MOTOR-CAR FATALITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10956, 19 July 1921, Page 7

MOTOR-CAR FATALITY

OLD WOMAN KILLED PROCEEDINGS AT THE CORONER'S INQUEST. ACCIDENTALLY KNOCKED DOWN. \ An inquest upon Rebecca Messenger, widow, seventy-four years of age, who met her death in Adelaide road on Saturday, was conducted by Mi* F. K. Hunt, S.M., yesterday morning. Amy Anna Bond, of 93. Adelaide road, in evidence stated that the deceased had occupied a room in her house during the past eighteen months. , She had ,been generally temperate in ''her habits, though she "took a glass of beer occasionally." When deceased had left for th© Tramway Hotel at 5.30 p.m. on Saturday she had bean perfectly sober. Witness had never heard the deceased speak of any relative© in New Zealand. She also gave formal evidence identifying the body. William J. P. Hutchison, the housesurgeon at the Wellington Hospital, stated that when the deceased was admitted to the hospital at 6 p.m. on Saturday life was found to be extinct. She had suffered injuries to the head and in consequence of her age she would not have had the same powers of resistence as a; younger woman. Stanley Mercer Stone, manager for Booth and Go., timber merchants, who drove the car, gave evidence that while | proceeding down Adelaide «road in th© vicinity of the Tramway Hotel he heard a orash of glass and something seemed to strike the side of the motor. He was then about eight feet from the kerb and. stopped at once to find the body or deceased lying about seven feet in rear of the car. The ambulance and polio© were summoned immediately; but although the ambulance van arrived within five minutes the lady appeared to be dead. The ©peed of the car at the time of the accident was not more than ten miles per hour, but .the weather was very boisterous. Witness knew that he waq driving slowly because he was very careful in crossing Drummond street. Frank Samuel Keene, a witness of the accident, said that the old lady had been, crossing the with her back practically turned towards the approaching car, which would not have been travelling at more than eight miles an hour, and pulled up in its own length. From what witness saw of the occurrence it was purely an accident. Thomas .Blackwoodj an occupant of the oar, also gave evidence, in which he estimated the speed of the car at eight miles per hour*. • Constable Allsopp reported that he had made inquiries regarding the accident and had ascertained that the. deceased had, purchased beer at the Tramway Hotel just prior to the accident, but had consumed no liquor while there. The coroner found that death iya© due to shock due to injuries received through being accidentally knocked down by Aa motor-car driven by Stanley Mercer Stone.