Death of Henry Samuel Clement.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume X, Issue 1842, 31 January 1888, Page 2

Death of Henry Samuel Clement.

ADJOURNED INQUEST.

(From the New Plymouth papers.)

The adjourned inquest on Henry Samuel Clement, who died in the hospital on Sunday, January 15, was held in the Court House on Monday, at 11 a.m., before the Coroner (C. E. Eawson, Esq.,) and the following jury: — Messrs. Harris Ford (foreman), It. Cock, W. Black, T. Oldfield, J. W. Foote, and Herbert Ford. Mr. Samuel appeared to watch the proceedings on behalf of the Hawera County Council, the chairman of which body, Mr. I. Bayly, was also present, and Inspector Pardy conducted the enquiry. After a short explanation to the jury he called the following evidence : — Eichard Mumby, a laborer employed by the Hawera County .Council, stated that on the 4th January he was working with deceased, sinking a well, near the Waingongoro Biver, to get water to supply the stone-crußher engine. He himself bad been working on it himself four or five days. William Rye was also working there. He commenced the well with Rye, and after going down forty feet he left, Roberts or Clement taking his place. Work was knocked ofi at the well when he returned, and he went stone crushing, but the water gave out, and, on the day of the accident, be and Clement went to see what was wroDg. Clement went first while he was doing something else, and when he was ready he called out to him (witness) that he was ready to go down. He and Rye went and lowered him down in a bucket by the aid of a windlass. Alter the bucket had gone down some feet, the barrel of the windlass went round without the aid of the handle, the spindle having become detached. .I At this stage, on the recommendation of the jury, all witnesses were ordered out of Court.] Clement went to the bottom with a run. Someone called down the well to see if he was hurt — others being then around — and he went and got a small rope, and lowered it to Clement, who fastened it round his body, and they drew him up hand over hand. When they gothimuphe complained of bis foot, and he (witness) left to get the doctor. He saw Dr. Lightbourne, and, on going back, be saw Clement in a dray, with Mr. I. Bayly, going towards Hawera. He went back to bis work, that being

the'' last '"He saw of. ClemSe.^Tfae* windlass used was erected by himself and Rye, and he used it all the time he was sinking the well. He felt quite safe in going down. He had no experience of. well sinking. On the morning of the accident the windlass appeared to be all right, and had Clement not gone down, be I would have. He did not examine the windlass after the accident, and could not, therefore, tell the defect in it.

By Mr. Samuel — The last time he was down the well was about six or seven days b6fore the accident. Clements worked at the well for three days while he was there, and was below all the time. He seemed to understand well sinking. He had know Clement, who was 34 years of age, for about six or seven years. When Clement went down he put one foot in the bucket, and he (witness) and Rye commenced to lower, until the barrel went round on its axis. The full depth of the well was 82 feet, and Clement was about midway down when the spindle became detached from the barrel. None of those standing round made any remarks aboat the windlass being defective. Clement had boots, trousers, and shirt on when he was hauled up he had to lie down, the bottom of his trousers being bloody. He rode to get a doctor. The accident occurred between 10 and 11 o'clock. The doctor was riding behind the dray that Clement was in, but he could not say if the dootor. had' examined him then. He had been working for the council and Road Board for about five years. By the foreman — Clement's act in going down the well that morning was purely voluntary, there being no conversation as to who should go down. By the Coroner— After'the barrel went from the spindle they had scarcely time to look round before Clement got to the bottom. There was no brake on the windlass— nothing that would stop the rope. ■

By Mr. Samuel— The windlass had since been fixed up and used. William Rye, al<jo in the employ of the Hawera County Council, said when it was uecessary to use a windlass he went to help Mumby, who had started the well. They both fixed the windlass up, and it seemed all safe and secure. They used it until the well was sunk 45 feet or so, when he left. He was the last down during the period, and the windlass acted all right. Roberta and deceased then took the sinking in hand, and sunk ro water. On the morning of the accident, all hands stopped work for want of water, the foreman saying he did not want anyone to take any risk in going down the well to see what was up. He (witness) then went and spliced a hook on the windlass rope, and Clement helped him. He also secured the uprights of the windlass, which Clement shook with both hands, and Baid it was " all right." Clement shifted bis clothes to go down voluntarily, no one ordering or asking him. When the barrel started round, Clement called out, "What are you up to," but before they could reply, be was gone. He (witness) hung on to the handle to prevent the barrel going down on top of Clement. He then' called out to Clement, " Are, you hurt ?" when Clement replied " That he was not hurt, but wanted to come up, as he had had enough of down the well for the present." The windl;iss went away from the barrel and fall down the well. | Evidently a reporter's error.-Ed St.] A small rope was then lowered down, to which Clement fastened the windlass rope, by which they hauled him up, and then carried him and laid him on the grass. He said he was not hurt, but wanted his boot off the foot that be complained about, when a cut could be seen near the instep. They washed him, and then sent him to Hawera in a trap. By Mr. Samuel — He never examined the windlass, but it appeared to be sound. He would have gone down the well himself. There waß no negligence displayed at the well, and the accident could not be foreseen by anything about the windlass.

By the Coroner — He examined jthe windlass after the accident to see the cause of the barrel giving way, and he thought that the hole in the barrel had been bored originally too large for the iron. The gudgeon of the handle had not been squared enough at the end for it to hold. He considered that the hole had been bored too large, and the gudgeon had not been squared enough. The outside of the hole looked firm enough. -

By Mr. Samuel — The windlass had been in constant use.for about a month, and had never, until the day of the accident, shown signs of weakness.

By the Foreman — He did not know why Mumby and himself were taken off the" well and others put on, except that he was ordered to do other work. The engine-driver got the .gudgeon pent to the forge to get it made bigger, to fit the hole, as all hands were delayed through want of water. By Mr. Samuel — The foot appeared lo be crushed, and was a case that needed medical aid.

The Coroner here adjourned the enquiry till 2 o'clock. . Robert Roberts depoaed — I am employed by the Hawera County Council. I have had seventeen years' experience in sinking shafts on the West Coast diggings. I was at Waingongoro ''ab the time of the accident. I worked at the sinking of the well with Clement. We sank from the forty feet to sixty feet. I worked the sinking, and Clement worked on top. I had to go away to take up another jpb. I believe the sinking waß continued to 80 feet. I did not feel any danger with the windlass. I had just returned from Hawera at the time of the accident. I saw .Clement after the accident. I helped to bring him to the "hospital. He said he blamed no one ; it was a pure accident. We brought him up on a stretcher after Dr. Lightbourne bad dressed his foot. He was not removed from the Stretcher until we got him to the hospital and placed him in the ward. He bled very much in the train. TLe nurse took off the bandage and re-dressed the foot; I assisted her. I don't think it was necessary for, ,the foreman to inspect the windlass.

By Mr. Samuel — I left the hospital at about 7 o'clock to get my tea, and returned again to the hospital, and was (here when Dr. O'Carroll came to see him at about half-past eight. By the Coroner — The barrel of the windlass-was of bard wood. The ordinary way of fixing the handle to the barrel is by driving a jagged iron tightly into the ends of the barrel, with iron rings fixed round to prevent the barrel from splitting. We usually bore the hole smaller than the gudgeon, whicb, being square and firmly driven, prevents its turning round in the barrel.

By the foreman — I saw the windlass after the accident, but I did not see the handle of it. The doctor did not see Clement until I had returned to the hospital after tea, about 8 o'clock. By Mr. Pardy — I did not hear anyone talk oi amputation being required at Hawera. Dr. Lightbourne said he would put him right in about a fortnight. William Ashburn Lightbourne deposed : I am a certificated surgeon, registered both here and in the Old Country, and practising at Hawera. I have had four years of active service, dealing with a number of different cases. I saw the man Clement once before the day of the acojdent. I attended' him at the, station! where I had proceeded at the request of Mr. Bayly, to make preparations for Clement to be taken .to New Plymouth. On looking ,at the foot, | found a complete dislocation of the foot. I reduced that. In the hol}ow of the foot, there was an i

r? - ■ "*.*-: . ■ .' i - . * irregular contused out, about 1£ inches in length,- 1 which I stitched. I did snot try to discover if any farther damage was done. It would have oaußed unnecessary pain, as the examination would have to take place again at the hospital. I put a pad over the cut, and made splints tor it with shingles. The only padding I could get was a pair of stockings. In putting on the bandages and splints, I made it loose enough to avoid strangulation occurring when inflammation commenced. There was very little bleding. I can only account for the bleeding occurring, by the dressing becoming disarranged. Under the circumstances, I thought it was necessary that he should be Bent to New Plymouth, there being no proper appliances at the Hawera Hospital, for his removal to the New Plymouth hospital In a case of this sort, it is very difficult to tell the extent of an injury. Before cutting off a limb, the duty of a surgeon is to wait until the line of demarcation is visible when mortification setß in, to denote the healthy part from the dead part. The true cause of mortification, to explain intelligibly, is interrupted circultaion. The results do not show in all the diseased parts ; that is why it is necessary to wait. If the foot had been amputated immediately on appearance of gangrene, it would not necessarily follow tbat'it would have saved the man's life. By Mr. Samuel — However favorable a wound might appear, there is always a danger of gangrene by interrupted circulation ; and death often occurs after amputation. I have seen it occur under the best treatment. In a case where a staff consult together, their decision is ruled by the opinion of the majority. , Thomas Twigg deposed — I am foreman of , the roads and works. Mumby was removed because I wished him to go where there had been an accident on a road where he had been working before. Clement told me when the water stopped that he had not widened sufficiently at the bottom, and offered to go down and do so. I told him I was afraid of it silting, and told him to be careful. He was testing the well before going down 'as I arrived. The defect of the windlass was either the wood being rotten inside, or that the hole was bored too large. The windlass was in the possession of the council about 12 months ; it was made at Stratford for the Ngaire Road Board. The gudgeon only was sent to the blacksmith. I did not examine to see if the wood were sound where the iron had been driven in. By the foreman — The length of the gudgeon would be about ten inches, I should tbink. I warned him against the danger of the sides' of the well falling in., ' ' : » Isaac Bayly stated — I ajn a member of the Hawera County Council, and also of Hospital Board. I was at the place about tenor fifteen minutes after the accident occurred. I saw the man's foot ; it was bleeding. He seemed to have it in his mind that he would have to have his foot off. I assisted him to the train ; he appeared quite cheerful. I looked at the windlass- and it appeared all right. Very little opportunity was allowed for inspection of the inside of the bore in the barrel, as the handle, after being lengthened, was put into it next day. Clement told me on my asking him who was to blame that he could not blame himself or anyone: By the foreman — It was owing to the paragraph in the paper and telegrams received from New Plymouth that I wished an enquiry. [Mr. Samuel read several extracts from tbe Hawera. Stab, referring to the accident as caused by defective appliances, and also reflecting on the treatment. of deceased while in the .hospital.] 'The -people in r Hawera beoame very disturbed about the matter, and urged me and the council strongly to bring about an enquiry. It was requested more with the idea of clearing different bodies connected with the man's death rather than bringing them; under any accusation. . . ; ., ; Constable Thomas Hickman gave evidence to seeing Clement soon after the accidept, and asked him how it occurred. He said he could hardly say, and that. he blamed no one. Annie Blackley. deposed— lam matron of the New Plymouth hospital. I remember the man Clement being brongbt into the hospital' on the, 4th January. He arrived about a quarter past Bix. I received a telephone message,' from Dr. O'Carroll, of the man- coming, and sent the servant to tell the orderly, who was away, to' meet the case.' The servant made a mistake, and' sent, the orderly to the hospital instead of to the station, and, before proceeding on bis way to the station, he - met the trap, with" deceased in it.. I saw deceased . being placed! in the room, and returned after he was put into bed. I took off the draasiner, syringed the wound, put on a proper pad, and bound it up again. It .was, done up very nicely, but seemed to have' been displaced. He did not appear weak, but was cheerful, and ate a good supper. Dr. O'Carroll called in the evening, to see> him; and told me to go on as I had done. He deoided. to look at it, when I offered to remove the dressing. , The doctor then re-dressed the foot. It took,, some time to put the man to bed, and to dress the foot, before I telephoned for Dr. O'Carroll, and he came at about 7 o'clock ; it might havb been a few minutes past. Dr. O'Carroll was unwell the next day, and Dr. Leatham attended, and saw Clement. Tbe case seemed to me anything but a dangerous one. You cannot always tell. - I did not anticipate such a serious result., Dr. O'Carroli's instructions were charcoal and bran poultices. I applied them, and Dr. Leatlmm saw him on the Monday, and approved of the treatment. Dr.' Gibbes also saw him and approved. Drs. O'Carrol, Gibbes and Leatham, were present at the consultation. I prepared the theatre on the Wednesday, and assisted at the amputation of the foot. I , held . the leg. All the doctors assisted. L saw, the line of demarcation of the mortification. It was several inches above that the foot was amputated. I have known oases that have proved unsuccessful. It was about 4 o'clock, and he had a very good night, and Drs., O'Carroll and Leatham saw him the day after. The man seemed to progress all right up to the Friday, when he changed for the worse. Dr. Gibbes was away, and Dr. Blunden took hisplaee. They held a consultation on the Saturday afternoon, and I prepared the theatre for them iv the evening. I did not assist. I am certain nothing was omitted duiing the treatment of deceased in the hospital. By the foreman— The deceased made no complaint while in the hospital. He said he blamed no one. He did not complain to me, nor did I hear of his complaining, aoout his treatment. • By Mr. Samuel — After the second amputation I stayed with him until four o'clock next morning. He was never left alone ; another nurse took my place while I bad my tea, and his wife was with him in the middle of the night, when I had to'leave for a few minutes to get hot water. Nothing more could be done for him than careful nursing, which be had, after the second amputatton. He took nourishment up to half-past four o'clock in the morning. The orderly relieved me at five o'clock. Clement died at nine o'clock. Bernard Boyhan, wardsman at, the hospital, gave evidence to his being at the hospital the day Clement' Was brbnght'in. Dr. O'Carroll came to see bnn> in ' the evening ; it was between 7 ami 7.30 when he came. I did not see RoberU^er&'at tbe time. - ""'*' n-.> -j:;

c time. - v n-r,t.; At this stage it was decided to adjourn

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to Monday next for the bearing of the evidence of the other medical gentlemen, and the foreman of the Hawera County Council works was instructed to forward the barrel of the windlues in time to allow the jury to inspect it.