INQUEST.—THE LATE ACCIDENT IN UPPER QUEEN-STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4425, 19 January 1876, Page 3

INQUEST. —THE LATE ACCIDENT IN UPPER QUEEN-STREET.

Ali inquest was held yesterday afternoon, at the Hospital, on the body of Francis Mulgrove (whose death "was reported in our yesterday's issue), before Dr. Goldsbro' and a jury of twelve, of whom James Poppleton was chosen foreman. The jury, _ having viewed the body, heard t.lO following evidence :—John Young, an assistant to Messrs. X. and S. Motrin, ironmongers, deposed that he had known deceased for about two years. On Friday morning, about 8 o'clock, while coming down Upper Queenstreet, heard a horse kicking behind him. Looked round and saw a horse kicking", and trying to bolt with a cart, and deceased endeavouring to hold him in. In crossing a deep ditch between the roadway and footpath, the jolt of the cart threw deceased on to the shafts. He tried to regain] his seat, but could not, in consequence of the horse kicking violently, and eventually fell out, his head striking the j ground in front of the cart, and the near I wheel passed over his chest. One of the j wheels was more elevated than tlie other, and in passing Mulgrove the cart capsized. The cart did not touch deceased again, nei- j thcr did the horse kick him again to wit- I ncss's knowledge. Witness ran up to de- I ceased, and placed him in a sitting posture. Ho spoke in about a minute, and recognised j witness. He appeared to be in great pain, and said it was all up with him. There was an express passing up the street at the time, and having induced the driver to _ stop, witness placed the deceased in it. Before | the express drove away Mulgrove asked ' that his horse and cart might be put in Lendrum's stables, but being near Mr. Belchcr's yard witness had them placed there. There was no person within 100 yards of the cart whe then mishap occurred. It was entirely accidental. —Dr. Philson gave evidence as to the injuries from which deceased was suffering when brought on Friday last to the Hospital. His countenance was ghastly, pulse weak, and breathing difficult. On examination it was found that several ribs had been fractured on both sides, and it was evident that mortal injuries had been sustained. The remedial measures usual in such cases were promptly taken, but with the exception of causing him to rally a little the next day, no apparent good resulted. Deceased expired OS hours after his admission to the hospital. A post mortem examination of the body had been made that day, and on opening the chest the breast bone was found to be fractured at the middle. The fourth, sixth, and seventh ribs of the left side were broken, and driven into the left lung, which was lacerated extensively, and also collapsed and black. The fifth and sixth ribs on the right side were fractured close to the spine. The right lung was uninjured, also the heart and liver. The cause of death was internal hcemorrhage, producing suffocation. It was a hopeless case from the first. This was all the evidence, and the jury at once returned a verdict of "Accidental death."