INQUEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16684, 3 May 1916, Page 3

INQUEST

A FATAL FALL. An inquest was held at tho Hospital yestcrduy uiternoon by Air 11. Y. \\ (coroner) as to the circumstances surrounding tho death of John Andrew, _ who fell from a ladder outside tile Salvation Arm\ Barracks, Dowling street, on Monday, and was killed. Mr J. B. Nichol appeared on behalf of the Standard Insurance Company. Thomas Andrew, striker, son of the deceased, said his father was 60 yoara of age, and was a He left three oi a"family; all grown up. _ + Charles Edwin Scott, punter, stated that ho had been engaged with and others painting tho exterior of the Salvation Army Barracks. Deceased was in charge of the work. Witness had been engaged painting at tho top of an extension ladder, and found that there was a piece he could not reach. He told deceased, \wio said he would go and do it. Hie ladder was secured by a rope at the top to the building. Deceased went up tho ladder, witness standing at the bottom to lioicj the ladder, the foot of 'which was on the footpath, one leg being packed up. Witness saw deoeaeed f>tart to do tho work which was above his head. He had to lean well back to do it He was using cement wash, and witness could not look up. Deceased ha been at work about half a minute when witness heard groans from a man as he came falling through tho air, and deceased fell face downwards on to tho asphalt pathway. Witness felt a slight shake 01 the ladder, but thought it was tho natural swing. Deceased would bo standing on about the third top rung of the ladder, but witness could not say how he steadied himself. Witness's opinion was that deceased balanced himself. Ho was an expert ladderman. , , Philip Wilson, painter, who was also engaged on the work, corroborated tho evidence of the last witness on several points, and said tho accident happened tome time after 10 a.m. He saw deceased go up tne ladder and start to paint a pieces of the building that was projecting. It was a cornice. Witness saw deceased strctchmg back Ho would be about 35 feet from the ground. The next thing witness saw was deceased on tho footpath 'where he had fallen. Ho did not see lnm fall. He was working on a ladder above deceased. Witness was 6uro the ladder was safely secured, and there was no breakage. Ho Slighted that deceased overbalanced himself, and did not think anyone w_as. to blame The deceased was seen by Dr M Kcllar, and taken to the Hospital. Decipased was conscious, and complained of pain, and wanted to know how it was he had fallen. temc time afterwards witness assisted to the ladder down. It was then still tied up, and there -was no weakness in it. sion ladders, such as this one was, had more swing about them than the ordinary kjiobert .Tames Walls, painter, said his duty was to keef the ladders secure He was on the top of tho building. The ladder was secured to a buttress by a rope, and was intact after the accident. It was m perfect order. . , Dr Borrie (assistant medical superintendent a.t tho Hospital) stated that deceased was admitted to the institution about 11 a.m. Witness detailed the injuries deceased had received, and said he was in a condition of extreme shock. He vomited blood, indicating probablo internal hemmorliage. His caso was hopeless, and ho died at 4 p.m. The cause of death would bo shock _ and hemmorhage from the injuries received. Deceased made no statement. ■V verdict was returned in accordance with the medical testimony, the Coroner regarding the fall as purely accidental.