INQUEST

Otago Witness, Issue 3335, 13 February 1918, Page 21

INQUEST

ACCIDENTAL DEATH. The inquest regarding tho death of Arthur Bramwell King, a carter, employed by Tilbury and Co., who met his death on Tuesday, sth inst., at Neill and Co.'a bond through sustaining - a fracture of the skull while driving a lorry load of tea into the building, was resumed by Mr H. A. Young, S.M., at the Hospital on the 7th • instant. Mr J. 8. Sinclair appeared for Tilbury and Co., and Mr Aspinall for the . relatives of deceased, while Mr W. Herbert represented the Dunedin Carters' Union. James Davies, storeman at Neill and Cb.'s, stated that on Tuesday morning,, he saw deceased coming into Neill's bona with a high load on his cart, and he (witness.) called out. "Go back. Don't come _ in. Your load is too' high." He (witness) could not say whether deceased heard him or not. He called out a second time, just' before the lorry entered the premises, and added to his previous warning, " You will get your neck broken." There was no reply, and deceased came stra,ight_ in at the roadway, and in doing so got his head crushed against the top beam of the arch-, way. Deceased leaned over to avoid coming in contact with the top of the archway.; Witness got on to tho top of the cases on | the wagon, and tried to extricate deceased, who was bleeding very badly. After this witness went away for assistance, and when he returned deceased had been removed! to 'the Hospital. As far as he knew doceased was a capable and a sober man. Witness was cross-examined at som« length by Mr Sinclair as to whether th<, entrance to the bond was safe or otherwise,, | He said the entrance was safe, according ■ to the way the vehicle was loaded up. Dr Bowie stated that deceased had bee'n admitted to the Hospital on Tuesday. It was found that he had a comminuted fracture of tho skull, extending from the left temple backwards for 2iin by liin across. He was bleeding profusely from tho right ear and nostrils, due to fracture of tho basa of the skull. The contact with what deceased came against must have been very violent. iSidnev East, 16 years of age, employed with Neill and Co., gavo evidence that he heard Mr Davies tell deceased when ho wai outside that his load was too high and to go back. It was the first beam at the entrance to Neill and Co.'s that struck deceased. There was bin of brick a-nd then a beam a little lower down at the entrance. The horses stopped after deceased had been.-, struck. ■ x > . 'V-? The Coroner said the, evidence showed, that deceased was sitting on the top of a lorry loaded high up, and was driving the . horses attached to the lorry at the time . the lorry entered Neill and Co.'s premises. When he was about to enter the premises Mr Daviec called out, warning h'im thatthere was not sufficient room, but therei was no evidence to show that deceased heard him. He proceeded to enter tho archway, and his head came in contact with the beam at the top of it, and produced a fracture of the skull. So far as the evidence showed the accident was absolutely duo to an error of judgment on the part of deeeased. A verdict would be • returned that King died through his head accidentally coming into contact with the top of the archway which ha was at tno time entering.