YESTERDAYS SAD FATALITY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14450, 9 November 1917, Page 5

YESTERDAYS SAD FATALITY.

VERDICT OF "ACCIDENTALLY

KILLED."

An inqut.it respecting the death of Thomas i'ercy l.o.tdon (aged o years and 4 months), youngest son uf Mr J. i-\ Gordon, of it* Jrvapara, who was killed under distressingly sad circumstances at Awapuni road yesterday morning, was held at tho Magistrate's Courthouse tins morning, bejuie Mv tl. L. llill, J.i'., acting cormier, and the following jury: .Messrs J. n. ilai kcnos, \\ . JL. iiacKeit, C. jL. Ferguson, W.'.J. Mcpherson, \v. li. -Stevenson, and J. MacKinlay {foreman;.

Sergeant Clarkson, whu cuuiicted the ii^uest, called —

John P. Gordon, stablukeeper, who deposed that about d.eti yesterday morning, whilst proceeding past the Creche, cantering along with his two boys, lie heard the younger boy (deceased; call out, ''IJaduy, save me ! and looking round lie «iu»* Ine pony Hash past witn the boy hanging, caught by the loot m tho left stirrup. * He saw a piece ol wire hy olf the pony's hind legs, the pony being perfectly quiet. lie raced after the pony, but could not overtake him, and could see. that the pony's legs were striking the boy's head, He went about a quarter of a mile before he overtook the pony, and he had then to ride his horse into the^ pony, wliich was knocked over, and thus freed the deceased. He picked 1 the boy up, but the latter died 1 almost immediately. He carried deceased to the creohe and sent for the doctor. Witness (who was much overcome) said he had done his best to save the boy.

To the Coroner : Tho pony was very quiet, and the boy had ridden it frequently. Ho coula eaten it and ride it u aie-back, and it followed him round the paddock like a dog. it was the wire that startled the pony. Wire was one of the worst things to startle a horse, even the quietest. Two rubbish carts passed along this road, daily, and his nor-ses had irequently struck wire on the road.

James W. Gordon, aged 8£ years, son of last witness, gave evidence "that- they were going to t-iie paddock for horses. A piece of wire caught iri the pony's hind! leg, and she started to bolt, and when deceased fell over he was caught by one leg m the stirrup, and tlio pony galloped! taster His -father raced after the pony, but" his horse was not fast enough, and did* not catch up for about a quarter of a mile.

To the Coroner: The pony was very quiet, and would stand upon its hind legs and shake hands.

Dr. Kahlenberg deposed that about 8.15 a.m. yesterday ho received a telephone message to go to the creche, and on arriving there found the child dead. Witness detailed the injuries to the head, and fracture of tho left thigh, death being due to. shock. The jury returned a verdict that deceased was accidentally killed through being thrown from a horse m Awapuni road yesterday. Tho jury further expressed its sincere sympathy with the child's parents.