THE PORT CHALMERS FATALITY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17218, 22 January 1918, Page 5

THE PORT CHALMERS FATALITY.

CORONER FINDS DEATH ACCIDENTAL. The adjourned inquest into the death, of a seaman named Edward Lockyer, who fell over an embankment at Carey's Bay on January 12, and was 'picked up in a semiconscious condition, and died at the Port Chalmers Cottage Hospital the next day, was resumed at Port Chalmers yesterday by Mr H. A. Young, S.M. Mr B. S.. Irwin appeared for Mr John Crammond, jun., and Mr C. N. Scurr for the Seamen's Union. Sergeant Dougan represented the police. John Crammond, jun., blacksmith's assistant, said that on January 12 he met deceased near the naval shed, between, witness's home and Port Chalmers. Another man subsequently joined them. Deceased was drunk, and witness, who 6aw a cartridge in a rifle he was carrying, told him to watch where he pointed it. Witness went for a drink, and on returning snatched the rifle from Lewis, saying he knew nothing about rifles, and challenged him to shoot for ss. Lewis, witness, and deceased each had a shot, and then, as the riflp jammed, Lewis took out his pocket knife to clear it. Four more cartridges were inserted, but only two were tired. 'Deceased then called both Lewis and witness German spies, and rushed at witness brandishing th'o rifle, and striking him on the right shoulder. Witness knocked the rifle out of Lockyer's hand, and pushed him away. He fell on the road, and rolled down the bank into the estuary. Witness, knowing he was drunk, went homo, leaving him Tying clear of the water. He could not eay if deceased's head struck anything on the bank. Witness had never seen him bqfore. "Hiere were stones below the bank and broken tr6e stumps. To Mr Irwin: The tide was ont and the stones exposed. The water would be about Bft or 9ft from the bank, which was about 6ft high,' and sloped down to the water. Deceased was all right till he was cautioned about the rifle, when he seemed to go mad, but witness took no notice till he was attacked. Lewis had gone away by that time. Deceased was 10 minutes' walk from the ship, and had asked witness where to go rabbit shooting-, but had finally'givea witness the rifle 'to hold whilo he went for a drink.

To Mr Scurr: Deceased rolled sft down the bank, and witness then left him lying on his back., with" his feet towards the water. Witness intended to look at him when returning 'to Port Chalmers. He dii not think of reporting the matter to the police. Deceased was breathing regularly." Witness told the police " about what had happened on Sunday. Dr Borrie said that when he visited Lockyer in the cell deceased was bleeding from tho nose, and had a slight abrasion below the right eye. Ho appeared to bo under the influence of liquor. Witness left instructions .to bo called if there was any change. He was called again between .5 and 6 on Sunda* morning, when ho had tho man removed to tho Cottago Hospital. Deceased was still unconscious, which he should have thrown off by that time if it had been the effect of liquor. Witness left instructions with tho nurse, and when he returned the patient had just died. Us only marks of external' violence disclosed at the post mortem were a slight abrasion below the right evo and one on the right wrist, also a small bruise over the spine in the lower dorsal region l . Theso might have been caused by striking a stone. The internal organs were healtny, cxcept the Stomach, which was very much inflamed, and contained some Wood, probably from tho nose. On examining tho stall, witness found a clot of Wood at tho back of the head.. There was hemorrhago under 'tho brain, and witness considered that death was duo to compression of tho brain from this hemorrhage? Probably deceased had fallen on something hard with a soft covering. < The bank was grass-covered, and might'have concealed obstacles. Henry Thomas Glengarry said that when going homo on January 12 he x saw Crammond, jun., Lewis, and another man having an argument about a rifle. The man was drunk. While the three were shooting the rifle jammed, and when Lewis went to clear it deceased got excited, and called him a German spy, and .then said the eame to Cram mo ml, whom ho attacked. Crammond knocked the rifle away and pushed him off. Deceased fell, and rolled down the bank. Crammond was sober, and was not cxcited. When witness returned ho saw Crammond, sen. and jun., with deceased at tho shed, but witness went on to the pictures. Crammond did not hit deceased in the eye, but only ptjshed hiro John Crammond, sen., blackismth, said that when going to Port Chalmers noticed a man lying beside the shed. Ho (witness) tried to rouse him, but tho man seemed to be drunk. Witness waited til! the police came. . „ , .. , Thomas Edward Lewis, fisherman, said no left MTCav's hotel about 6 o'clock on January 12, and met J- Crammond, jun., with a rifle in his hand. Ho saw no blown St George Hill, of Carey's Bay, also gave evidence. Tho coroner's verdict irn that deceased died as tho result of injuries received by falling and rolling down a bank. Tho evidence showed that deceased was drunk, and very excited and quarrelsome, and that Crammond's nn«'i was not strong enough to force n "<il-.fr man over tho bank. Deceased Ml, and then, in a drunken state, rollcii over tho bank, bus-; tniriing injuries to the brain from which ho died. Crammond had no intention of doing injury, and if dccoascd hud been sobor ho would not ha.ro gone over bank.