WORKMAN KILLED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7978, 8 December 1911, Page 4

WORKMAN KILLED

ACCIDENT AT THE GASWORKS. * An inquest was held at the hospital yesterday by the city coroner (Dr A. McArthur) touching the death of Patrick Keegan, thirty-eight years of age, who died on Tuesday last from injuries received on the morning of December 3rd. Sergeant Rutledge represented the. police, Mr P. J. U Regan appeared for the relatives of the deceased, and Mr E. C. Le Cren on behalf of the Labour Department. Dr Hardwick Smith, medical superintendent, Wellington Hospital, stated that tho deceased was admitted to the ‘ institution at 5.4-5 a.m. on Sunday, December 3rd, He was unconscious and was bleeding from the right ear, the nose and mouth. Ho became semi-conscious at II a.m., after which hb was quite rational, but very restless. Signs of inflammation of the brain appeared .-next day and at 10 p.m. on Tuesday he became unconscious again and died at midnight. The cause of death was fracture of the base of the skull, with injury to the brain in that region. Death was accelerated by septic meningitis following the injury. William Richard Pago, gas stoker in the employ of the Wellington Gas Company, stated that deceased and he were working together on the night of December 2nd. Witness finished at 3.30 o'clock on the morning of the 3rd, and when he left deceased was on the top of• the hydraulic, lift from the floor. About 4 o’clock witness was called to assist to carry deceased to tho "tucker room." He was lying near the foot of the stairs when witness saw him. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned, the coroner adding that there was no evidence to show now deceased fell.