AN INQUEST HELD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 58

AN INQUEST HELD.

NO BLAME ATTACHED TO ANTONE.

An inquest was held at the Hospital <n Wednesday afternoon, before Mr 0. C. Graham (coroner) and a jury, of which Mr A. Smith was chosen foreman, to inquire as to the dsath of "William Bailey, which occurred at the Hospital the previous t'ay aa result of injury sustained in tho OtagoSouthland football niatoh on Saturday last. Mr J. M. Gallaway appeared to watch proceedings. Sub-inspector Green represented the police. Richard Russell, coal merchant, of South Dunedin, deposed that deceased had resided with him for nearly nine years, and was a carter by trade, 24 years of age, and a single man. On Saturday last deceased was in his usual good health and spirits, and took part in the football match Otago v. Southland at the Caledonian Ground. Witness was not present at the match. Dr Marks, resident house surgeon at th^ Hospital, stated that deceased was brought to the Hospital about 4 o'clock on Saturday. Witness examined deceased at 6 o'clock, and he was paralysed from tin? chest downwards, and there was partial paralysis of the arms. There was a swelling at the back of the neck due to tie effusion of blood, and below that what felt like an irregularity of the spine. It . was decided to try extension overnight, and this was done. On Sunday morning the members of the staff saw the patient, and lie was put under chloroform for the purpose of fuller investigation, and if necessary to go. under operation. The operation was decided on and performed. by Dr Barnett, and it demonstrated .that there was dislocation of the sixth vertebra of the neck. The spinal cord was flattened, but as far as could be judged otherwise uninjured. The dislocation was reduced as well as possible and the patient removed to bed, and extension again applied. There was no improvement in the condition of the joatient'a limbs, and a/herse symjitojng

set in which weve hoped might be only temporary. There was no improvement, and the patient died on Tuesday night about half past 8, the cause of death being shock subsequent to the crushing of the cord. ' '

The Coroner read tho depositions of deceased, , taken at "the Hospital on Saturday night. ? Deceased's statement was as follows: — "I do not remember very much about -the accident. I was playing forward in the- match between Southland and Otago, and on the Otago side. It happened in the Otago twenty -five. 1 think it was tho line-out about thfa outer end of the line. I do not remember who were beside me. I think I took the ball, and was trying 'to put it on the ground. I fell forward, ' and turned a somersault, and came down on my head. It was then that I was- hurt. No one pushed me, and I cannot say-any one threw me. I must have been stopped somehow, but I do not know how it was. There was no one to blame at all. There j was no rough play in connection with the ', accident, and there had been no rough play at all in the game up till then. I think, if I remember rightly, there were more than me fell at the time. There were more than me on the ground at the time. I think someone fell on the top of me, but I don't" know who it was." .The Coroner stated that when he made this statement Bailey had all his senses about him,- r - was perfectly calm and collected, and able to' speak quite distinctly. John Williams, referee in the -OtagoSouShland match, said he knew deceased. "who -was playing forward for- Ofago. As ,far as witness could remember of the accident, there was a loese rush in the Otago twenty-five. Two or three -players went down. The ball was in possession of these players, and was then kicked towards the Otago goal-line. Witness followed the ball. An infringement took place there, and witness blew the whistle and. ordei'ed a scrum. Some players then called out that a man j had been injured, and witness stopped tho game and went over to the injured player, who proved to be Bailey. Witness asked him what was, the matter, and he said "he had lost the Use 1 of his limbs. Witness asked him if he knew how it "was done, and he replied that he did not know. Witness helped to carry the injured man off the " ground, and he was then conveyed to the! Hospital after being examined by Br Mac- ■ pherson. Witness observed no rough play ' of any kind at the time the injury occurred. The game was played throughout in a very friendly spirit, and witness had no occasion at any time to speak to any player in the way of finding fault with his play. It was anything but a rough game, and! as far^ as witness saw the' occurrence was pure .accident. , To Sub-inspector . Green : - Heu sdid- not ; know. who i the players- were that- went .dowm Vat -the time., , ■ . To Mr Gallaway: Witness .was an. expert- '< ejioad player, and also an experienced referee. He had been told that he- "was very, strict in respect to rough* play .-^ There was no rough, play in Saturday's Tnatoh. Victor George Cavanagb. -cutter,- 'ineniber of the Obago Rugby Football- Union,' and a spectator at Saturday's match... said^ he knew deceased very well. *He saw -the circumstances of the -accident. It 'was a. line out in Otago's twenty-five. The ball was thrown out, but no player on either j side took it, and it touched the ground. One of the Otago players (he could not sweai- it was deceased) picked ths ball up in a sort of loese rush, bjit witness's view was then obstructed by this player;, with, others, falling down. It was, in witness's; opinion, a very friendly game, played in j th<s true spirit, and without any rough play. : Witness recognised deceased when ,he was being carried off the fie'd. Deceased was one of the Southern Club's best forwards, and a very careful, clean player. Witness was secretary of the Southern Club, and watched deceased's play closely.

Constable Marshall, on duty at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday, said there -was a sort of loose rush, and Bailey etooped i! "-to pick up the ball, three or four others falling over him. He could not say who they were. It was a very friendly game — one of the friendliest witness had seen here this season.

The Coroner said there* could be no doubt, as to the cause of death, and it remained on It for the jury to say whether there bad been any rough or improper play whereby any blama could be attached to anvono. He thought that after bearing the evidence the jury oould be perfectly satisfied, however. tha.t there was nothing o£ that kind, and ihe game seemed to have been played throughout in a perfectly friendly spirit. T.hs accident seemed to be one of tho^e regrettable • occurrences unfortunately attendant- sometimes in such a gam© as football, but" he supposed that unless there was a certain amount of risk in • such gamea there would not be the same attraction! about them.' As loner as football was played in the spirit in which this grame appeared to have been played he did not suppose serious objection would be taken to it.

The jury returned a verdict "That death" ■wa* due to injuries accidentally received din-ing a football match, aid that no blame was attachable to anyone."