BODY ON ROADSIDE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23203, 29 May 1937, Page 24

BODY ON ROADSIDE

Unusual features were disclosed at the inquest at Hastings last week into the death of Francis Wild, aged 58, a shepherd, whose body was found beside the road with a boot from one toot 99ft away on the railway line and a knitted cap 21ft away. The district coroner, Mr George Ebbett, returned a verdict that death was the result of injuries received by the deceased having been struck by a motor vehicle, the driver of which was unknown. " There may be other theories, but the medical evidence bears out the theory that the man was struck by a car, said Mr Ebbett. "There is the raysterious thing that a boot was found 99ft away from where the body was found. The police are satisfied it could not have been hurled that distance by the impact, and can only put forward theories. It is possible the motorist concerned stopped and found the boot, either close at hand or possibly tangled up with or in the car, and threw it away. Then again, it is possible some other motorist came along, saw the boot on the road, stopped, and then just threw it away, not seeing the body near by. These, however, are just theories. From evidence I have come to the conclusion the man was struck by a motor vehicle and the injuries he received from this collision caused his death."