TRAM FATALITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6311, 11 September 1907, Page 4

TRAM FATALITY

A CONDUCTOR’S DEATH 1 . A fatal accident, surrounded to soma extent in mystery, occurred yesterday afternoon- The victim woe George Henry Athea, aged iwonty-eigiht yearn. Deceased, who had been in the city car service for about twelve months, was conductor of a palace car which was running from K.ilbirnie to Government railway station about 2 p.m. When the motorman pulled up opposite the Kilbirnie Hotel he missed Athea. His attention was then called to the fact that the conductor was lying on the road opposite Macdonald’s Hall, ho having apparently fallen off the car. The motorman, Archibald Butters, went back, picked Athea up and put hiyn on the -oar. The man seemed a little dazed, though not seriously hurt. Ota the run to town smother conductor was obtained to relieve Athea, and after the money had been paid in at the depot near 1 the station, Athea proceeded to the Town Ha.ll, in answer to a summons to see the traflk manager. He afterwards went to see Dr Fell. The doctor happened, to be out and Athea was then taken to his residence at Farm Grove, Berhampore. His wife was absent and he crawled in through a window and opened the door. Shortly afterwards he complained about his head being very bad, and commenced to vomit. Dr Fell subse. - quendy saw Athea. found him suffer, ing from concussion, and informed Ms wife that, he would visit the house again in the morning. Athea became much worse, and Dr Bowerbank was summoned- When he arrived the sufferer was beyond human aid, and died shortly before 7 o’clock. The body was taken to the morgue, where an inquest will bo held to-day.