DEATH OF J. W. HARRIS

Grey River Argus, 19 June 1913, Page 2

DEATH OF J. W. HARRIS

CORONER'S INQUEST. An inouest into the circumstances connected with the death of John Major William Harris, was held by Mr: J. G .L. Hewitt, Coroner, at ♦he. late residence of the deceased, Kumara, yesterday- morning. Richard Boys Harcourt said : T am a farm laborer Tesiding' at Arahura. My father has som^ land adjoiningMr. Harris's. On Tuesday monniiig lns«- -.- o o'Hock I had occasion to- go to Wainihinihi to get some catf'e. De<~e.'x:ed w^nt with -rr rt . H" saddled up a young lib.rse to ride. AVhen mounting he got his feet in ihe stirriins. but took the mount..' The h ~rse ?bbrestive and started jupinihg This sh'ftcd deceased and caused the sMrrup leather to fly round a.nd catch' on the dee of the .sadd'c- used' to tie a whip on, deceased being caught: Tho horse bolted and deceased was thrown and dragged over the "Waimea Creek bridge nnd a .distance of -about 7 or S chains, his head bumping along • the ground and coming in contact with, the horse's hoofs I stopped and caught the horse at a gate and deceased's foot caught between the stirrup leather and saddle. I took out my pocket knife and cut the stirrup leather .releasing deceased ,who was bleeding from the mouth and ears I then ran to- his parents' house and told his sister. .They came and wrapped him up and sent for the doctor. . I was despatched to; Kumara i'or a doctor and Dr. Phillips iminediatelv went put. ' . John Harris, father of deceased said: — I am a. farmer residing oir v tl_"e Christchurch Road, Tereiriakau. ' Deceased was iS years old last Maroh. single, and my only son. He used to manage the farm while I was away contracting. He was well used' "to handling horses. I was away when the accident happened . Dr. Phillip said: Yesterday morning at about 0-45 a.m I was; called by the witness, Harcourt, to att.nd a triSti •named Harris whom, I was informed, had been injured by 'an accident -on the Christchurch Road. I at once proceeded to the scene of the accident and found deceased lying on the road, i^eyen or eight chains from the house. He _ was covered up with rugs. On-ex-amination I found life extinct, and had the body removed to the house. 'On further examination' I" found that' his head was badly lacerated, and his .skull fractured several places. He bled severely from mouth and .nostrils. The lower jaw was fractured and the left ;sideq of hi_; fact fractured. His left shoulder and arm were badly confused, and the skin torn off as if he had ..been dragged along the ground. ' Oh ?the left side his ribs were fractured. Death must have been instantaneous. The injuries, were such as would" have resulted from deceased having been dragged along: the ground by the stirrup leather, as described by witness. A verdict of accidental dea/h by being thrown from a horse apd dragged along the ground by the stirrup leather, was returned. ~ - - ■'■ ' 7 '