GROVE ROAD FATALITY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 93, 21 April 1908, Page 5

GROVE ROAD FATALITY.

THE INQUEST.

An inquest, was .held at the Courthouse, this, morning before the Coroner,. Mr Ti.;,Bcott-Smith, S.M., to in,quire into.the circumstances surrounding the'death,of Scott Harding, who died in the Wairau Hospital from his injuries on Friday morning. The jury was as follows:—Messrs H. V. Browne (foreman), W. Hodson, F. C. Ferry, W. Gosling, W. B. Miller, W. B. Hodson, and G. H. Mogridge. The circumstances of the occurrence (so far as was known) have already been published in our columns. The first witness called was Thomas Harding, father of the deceased man. He stated, that deceased was 33 years of age, and was somewhat addicted to drink. On the morning of the occurrence he left home about 9 o'clock, riding a hack to attend the Magistrate's Court in connection with a prohibition order. He had kept completely sober for some time previously. Witness did not see him again until deceased was. lying in an unconscious state in the Hospital; that was about 10 o'clock the next day. Witness had never seen deceased have a fit though he had been told that he had had one. . , ■ ■■.

In answer to a question by the foreman of the jury witness said that the horse was a very quiet one. Frederick Linstrom deposed that he was the licensee of the Commercial Hotel, Blenheim. Deceased had been a lodger in the hotel for some time. He left the hotel and went back to his father about the end of March. He saw deceased about 3.30 p.m. on the 15th. He came to the hotel to pay an account. He was then quite sober; the amount of the account was £8 14s. He paid by cheque, giving one for £10, and the manager gave him £1 6s change. Deceased remained in the hotel till about 25 minutes to ten. Then he said he ; was going up to the Marlborough Hotel for his horse, and was going home. He was at that time perfectly sober. He had one drink during the day as far as witness knew. He spent about 5s or 6s in soft drinks during the day, and could not have had more than about 15s or 16s on him when he left. Witness generally served deceased himself. : "■■."■■ ;:.v:.::--'"''-i

Michael Maher, barman and stableman at the Marlborough Hotel, deposed to seeing, deceased about five minutes to 10 on Wednesday night. He came to get, his jhorse, which was in the stable. He1 did not get *his horse as it had, run away.out of the yard about 9 o'clock with the saddle and bridle on. Witness told deceased that his horse had gone^ Deceased had had a few;drinks, hut was apparently all right. He was not, however, quite sober. He went over to the stable to see for, himself if the horse liad gone. Witness did not see him again. The horse went in the direction of the Police Station, and then turned towards Mr Harding's property. Deceased did not say whether he was going after the horse or not. Robert Henry Gridley, a farmer, residing at Riverlarids, deposed that on the night of the 15th about 11.30 as he was going liome he found a stray horse on the road just this side of the abattoirs. The horse hajd a saddle and "bridle on, the bridle being attached to the stirrup. Witness put the horse into a paddock for ge^unty, and the next morning it was claimed by the father of the deceased. There was a t broken piece of rope round the horse's neck, arid the appearance of the animal would indicate;that it had broken away. : D'Arcy Thompson, a c^erk in the employ of Clouston and Co., deposed that he went liome from the office on the night of the 15th a few minutes after 10, riding a Hcycle; He rode past Mr Ching's place, Grove Roadi He saw deceased by the lamp-post at the corner of Grove Road! and Nelson Street, close to Mr Ching's> He was "by himself and was going towards tie Commercial Hotel. He appeared to be very drunk. Witness saw him strike the hedge between Mr dung's gate and the store and then fall on to the pavement. He fell very heavily, as le^had been walking very fast just before he fell. Witness rode on and caught up to another man on a "bicycle. He did not think there was anybody about at the time-that deceased fell. . Dr Bennett stated that lie was the medical officer of the Wairau Hospital. Oh the night of the 15th lie was summoned to attend a man in Grove Road some time before 11 o'clock. He found deceased suffering' from concussion of the brain and Had Mm removed to the Hospital. Deceased partially recovered consciousness before "he was removed. About 4 o'clock on the morning of the 16th the Hospital telephoned to witness to the effect that the deceased had collapsed arid sunk into complete unconsciousness after having partially recovered and spoken. Witness went up to the Hospital and performed an operation about six o'clock. The external injury was very slight, and was situated on the right side of the head behind and above the ear. On removing a portion of the bone witness found the inside of the skull filled with a large quantity of blood clot, the brain being crushed quite out of sight. There was also a fissure fracture extending from the seat of the injury own to the base of the skull. The blood clot was cleaned out as far as possible so as to allow the brain to expand. Death was caused by compression of the brain and extensive hemorrhage of the blood vessels torn by the fracture. The fracture to the skull coul have been caused by the fall described by the last witness. Nurse Fulton, Matron of the Wairau Hospital, gave evidence concernmg the admission of deceased to the Hospital and identified the articles which deceased had had on his person namely, a watch, cheque book and 1,3s od in silver. About half-past two deceased recovered consciousness for about half-an-hour. The nurse in charge asked him how it happened, and he replied that he didn't know, and he wished he were dead. DeCeased did not complain of pain. ■ John Barry, licensee of the Marlborough Hotel, deposed that he saw deceased on the morning of the 15th instant about 10 o'clock. He next saw him about closing time; he then came through the back passage and asked witness to serve him with a drmk. Witness refused, as it was time to close up, and deceased went away. He appeared to be able to walk all right, but he must have had some drink. He went towards Clouston and Co's bridge. About two years ago deceased had had a fit in the hotel from no apparent cause. After that witness never liked serving him with drink. Robert Allan gave evidence to the ; effect that he saw deceased lying on ■;->the pavement on the nirrht in question. Witness thought hp was. merely pn f%T- r 7; nP f. y r i r , in i._ •-. i;ffrt r • M -ji l , r ,^ s wout on h.3 looked round and saw-n

, man stooping over the figure. It was [ a bright night, and there were a few | other people about. I Robert Waters, deposed to having i seen deceased lying on the pavement on the night in question. Witness thought he was druk, arid tried to wake him up, but could not. Then he tried to stand him up but deceased seemed to sink back on to the footpath. Witness carried him into Mr Ching's doorway, and he seemed to : cease breathing altogether. Witness ; noticed no signs of violence. The hat produced was the one deceased was wearing. Sergt-Major Mason deposed that ; about a quarter past 10 on Wedj nesday night when he was going home, ; he saw a small group of men on the I footpath looking at deceased, who was j lying there. Witness examined de- ! ceased and had the doctor and the ambulance telephoned for. The doctor on arrival had deceased removed to the, Hospital. About six tlie next morning witness received a telephone message that deceased was dying. Witness at once went to the Hospital and had deceased's father informed. An examination of the spot where the body was found revealed no sign of a struggle having taken place although the ground was soft and impressionable.

This concluded the evidence, and the jury, after a retirement of five minutes returned with- a verdict to the effect that deceased met his death, on the 15th April by a fall, causing hemorrhage of the brain.