TRAM FATALITY

New Zealand Times, 12 September 1907, Page 7

TRAM FATALITY

A CONDUCTOR’S DEATH. AN ACCIDENTAL FALL. An inquest was held at the morgue yesterday afternoon by Mr Janies Ashcroft, District Coroner, concerning the death of a tram conductor named George Henry Athea, aged twentyeight years, of Farm Grove, Berhamporc, who had died on tho previous evening under circumstances already reported. Mr Dean, with Mr J. O’Shea (City Solicitor), appeared for the AVellington Corporation; Mr J. Blair (Skerrett and Wylie) for the widow of the deceased, and Sergeant Routledge for tho police authorities. THE MOTORMAN’S EVIDENCE. Archibald Butters, motorman, said ho was in charge of car No. CO on the previous day. The car left Kilbirnie South at 2.6 p.m., and deceased was conductor. When witness arrived at the Kilbirnie Hotel stop, he was Informed that the conductor had fallen off. Witness had not missed him. He took the car back some six or seven chains, until he met the deceased, who was walking towards the car in charge of a man whose name he had learned was Chambers, or some similar name. Witness asked deceased if ho was much hurt, to which he replied that he would be all right in a few minutes. Deceased was unable to say how ho had fallen off the car, as ho asked witness had there been a collision, or had a car struck him. Witness had learned that day that a lady (Mrs Frasi) had seen deceased fall off the car. The Coroner: Have you anything to say as to' there being any danger of conductors falling off ? because I am aware—although it is not before us —that another accident occurred to a conductor on the same day. Is there any danger that might cause a conductor to fall? —Yes, there is. -For instance, if a car is travelling around a curve at a fair speed, there is danger of a conductor falling off, if he has not got a good grip of the car; but not in this particular 'case. *■ Mr Dean: What sort of a car was it ?—A palace car with sliding doors and step. The Coroner t You were not going round any sharp curve? —No; it is a gradual curve. Were you going at a good speed?— Yes—anything from eight to ten miles an hour —not more than ten, because w© were coming on an upgrade. Is not the step very high? Have you not had complaints from ladies finding it awkward getting up ? There have been complaints from all classes, of people. Where would the conductor be when not collecting tickets?—On ihe rear glatform; that is where he should

In. answer to further questions witness presumed that deceased was on the platform or on the side step. He would, probably, be just in the act of going around to one of the compartments. Witness had not felt any jerk or jar which would account for deceased falling off; He was quite sober, and was a very temperate , man and a splendid conductor. Witness was unable to give any theory as to how the accident occurred. When he got, the deceased on to the car, he said ho would be all right in a few minutes. He wanted to go on collecting the tickets, but witness put him into the smoking compartment, and told him to stop there until a man could be got in his place. Witness got another conductor at Courtenay place. On arrival at the Government station the new paid ; n Athea’s money, witness signed off, and reported the accident to Inpector Paget. The latter -wanted to ring up for a doctor straight away, but deceased said no, that ho would .be all right in a few minutes, and that when his box was paid in he would go home. Witness had to report another acci-dent-at the Town Hall, and Inspector Paget suggested that he should take Athea along and let ■ Mr Richardson (tramways engineer and. manager) see h*m. Both Mr Richardson and Mr James saw deceased, and sent for a cab at once to take him to Dr Fell’s. Witness was in charge of him. Dr Fell was not in. Witness then accompanied him to Berhampore. They took the cab as far as Rintoul street, and deceased suggested that they should trahsfer to an Island Bay cai there, which would out him. within two chains of bis house. .He gave as his reason that he did not wish to , alarm his wife if she was at home. Finding that his wife was not at home, deceased opened a window and §ot in through it. Witness took off eceasod’s boots and put him on the bed. Deceased became sick after going into . the : house, and complained of his head being bad. This would have been about a quarter to four o’clock, and about an hour after the accident. • Witness- got the chemist at Berhampore to ring up Dr Foil’s house and ask him to come at once. Deceased’s wife came home while witness was there, and witness went to the car-shed to ring up Dr Fell again. On ringing up, he learned that tne doctor had left. That would have been about a quarter to five. Witness went" home from the shed. He did not think the matter was so serious until deceased began to complain of his head. Witness then thought he had slight concussion of the brain. Deceased had been sick on the car between Rinloul street and Luxford street.

To Mr Dean: Everything that was possible t was done, so far as witness was concerned, for the deceased. » A doctor might have been called earlier, only that deceased put witness off it. Witness believed the accident happened opposite the Evans Bay Timber Co.’s corner. He must have fallen from the left side of the car, and, apparently, staggered across the road, as he was about twenty yards from the line witness was travelling upon. Ho did not know whether the off-side bar on the platform was up or down, but it would bo the duty of the deceased to put it down. Where deceased was found was between a condi* tional stopping place and a compulsory one; but witness was not sure whether the car had stopped at the conditional stopping place. There was not a great distance between the step and the floor of the car. Neither witness nor deceased had stopped at the hotel or had any stimulants on the way out. Witness was sure deceased had had no liquor that day, .After the accident a lady brought •some drink out of the post office, THE 'MEDICAL EVIDENCE. Dr Walter Fell gave evidence that he was out when deceased called at his house on the previous day. He arrived home about 5 p.m., when ho got a message to go to Farm Grove. He took the first car out, and found Athea in bed and his wife in the house. The man was deeply unconscious; his arms were contracted and rigid; the right eye was open and staring and the pupil widely dilated and insensible to;

light: tho left pupil was contracted. The man’s breathing was heavy. "Witness considered it was a case, probably, of a fracture of the base of the skull; certainly concussion, with hemorrhage on or in tho brain. "Witness regarded tho man’s condition as practically beyond medical aid, and that there was little prospect of recovery. Dr Bowerbank arrived while witness was there, and together they examined the patient. Soon after witness got home a telephone message came tint the man was dead. He saw the post mortemexamination conducted by Dr Fyffe, and saw evidence of hemorrhage on the brain, which accounted for death. There was also fracture of the skull. To Mr O’Shea; Witness did not think it would have made the slightest difference if deceased had seen a doctor immediately' after tho accident. Witness had examined deceased about twelve months ago, when his condition was perfectly sound,. Dr Fred .Thompson Boworbauk gave corroborative evidenceDr William Kingston Fyffe, who conducted tho post mortem examination,' testified that there was a large bruise under the scalp on the right side- of the head, extending backwards from behind tho right ear for about four indies, with fracture of the skull and extensive hemorrhage of the brain. There were huge clots sufficient to account for death. The bruise must have been caused by a fall or blow. AN EYE WITNESS. Jane Frasi, a married woman who lives at Kilbirnie, deposed to having seen the conductor fall off tho car backwards on to tho road. The man fell off the loft side of the car, between the tram and the houses. He fell from one of the side steps of the car—not from tho end platform—and witness next saw him crawl across the line towards the sea; he seemed to be stopped by a small rise. When he fell off the car ho seemed to lose his hold, and" fall backwards. Tho oar was not travelling at a very high rate of speed. THE WIFE’S TESTIMONY. Kate Cecilia Athea, wife of the do* ceased, gave evidence that her husband was twenty-eight years of ago, She had never known him to have a fit, but he fainted once about two years ago when lie hurt himself. He was a perfectly sober man. OTHER EYE WITNESSES. Minnie Williams, a married woman, who was a passenger on the car, deposed to seeing deceased fall. H© was going from the front to the back of tho car. Anthony Walter Lyster, who witnessed tile accident, gave corroborative evidence. THE VERDICT. Tho jury found that death was caused by a fall from a tramcar resulting in a fracture of the skull; that the occurrence was accidental, and that no blame was to bo attached to any person.