DEATH OF A SHEPHERD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2842, 2 September 1908, Page 34

DEATH OF A SHEPHERD.

William Ross, aged 21 years, died at Dunedin on Thursday morning from the effects of a fall from a horse. Deceased and a man named David M'Donald were riding from Dunback to Shag Valley or* the 23rd ult.,' when Ross's horse commenced to buck, and Ross was thrown, falling upon his head and sustaining concussion of the "brain, from the effects of which he never recovered consciousness. An inquest will be held at the Hospital to-day at 2.30 p.m.

INQUEST.

At the Hospital on Friday afternoon, before Mr C. C. Graham (coroner) and a jury, of whom Mr W. T. Woldren was chosen foreman, an inquest was held into the circumstances surrounding the death of William Ross, who died at the Hospital on Thursday morning as the result of a fall from his horse near Dunback on Sunday last.

Walter Ross, father of deceased, identified the body as that of his son, who was a shepherd employed on the Shag "Valley Station, Witness^ knew- nothing of the cir-,-cumstanoes'Of'the^death of deceased. Witness* was absent "from home on the after* ! noon of the 23rd inst.^and on his return I found. a .note from deceased saying he was going to ride to Dunbaok. Deceased was a single man, aged 21. Witness knew nothing 1 of the accident until his son' was brought home in an unconscious condition. Deceased's" horse was not a vicious one, but j was rather frighty. David -M'Donald, c shepherd employed at the Shag Valley Station, deposed that he knew deceased well. He and deceased left Shag Valley for Dunbaok about 4 p.m. on JSunday. Both were riding horses. They arrived at Dunback about 4.30, and . after stabling their horses had tea, and after a stroll along the road witness, deceased, and some friends uad three smalt "shindies" each at Moir's Hotel. They went to the hotel about 7.30 and left 'about 10 p.m., after which witness and deceased mounted their horses and set out to ride | home, leaving their friends in Dunbaok. , They had travelled about six miles, when , the accident occurred. The horses were ' going at a walking pace, and the pair were j riding 1 abreast, when deceased's horse. \ broke away without any warning, and got ' a lead before witness could overtake it. Deceased's horse was a quiet one, if held! with a firm rein. As witness rode up he found deceased lying on the ground, the horse having gone on. Deceased was unconscious. Witness procured a springj cart, and took deceased home. Before { leaving deceased witness laid him by the. . side- of the roads and covered him with his coat, and when he returned _ about three-quarters of an hour afterwards with the cart, deceased had hot been moved. The only injuries witness could notice wera " the abrasions on deceased's face. Witness did not think the -drink which 'deceased had had had. had any effect on him. Ther were not in the habit of going to the hotel on Suridavs. Dr Falconer deposed that on tie 26th. 4 August, deceased was admitted to the Hospital shortly after 9 p.m., being accompanied by his father. He was suffering from fracture of the base of the skull, and showed signs of having bled from the ritrht ear. He was unconscious, and remaiatd so until he died, at 11.30 a.m. on the 27th, the cause of death being fracture of the base of the skull. The injury was . Buoh as could be caused by a fall. In summing up, the Coroner said he was glad to notice that drink had not been the cause of the accident, as three small shandy-gaffs could not be expected to intoxicate a man. This was evidently one i of the many unaccountable accidents which were continually arising. A unanimous verdict was returned that death was due to fractuia of the base of the skull caused by an accidental fall from a horse.