THE DEATH OF MR JAMES GREEN

Otago Witness, Volume 23, Issue 2684, 23 August 1905, Page 30

THE DEATH OF MR JAMES GREEN

A CORONER'S INQUIRY. An inquhy was held- at the Dunedin Hospital on Monday afternoon into the circumstances connected with the death of Mr James Green, who died at the institution on the 19th inst. Mr C. C. Graham, coroner, conducted the inquest, and Mr J. E. Gunn was selected as foreman of the jury. Mr J. Macgregor was present to watoh the proceeding? on behalf of the relatives of deceased, and Mr W. C. MacGregor represented the City Corporation, as owners of the tramways. Dr J. D. Marks, house surgeon at the Dunedin Hospital, stated that the deceased, Jamos Green, was brought to the institution a little after midday on the 3rd August. He was then suffering from, abrasions on the face and shock. After admission he was put in a separate ward and progressed well until the 7th August, when he became feverish. On August 9 some inflamed areas appeared around the places where the abrasions were, and this was diagnosed as erysipelas. It spread over his head and also to the back of the neck. On August 13 he seemed to be progressing as well as could be expected for a man of his age, and one suffering as he was from Bright's disease. After the 13th he grew gradually worse, and about midday of the 19th August he died, the cause of death being erysipelas, the result of the abrasions previously received, complicated by Bright's disease. He developed hypostatic pneumonia previous to his death. To Mr W. C. MacGregor: The injuries he had received did not appear of themselves to be serious; there was nothing to cause any apprehension until the erysipelas appeared. The erysipelas arose fiom foreign matter which I think got into the abrasions. To Sub-inspector Green: From what deceased had told him he gathered that Mr Green suffered from slight concussion previous to his admission to the hospital.

To Mr W. C. MacGiegor: Bright's disease would not necessarily have caused his death. The abrasions were treated with antiseptics tA the hospital. The last patient who

occupied the ward to which deceased was sent was a typhoid fever patient. He understood that erysipelas was a common occurrence in old hospital buildings.

Henry Green, brother of deceased, residing at Blueskin, deposed that on the day of the accident he was driving into tovm from Waitati with deceased, with a horse and trap. The deceased was driving. On the hill coming in, about thre<; miles from Normanby, the horse dropped a shoe, and when they reached Normanby a car was standing there. As the horse had lost a shoe, they chose the best places of the loadway. When they had driven about a quarter of a mile from Normanby the car overtook the buggy and turned it over. Witness heard no gong or warning bell. Both his brother and himself were thrown out on to the roadway, and witness became unconscious, and only came to in Mr Calder's house, to which he wes conveyed after the accident. The buggy was just going off the tram line when it was caught — a few more seconds wotild have taken it clear. The buggy had been running along the tramline and parallel with it most of the way. When they moved off the line witness was aware the car was close up to them. He had looked round twice, and saw the car following them vp — the first time the car was about four or- five chains away, and he then told deceased the car was coming. He did not know whether his brother looked round or not. Deceased was 69 years of age.

To Mr W. C. MacGregor: Witness did not hear the bpll, but would not swear that it did not ring. 4

Catherine Doig, wife of John Doig, residing in 58 Forth street, said she was in the NorthEast Valley on the day of the accident and witnessed the occurrence. She saw the electric car, and also saw the buggy on the right-hand side of the tramline. The car was coming along at a slower pace than usual. She noticed that the buggy was slightly ahead of the car, and that it swerved slightly to the left as if to cross the line, and the car struck it just at the forewheel. The horse at this time was just clear of the line. The buggy was upset, Hi Green and his brother were thrown out, and the horse was thrown on its side. The car, after the accident, seemed to stop in about half its length. Witness could not say if the gong sounded. There was a high wind blowing from the north.

'Sydney G. Drake, builder, residing in NorthEast Valley, stated that he was a passenger in the car leaving Normanby at about 11.30 a.m. Just as they got on the Normanby side of King's store they ran into a buggy. Witness wdb standing on the back platform looking forwaid, and before the accident noticed the buggy about 15 or 20 yards ahead of the car, which was caching up upon it very rapidly. The buggy was on the west side of the line, and witness noticed that it turned to the left and came right across the line when it was struck. The car was going at a fairly fast speed, and witness could not say whether the gong was sounded. The deceased was delirious when he was picked up. The car struck the hind wheel of the baggy. To Mr MacGregor: When the buggy turned to cross the line it would be about 10 yards away. The buggy was on a poxtion of the line when witness first noticed it, about 40 yards away.

Joshua A. Jones, tramway motorman, in charge of the car that left Isoruianby on 3rd AugiuS at 1L37 a.m., stated^ that when hjg

reached Montagu road he bega.ii to checlc the speed of the car with the hand brake. Ho noticed a buggy ahead of the car, about 100 yards a-way on he right hand sidie — the wrong side — of the road. He rang the bell to warn them the car was approaching. Witness did not think the driver of^ fne buggy would attempt to cross the line. When near the curve witness applied the magnetic brake, and. without the slightest warning, the buggy crossed in front of the car. Witness picrnptjy applied the -emeigency brake, but it wps too late to prevent a collision. The buggy was about two yards off the line all the way, and witness was watching it onrcfr.l v, and was keeping the car vrell :ix hand. The gong was kept going all the time while the buggy was ahead. The resu't of Ihe collision was that the buggy was smashed and the occupants were thrown out.

To Mr W. C. MacGregor: The buga^ was a very light four-wheeled vehicle The car was pulled up m about its own length. Tha car was travelling at the rate of eight or 10 miles an hour, and after the hand brake was applied the speed would be about six ot f-even miles an hour.

To the Foreman: The customary speed of cars from Normanby is about 10 miles an hour.

John M'Tague, tramway conductor, stated tbat^he was on duty on the car, and hewd the gong sounding so loudly that it attracted his attention. He then saw a vehic'e cross in .front of tha car. He did not notice tho vehicle before except when it passed at Norman by.

The" Coroner briefly reviewed the evidenco as to facts, and said the jury would have no difficulty in coming to a conclusion as to the cause of death, but the most important thing To determine was whether negligence en the part either of those in charge of tha trarucar or the buggy covitributed to^ the accidpui From what had been stated, it was probable that deceased, who was driving, did not hear tha car approaching, as he was muffled up about the head as it was -a cold day, and that he afterwards became excited and attempted to eros« over to the right sida of the read. So far as he couia see there was no negligence on the part of those in charge of the trorncar.

The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medica.l evidence, and added that deceased met his death as the result of an accident, and that, there was no blame attachable to anyone.

The funeral of the lat° Mr Green took placa yesterday afternoon, when a large number of old residents and citizens attended to pay the ]ast mark of respect to the memory ot the deceased gentleman, including representatives of the various pubic bodies with! which he had been connected, as well '»9 ; friends from Waitati. Woikouaiti, and tha city and suburbs. Among those present wer-e Messrs Henry and Isaac Green (brothers of the deceased), E. P. Sullivan (sen-in-law), T. K. Sidey, M.H.R., P. Miller, W. Wills, and J N. Brown (representing the Hospital Trustees). Dr Gordon Macdonald (c'a-irma.n, l.on. medical hospital staff). R. Maris Clark (chairman of Benevolent Trustees), and A. Clulee (secretary), S. M. Pa-rk (acting secretary Otago Education Board), J. Ryan, A. Riach i ex-inspector of works for the board), D. R. White (rector of the Training College pd& Normal School). C. Macandrew (secretary High Schools Bcnrd and QJaero School Corn-missior-ers). Revs. T. K. M'lntyre, D. S. Mason, aud A. M. Fin'ayson. Mes=r<! A. WMoni', A. Grant (railway traffic ma,nager), A. Kiloatrick (chairman Waikouaiti County Council), R. T. Wheeler, John Reid, -R. M. Mark«, L. G. Fenwick. C. 'Brsineon. C. R. Smith, J. Torrauce. John Foote (Wsikouaiti County Council), W. Easnshaw, J. Campbell fex-Mfiyor of Xorth-East VaV.ey), J- Thomson, Or. M Burlinson. W. Campbell, A. Ho^g, W. Wright, J. Longworth. T. M'Ccnnell W. B. Anderson, D. Nicol, J. James, J. Kay, Dr Burns, and others. Archdeacon Robinson officiated at the grave.