THE DEVONPORT FATALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11538, 24 November 1900, Page 3

THE DE VONPORT FATALITY.

An inquest was 'held at the Masonic Hotel, Devonport, yesterday, before Dr. McArthur, coroner, concerning the death of s the boy Archibald Noonan, who was found dead in the "stable of «Messrs.- Duder Brothers- on Thursday last. ■'''■. '■ *' v '.v" ■" ''' * ;

Alfred Butler deposed that he was head 1 stable boy in the employ of Messrs. E. and R. Duder. v Deceased had worked in the same employ for about a month. Witness knew the mare Volee. She was a very quiet beast, and had developed her character, being a four-year-old. She had never exhibited any vice whatever. Noonan. had ! ; been charged by witness with the cleaning of the mare, and had neve: complained of having any trouble with her. Deceased had ridden the mare out for exercise, always in witness' company. On these occasions he never had any trouble with the mare. On Thursday last, at about four p.m., vitoesj, deceased, and Robinson were in the stables. Witness was preparing feed for all the horses in the feed-room, Robinson was taking waste-feed out of one of the boxes, and deceased was dressing Volee. As witness was mixing the feed, Robinson called out to him from Volee's box tc come ' quickly, and witness joined him. Deceased was lying on bis back in the corner of the box, and witness picked him up, and sent Robinsou for some water and a towel, seeing blood on deceased's head. Having wrapped the towel round his head, they carried the boy into their whare. Here witness left deceased in Robinson's charge, and went for Mr. Richard Duder, who, on learning what had happened, sent witness on horseback for a doctor. As Dr. Laing was ill, Dr. Pentreath was on his way to see him, and witness asked the former's coachman to send the latter to the stable as soon as he arrived,.,and was sent to the wharf by Mr. Duder to see that this was done. Dr. Pentreath saw deceased as soon as he arrived, and pronounced him dead. Deceased had always seemed kind and quiet with the horses. The mare must have kicked Noonan, but this was not due to any vice, in witness' opinion. It may have been that she was startled. To the Jury: Noonan never moved or spoke after witness first went to him in the box.

Wm. Robinson, stable boy, deposed that at the time of the occurrence he was engaged in the second box from Volee's, where deceased was, and in passing the latter, and looking over the lower door, he saw Noonan falling into the corner. The mare was then feeding. Having pulled the door open, and seeing blood issuing from deceased's head, he called Butler, whose evidence as to what followed he corroborated. Dr. Charles Pentreath gave evidence to the effect that being called in to see deceased, he went at once, and found the lad dead. He examined him, and found a compound fracture in the back part of the skull. There had been considerable hemmorhage from the wound. The hurt had, without doubt, caused death, and was such as might have been caused by a kick from a horse's hoof, or a very severe blow from any hard object. The boy had been dead half an Lour when witness saw him. The jury returned a verdict that deceased came by his death through an accident, and that no blamo was attachable to anyone.