RUN OVER BY CAR

Grey River Argus, 21 March 1934, Page 8

RUN OVER BY CAR

Aged Prospector’s Death The adjourned inquest touching the death of Charles Williams, an elderly prospector, on the road near Nelson Creek on the night of February 11, wa s resumed at Greyniouth yesterday before the Coroner, Mr Henry Morgan. Senior-Sergeant *E. Quayle conducted the proceedings. Evidence was given by Dr. N. F. Greenslade. house surgeon at the Grey Hospital, that the deceased was brought to the Hospital at 4 a.m. on February 11, and was transferred t<» the morgue. Williams had been dead about an hour when the body arrived at the Hospital. Witness conducted a post-mortem examination on February 13. and found that death was due to external haemorrhage, caused by injuries to the chest and abdomin. The injuries were consistent with the deceased having been run ’over by a motor cur. In witness’s opinion, deceased had been lying down when run over, judging by the nature of the injuries. It was possible that he had been run oven by two cars, but there was no definite evidence of tliar. There were no injuries below the buttocks. Allan Bell, sawmill hand, Haupiri, stated that he left Greyniouth on the eight of February 10. at 10.50 p.m.and was driving a three-seater Dodge car. He had two passengers, Len Williams and Gordon Caesar, and was going home after the Karoro sports. They picked another mat', Casey, up at the Nelson Creek Hotel, which was reached at 11.25 p.m. They left the hotel at 11.30 p.m. Witness was driving. and th e other three men were also, in the front seat of the cur.

The Senior-Sergeant said that it dement to a constable, witness ha< id that they left Nelson Creek a

Witness said he was nut sure of the time. He was sober. The night was foggy and misty. When they had gone half a mile along the road, witness saw an object which looked like a cow. It was within a few feet of

the car when he first saw it, and it was too late to avoid running ovc: it. He pulled up in one and a hull lengths, and went back and found a man lying across the road, with hibead to the left. He was unconscious and never moved. The right-han. wheel of the car hud passed over 1 1n man’s legs near the buttocks. Wit uess told hi s mates to leave the bod}

as it was, and he- went to ring up the police and doctor. The body was in the same position when the police and ductor arrived. The reason witness did not see the object on the road sooner was because it was lying in a. slight dip in the road, and the car lights shone over it. The man’s coat was spread out on the road, and h«_ was lying on it. Witness was travelling at no more than 15 miles per hour. The left wheels missed deceased’s head by about a foot. The lights showed good visibility lor about three chains ahead of the car. Deceased was lying face downwards on the road, which was about twelve feet wide. To the Coroner: He was in the hotel only live minutes. He was not certain what time he left G'reymouth ll e had no liquor at Greyniouth or Nelson Creek and kept a proper look iut after leaving the hotel. The car had a good clearance. The dip appeared io be about three feet, which can.-ed the lights to shine right over the body. The body had been rolled over through the car striking deceased. He did noT swerve the car. and just felt a slight bump. Part of the body was lying in a bit of a pothole. Thomas Rayjnond Casey, of Gfoymouth, said he had arranged for Bell to call at the Nelson CTeek hotel and take him home to Bell Hill. Bell varied about midnight, aud witness was in bed. He got up and dressed, and left in Bell’s car about 12.30 a.m. He did not look ut any clock to lix the time. He sat on Williams’ kne (! in the car. He had no liquor before he left the hotel, nor had any of the party. When witness saw the object on the road it was four of five yard;, away. lf c thought it was a rug lying on the road. The right-hand wheels of life cur struck it. Bell nulled up in two or three lengths of the ear, and they all went buck and I'Ound Charles Williams, who was unconscious. The car was travelling ut 15 to 18 miles an hour when it struck the man. The lights were not bad, although witness had seen plenty belter, The night was dark and inclined to b t , foggy. The only reason he could gvc for not seeing the man >'uoner was the dip iu the road. It ansufficiently deep Io prevent the lights .-howing on him. Witness was keeidug a look out. He usually drove the car as much as the man wluj was aclu •illy driving. Just us the object wastruck. some'one said it was a dead vow, but witness said they had bettur have a look. To the Coroner: lie thought, the object was a horse rug. He cuuld not see it very (dearly. 11,. thought the car struck about the middle o’ tha body. Constable J. Rodgers, of Brunnerluti, stated that about 1.30 a.m. >n February 11, he arrived at Nel> , < ii Cicek with Dr. Wilkinson and saw the body of Williams lying across the

road, about half a mile on the north >ide of tin- Nelson Creek hotel. Bell stated that the body had not beer moved. It was lying on the stomach and a coat was spread under the head and shoulders. The left temple was on the eoat. and there was some blood on the coat, apparently from a cut on the temple. The head wasslightly over the centre of the road, and I he feet on t he right-hand side. The whole -of the body wa s on the metalled portion of the road. The car had a clearance of B.] inches on the front axle and about 9 inches on the deferential. There was a slight dip iu the road, but it was a decline rather than a depression. The body was lying just over the brow of 1 he decline. Witness found that lhe lights of the car were not brilliant. ‘Had they been brilliant, the d.rive.r would “have had a better chance of seeing the body. They were good enough for ordinary careful driving Witness found a wheel mark on the trousers of deceased, just below the

buttocks, and traced lhe wheel mark back to Bell’s car. The mark of the left-hand wheel was on the road about six inches from deceased's head. Dr. Wilkinson found that the man was still alive, and ordered his removal to the hospital. To the Coroner: Witness found only one wheel-mark on the body. There were other old wheel-marks on the road, but those of Bell’s were quite distinct. Witness failed to find the marks of any other ct?r which might have run over the body. There was no sign of the latter having boon dragged or moved. There was also nothing to indicate that the body might have been placed there. That part of the road was a mass of potholes, and porTion of the body was resting in on e of the potholes. Fifteen ;miles per hour would bo a reasonable speed. Bell’s car had a minimum clearance of about eight and a half inches from the road. There was no blo’od on the road metal James George Andrews, of Nelson Creek, stated that he lived in a bach at Old Forest mill. Nelson Creek, being approximately four and a quarter miles away. He went to Nelson Creek on Saturday, February 10, aud wuf to the Commercial Hotel. lie saw deceased there about 10 p.m. Witness went to the hotel about that time. Williams was in the parlour, talking. Witness had turee glasses of beer by himself. Deceased was sober, although be must have had .more, than uno drink, lie was not showing any sign s of liquor. Witness missed Willianfs about J 0.30 p.m., and did not see him again. Witness stayed at tby hotel for about an hour and a quarter. He intended to stay all night, but a car came along, and he asked for a ride home, which was granted. A man named Calder was in the car but witness did not know the driver o»r another man who were in it. They left the hotel about 11.15 p.m, Witnenss was in the back seat on lhe right-hand side, with one man. aad Calder was in the front seat with the driver. None of the men showed any signs of liquor. They wcr ( > at the hotel for about 15 minutes, and

could not have had more than thre< drinks. A\ hen the car hud gone abou half a mile, it swerved, and nearb stopped. Calder looked across to tin

driver’s side and said, “It’s all right. Go ahead.’’ The car went ahead, and no further remarks were .made. Witness did not feel any hump at all. Had there been a man i’U the road, witness would have shcu him, but not if the man were lying down, as witness was in the ha.d; b('.at. He heard on the following morning that Williams had been killed. and that he had been found on the road below Fisher’s Hill That was where the car swerved The car was travelling at not more than 20 mde.x per hour, and the driver was all right.

To the Coroner; The news that V\ illiams had been killed called to his mind the incident of the swerve. Witness looked out at the time, but the night was dark, and he could not see anything. He did not feel any jar or bump whatever. It appeared io him as though the driver swervul to dodge something. The swerve took place just over the brow of a decline. Had there been any collision,

withness would have felt it Wit ncs.s had • known the road for sevei years. Deceased would have had tinv to walk to the place, or even furth#* bluer witness saw him at the hotel.

lan James Barton, bushmau. Ko kii:. stated that on February ID h*» drove his father’s car to the Bell Hill dance, and was accompanied by Jami's Webber and two girl friends After tli ( . second dance, Webber.

Calder and a man nam«d Currie went to Nelson Cicek, reaenmg there about. 11 p.m., and went to the Commercial Hotel. They stayed there for 15 20 minutes, and witness had two drinks of stout and raspberry, lie did not see deceased there Andrews ask ed for a ride home, and witness agreed. They left the hotel about 11.15 p.m. Witness did not swerve uftoe; going half a ui’lu, but he. did bw.erce at another place, where the road was being .fixed. Lie. denied what Andrews hud said. They left Andrews at bis hut. four or five milos along the road, and went on to Bell Hill. Witness first bead of the death of Charles MljUiams foiPr of five days later. He did noi meet any cars on

lhe road after leaving the hotel, and did not see anyone on the ro:id. If deceased had been lying there, v.il--would have seen him. H-- was driving a Ford tourer, w.th good lights. All the side-cobtains wer ( . up. Witness never heard Calder say ic was all right, and to go ahead. Calder, Webber and Andrews wer ( . v.i the back seat, and Currie and witness were in the f*punl. Andrews was noi <orred when he said tlial Calder wa-> in the front seal. The two chink? had no effect on witness, and the other men were sober. Andrews, hud b.'-i-ii drinking, but he was not d’.’Uink Witness though Andrews had mistaken the place where lhe car swerved. Ke lid not know how long Andrew.' had been in th e hotel, nor how many drinks he had had but witness did not think the liquor had affected Andrews. To the Coroner: lie had kept a good look out along the road. He did not Eeel any bump al all, and did n’ot sue deceased on the road. Williams was not struck by wii ness’s ca r, James William Webber, sawm'dl ffiind, Kokin, corroborated Lhe evidence given by Barron, and said he thought Andrews had mistaken the place where the swerve occurred. Witness heard Calder say it was dl right, and to go ahead. The swerve took place at a temporary bridge. They had five drinks. Barron only having two. The car had swerved to negotiate a bit of read where a temporary bridge had 4;eeu put in. The live beers he had. had no effect on him. lie -was playing a mandolin in the (fir 'an the way homo. Albert Lrosliiig, sawmill hand, of Nelson Creek, said that on the night or Saturday. February 10. he went to Nelson Greek' abnr.it 7 o’clock. lie saw deceased in the hotel. about 10 p.m Williams was with, a .man named Reid. Witness went t'O the hotel about 10 p.m. aud had two drinks with Williams and Reid He saw (/alder, and th,, other men arrive [at the hotel, Deceased left about 11 I p.m., so far as witness knew, but he ! did not actually see leave.

Witness stayed al the hctci tor an hour or au hour and a hall' alter that, and then went home to the New I’orest Mill, on his bicycle. Witness admitted that he was then under the intluionce ol liquor. After getting on hi s bicycle he fell off and and decided to walk. Finding he could not ride his bicycle up the Domain Hillhe decided to walk, and alter a quarter of a mile he began to ride again. Lie then met a motor cur and saw someone ahead along the road slrh-a a match and heard a ,man »ay that someone had been run over. Williams was lying on the ground. Witness did not strike a light to see who it was. About six months witness hud found deceased lying at the side* of the road, and thought, that rl one car passed another in tlial spot, deceased would have been in danger. His feet were on th e grass, but his head was on the metal, lie resented being awakened by witness. Ou another later occasion, witness saw deceased on the side of the road, but. on that occasion h e was in uo danger fiom traffic. On th e day altur that occasion, Williams, when questioned, said that if he had two ur three drinks he hud to lie down, uo matter where he was. Witness had only once seen him drunk. When witness lust saw deceased at the hotel, he thought him quite capable of walking home. The deceased was nt the hotel when Calder and his parly were there, .->0 jlw us witness know lie could no’ say lor certain whether Calder and his party left before Williams or Williams left before them. He did uol se e Bell and his party. The car he met was coming towards him. llu did nut see anyone else al the hotel. Constable A. W. Honey, of Ahauru, stated thaf deceased was gold prospecting iu Kangaroo Creek, near Nelson Creek. Upon making enquiries witness ascertained that deceased arrived at Nelson Creek at about J-J” p.m. lie went into the hotel ou ar-

rival and had a couple of drinks, lie was with two othaj men, Shaw and* •olinsou. lle did not shqut ur sueiid 1 any money. About 7 p.ni. deceased went to the store lor his subsidy m'uuey, 1-1/9, and out of that he paid 10s for meat. In company with Robert Reid, he remained on the verandah until about 10 p.m., when he again went into the hotel. He remained there until 11 p.m., and then i left the hole! and was not seen again until he way found on the road about 12.30 a.m. Witness had a>cm tamed that deceased was supposed to have been sober, when he left the hotel, although ii was known h t . hud quite a number of drinks. There was no

money in his possession when found. Deceased was found half a mile from the hotel. He had been unable to ascertain that any other than Barron 's car had come up the road prior to Bell’s car. Deceased’s body was found just over the brow of a little rise. The road was very rough iu ine vicinity. He knew that decease 1 had been found drunk previously in Greyniouth, and on Chat occasion he was found lying on the road also. The Coi’uner said the evidence in hi s opinion had established that deceased was run over by lhe cur driven by Bell, and that Andrews had made a mistake when he said that Barrun ’s car swerved at lhe point whereWilliams’ bodv was I'uuiid, whereas t did uot swerve until it got to the temporary bridge. It seemed more consistent that the car swerved further on where the culvert was being built, it seemed ou the evidence that deceasd had a kink ”ur lying on the roadside while under the iniluencc ol liquor, and it seemed I hat on this occasion he was lying on tin road, i but it was not known whether he was asleep ui not. There appealed to 1 be no doubt on flic evidence that Lhe car driven by Bell was the one which struck deceased and caused the injuries. ’ Bell’s lights were gouu, though not brilliant, and with lhe sudden rise and fog it would be possible nut Io notice a man lying on the road. It seemed to be a pure accident, and Bell did nut have much chance of avoiding the body, coming on it so suddenly. There was no evidence to show that Bell was under the influence of liquor or driving dangerously. The \ erdict was that Charles Williams died whilst beiTig conveyed Io the G»r<y Hospital on February 11. 1934. {ruin the ellcd* of injuries received •■u'rJx Uiat .uoruTng when lying on the Nelson Creek road, he wa.s accidentally struck an I run over by a motor car driven by Allan Bell. The cause was extensive inlernar haemorrhage from the lung?, liver and spleen. The Coroner added that there was no evidnee to show how <leccascd came to be lying on the road. Hi e.iiild only assume I hat deceased was following ou! his usual practice ol' lymg on lhe road whilsl under the influence of liquor.