FATAL TRAM ACCIDENT

Otago Witness, Issue 3352, 12 June 1918, Page 25

FATAL TRAM ACCIDENT

ROSLYN RESIDENT'S DEATH. A fatal accident happened in Rattray street, beside Messrs Scoullnr and Chisholm's furniture factory, on Saturday evening at 6.20 o'clock, resulting- in tho death of 'William Robert Cox, a married man, who lived at No. 67 Shetland street, Roelyn, and who was employed as a porter at the Dunedin Hospital. Ae two trains were approaching, the passengers on 'the upward one noticed a man, who appeared to be on his hands and knees over tho rails, and they called out to warn tho gripman on the down car. Tho cars were then close together, the blaze of lights from the 'two head lamps obscuring tho gvipmen's vision. Before the down car could be pulled up it struck tho man, who fell underneath, and suffered severe injuries, to which he succumbed in tho Hospital about 11.20 the same night. Deceased was 43 years of age. THE CORONER'S INQUIRY. Mr J. R. Bartholomew (coroner) eonducted an inquest on Monday afternoon into tho circumstances of tno death ol Wilhaui Robert Cox, who was struck by a Roslyn tram car early on Saturday evening. Mr C. J. Payne appeared for the Dunedin and Roslyn Tramway Company, and Air Hanlon for the relatives of the deceased. Senior Sergeant Murray conducted tho case for the police. William E. J. Cox, of 67 Shetland street, Roslyn, identified the body as that of his father. Deceased was a porter at tho Dun cdin Hospital. Witness last saw him about 6.30 on Saturday morning, when he was in good health and spirits. On Friday night deceased stated that something went wrong with him internally, and ho fell down and lost consciousness.

Dr Bowie (assistant superintendent of tho Hospital) said the cause of death was shock and direct injury to vital tissues. Joseph M'Neill (second cook at the Hospital) said he had gono out with the deceased about 3 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. They had three or four drinks at an hotel in Princes street, and witness left him in High street about 6.15. Deceased had had four drinks, but was cmite capable of looking after himself. Deceased had a bottle of beer in a bag when they parted. Ho had made no complaint of illness to vitness.

To M\ Hanlon: Deceased had four medium beers between half-past 3 and 6 o'clock. •

Hugh Rcid (fellmonger, Kaikorai) said he was a passenger by tho 6.18 car to Roslyn on Saturday night. He was on the front of tho outside seat on the north side of the car. Directly behind the Girl's High School Conductor Garrick called oat "Man on tho line." Witness saw a man on _ the down line next tho gutter, apparently in a kneeling position. The front of the down car was parallel with tho front of the up car at this time, and about two car lengths from the man, when the first call was given. A moment or two later tho man was caught between the wheel and the gripper. Tho car did not travel more than two lengths after striking him. Witness assisted in releasing the man, who was facing up the hill. The wheels had not passed over him. ' He might have been pushed a few feet along tho ground, but not very far. In his opinion nothing more could have been done to avert the accident. To Mr Hanlon: "When witness first sawdeceased he was about opposite the rear cabin of the up car. Tho conductor was in the door of the cabin. He did not jump off, as it would have been suicide for him to do so. Tho double glares of the lights of both cars would prevent the driver from seeing the road in front of him. . The driver had to watch the up car as well as the track.

To the Coroner: There was plenty of room on the up car, and the down car was almost empty. James Pogarty (station hand, Roslyn) said he was a passenger on the same car as the previous witness. He saw a man walking on the footpath between Scoullai* and Chisholm's and Speight's Brewery. He did not seem to be walking straight, but did not give witness the impression of being intoxicated. As the up car approached the man was on his hands in the middle of the up line, looking up-hill. Witness said to tho conductor and gripman "There's a man on tho line." Tho conductor whistled, and they shouted for the down car to stop. The down car pulled up straight away, and the conductor and passengers asked what was the matter. Witness and others said "There's a man under your car." By the time, witness got round tp the front of the car the gripman had tho car jacked up. The inan on the line did not call out. He seemed to have stooped down to pick up something. To Mr Hanlon: The down car would _be about two lengths away when witness first saw the man on the rails. He agreed that it would have been suicide to jump off and try to save the man. Donald Livingston (butcher, Roslyn), a passenger on the down car which struck the deceased, said he had been standing on the outside at the rear of the car. The shouting from tho up car when the two cars were abreast first attracted his attention. He thought someone had been brushed off the up cur, and went up to see when tho car stopped, but soon found the trouble was at the down car. Coming round the cathedral corner he saw the glare of the up car, which somewhat dazzled him. He considered everything possible had been done to prevent the accident. To Mr Hanlon: He would not say that if a driver kept his eyes on the track tho light of the other car would prevent him from seeing a man. The police proceeded to call James Ramage (gripman of the clown car), but Ramago stated that though he wa3 quite willing to give evidence, Mr Payne had advised him to plead privilege and refuse to do so. Mr Payne said that Ramago could not throw any further light on the inquiry. The coroner said that in the circumstances he would not force Ramago to give evidence, though technically he had not brought himself within the provisions entitling him to refuse. Constable Kelly said ho had taken statements from several witnesses, including one from Ramago. Counsel successfully objected to this statement being put in. Witness said ho visited the scene of the accident with Ramago and tho witnesses Pogarty and Livingston. There was a distinct mark of something being dragged down the lines for a distance of 39ft.

Arthur F. Knowles (manager of Roslyn Tram Company) said the Public Works Department had been promptly notified of tho accident, and the brakes and gripper were

found to bo in perfect order. The car was taken down tho line and tested with- quite satisfactory results. The grade at the place of the accident was one in 7.54. The spued of the cars was always between seen and eight miles an hour. To Mr lianlon: A man in the position described would not be seen by the gripman at his grippor when within 10ft or 12ft of tho car. Tho car could bo slopped in lift on tho down grade in a test. Ho could not offer any explanation why, if a man was seen two car lengths away, iho ear should not bo pulled up in time to prevent a collision. Tho only explanation of a man being carried 59tt under the. car was that ho got under the car without the knowledge of the gripman. Ho had never heard any complaint of gripmen being blinded by tho lights of approaching cars during tho past 16 years. Ramago had been employed by the company as gripman for nine years, and no accident had ever been reported in which he was concerned. Tho Ooroner said that on the evidence before him ho was not in a position to express any opinion whether there was any culpability or not on the part of the gripman. Tho gripman, under lego,l advice—very proper advice —had availed himself of his privilege, and had not given evidence. They had it from tho evidence of Constablo Kelly that tho body had apparently been dragged some 39ft, which would seem to show that tho car hat! not been stopped in anything like so prompt a manner as it should nave been. The passengers on the car who gave evidence would attribute the accident to the inability of the gripman to seo anyone on tho lino through his vision being blinded or considerably interfered with by the light of the up car. That evidence w-as discounted by the evidence of the manager, who stated that the present system of lighting had been in operation all along and no complaints had been made. Ho did not express any opinion at that; '■ point, but he recommended the management to give attention to the matter and satisfy themselves on the point, seeing it had been mooted. He would return an open verdict —that the man died of injuries in consequence of being knocked down and dragged by the Roslyn cable car.