YOUNG MAN’S DEATH

Southland Times, Issue 22043, 16 June 1933, Page 4

YOUNG MAN’S DEATH

TREE FALLING FATALITY. INQUEST AT GORE. That death was due to heart failure following a fracture of the spine and injuries to the spinal cord was the verdict returned by Mr A. Martin, J.P., District Coroner, at the inquest at Gore yesterday on the death of Thomas Alfred Bradford, aged 21, which occurred at the Gore Hospital on Friday last. Sergeant Fryer conducted the inquiry and Mr R. B. Bannerman appeared for the Atlas Insurance Company. James Bradford, brother of the deceased, gave evidence to the effect that on the morning of June his brother went to a part of his father’s farm to complete the felling of a tree. Witness was ploughing a few chains away. He went across to see how his brother was getting on. His brother had ropes and wire attached to the tree in order to pull it down. The cut in the tree was about 12ft from the ground. It was proposed only to top the tree for firewood. As the tree did not fall after they had pulled the rope, his brother again climbed up and cut a bit more of it, and then came down again. Both were standing near the base of the tree when it gave way. Both ran in an easterly direction. Witness got clear, and on looking round he found his brother among the branches on the ground. Witness ran to his assistance and dragged him out. A forked branch of the tree must have struck him. His brother was unconscious and bleeding at the nose when witness released him. Witness called to Mr Young, who was about four chains away, and he renderassistance and procured a motor car and accompanied witness to the Gore Hospital. David Young gave evidence as to assisting to take deceased to the hospital, and corroborated a great deal of the evidence of the previous witness. Dr. J. M. Watters said that when deceased arrived he was suffering from shock. On examination of deceased he found that he was suffering from a fracture of the spine, with injury to the spinal cord, and there were other signs of internal injuries. The cause of death was heart failure following injuries received—viz., a fracture of the spine with injuries to the spinal cord. The injuries were consistent with deceased being struck by a tree. There were no signs of previous heart trouble. The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.