witness. John Munro, a laborer, said that on November 21, about 4 p.m , ho was in tho vicinity of the Fountain ,in Princes street. He saw a south-bound •tramcar crossing over Custom House square, and at tho same lime an oi-d man passed witness, and appeared to, ■walk right into the tram, which was (ravelling from two to three milts an hour. The car struck him on tho head, and lie reeled backwards, being picked np almost immediately by two men, who carried him to tho fountain.No danger was anticipated by the witness, as bo thought tho old man . would stop when ho got to the tram. James Douglas, tramway motorman,,, said that on tho day in question, about'' 4 p.m., ho was driving a south-bound; trumcar, and when, just opposite Fountain ho heard a bump, and on < looking back saw an old man lading j backwards. Witness immediately stopped the car and went back to i where the man -was lying and being j attended li- by two other men. Jim , ear was travelling between two and-ij three miles an hour, and witness did j not see anything of the old man until j he heard the bump. ' A verdict was returned as outlined above, that death was due to laceration of the brain, as tho result of ail accidental collision with a tramcar, no blame being attachable to the motorman.