FATAL ACCIDENT ON BOARD THE RODNEY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4510, 3 September 1875, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT ON BOARD THE RODNEY.

An inquest was held in the Morgue yesterday, before Dr. Johnson, Coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr. Frederick was chosen foreman, on the body of John Le Roy, who died from injuries received on falling from the foretop on board the immigrant ship Rodney. The jury having been charged in the usual manner, they proceeded to view the body, and on returning, the following evidence was taken : Wm. Metcalfe deposed that he was fourth mate of the ship Rodney. Deceased was an ordinary seaman in the same watch as witness. Saw deceased on Tuesday afternoon last about three o’clock. He was on deck preparatory to going aloft to send down the foreroyal yard. Holmburg, another seaman, was going up -with him to assist. Saw deceased again at about a quarter to six. Witness was on deck, and saw deceased, who had hold of the royal backstay, attempting to swing on to the topgallant rigging and in doing so fell. He appeared to lose his hold while on the swing. He fell through the crosstrees, and from that fell on the deckhouse without striking anything. The rigging was in pretty good order, nothing carried array. Witness attributed the fall to deceased having missed his grip. When X, with the third mate, went to deceased he was breathing with great difficulty, but perfectly insensible. Dr. Harris was on board, and attended to deceased immediately ; but it was evident to all that the case was a hopeless one. Deceased received every attention at the hands of Dr. Harris. Deceased was sober. There had been no drinking on board during that day. John Holmburg, able seaman on ship Rodney, deposed that he was at work with deceased on Tuesday afternoon. After sending down the yard, they were about to descend. Witness and deceased were close together. Deceased, who had hold of the royal backstay, reached out to catch hold of the top-gallant rigging in order to swing himself into it, but he missed his hold, and fell on the deck-house. Deceased was sober. He was habitually temperate. Deceased was competent to discharge his duties aloft. Deceased’s fall was not occasioned by the breaking away of the rigging, which was in good order. The fall was purely accidental. Henry Harris, duly qualified medical practitioner, on oath, deposed that he came out in charge of the Rodney. On Tuesday afternoon was on board, and at about quarter to six was called to the deck, when he was informed that deceased had fallen from aloft. Found deceased lying on the deckhouse, where he had fallen. Witness examined him, and discovered that the left thigh and left arm were broken. He was perfectly insensible, and was bleeding from the nose, with fracture of the base of the skulk He was breathing with some difficulty, Deceased was taken into the forecastle, and his clothes cut off. Witness examined his thigh, and found the bone literally smashed. The injuries were of such a nature that witness saw he could not live more than a couple of hours. Deceased remained in a state of collapse, and perfectly comatose until eight o’clock, the time of his death. Deceased was a sober man, and apparently in good health. The fracture of the skull was the cause of death. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.