A QUARRYMAN'S DEATH.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13316, 17 January 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

A QUARRYMAN'S DEATH.

INQUEST ON WILLIAM CASSiUY. (From "The Coh-nisV D»c. £\.) An inquest on William Cassidy, a [■iiiarryman employed at tho Turakuhc cement works, who died at the Nelsnn Hospital oil Thursday morning from injuries received through being, thrown fiom a trap at Tarakohe last week, was opened at tho Hospital josterday afternoon before My. E. 10. Trask, Acting-Coroner, and the following jury: Messrs G. M. 11 nut (foreman), F. W. Hamilton, T. Dee. K. Richards, A. E. Titskev. and Albert Tasker. Plain-clothos Constable Townsend | represented the police. Dr. Washbourn, medical officer at tho Hospital, stated that deceased was admitted to tlie Hospital on December 12th, suffering from a fractured spine. Dr. Adams, of Takaka, telephoned to him, advising him of tho accident and the extent of the man's injuries, and his examination of deceased on admission to the Hospital confirmed Dr. Adams' opinion. When admitted- deceased was fully conscious, and with tho exception of slight movements of the upper part of the arms was completely paralysed. He enquired of deceased how he met with tho accident, and deceased said that "in turning a corner he was tipped out of a trap." Deceased said he was not driving. Witness asked him if the driver was sober, and he said "Yes,'1 but said he was not. Witness said ho did not attach much j importance-to deceased's statement, as he did not appear to remember i much about the accident. He died ' at 9.2G a.m. on December 21st: Witness said he had conducted a post mortem examination, and the cause j of death was a fractured spine. ! At this stage the inquest was adjourned until 2 p.m. on 9th January at the Coyrtjiou.se. (From "The Colonist," Jan. 10th.) The inquest on William Cassidy, a quarryman employed at the Tarakohe cement works, who died at the Nelson Hospital in December 21st from the effects of injuries received through being thrown from a trap while being driven from Takaka to Tarakohe on December 11th was continued at the Courthouse yesterday, before Mr. H. E. Trask, Acting Coroner, and a jury consisting of Messrs. G. M. Rout (foreman), T. F. Dee, ISert Tasker, F. W. Hamilton, and E. Richards. Mr. A. E. Tasker, a juryman who was called away from Nelson on important business, was excused from attendance. Mr. A. T. Maginnity obtained permission to watch proceedings on behalf of Mr. Charles Allington, licensee of the Telegraph Hotel, Takaka. All witnesses were ordored to leave the Court. (At the opening of the inquest Dr. Washbourne, medical superintendent of tho Nelson Hospital, gave evidence that deceased died from the effects of a fractured spine. Ho also stated that deceased before he died said he was drunk at the time of the accident, but that his companions were sober.) Patrick Lynch, foreman.' at the Tarakohe cement works, stated that ' early in December deceased went for a holiday, and on Monday, 11th December, witness met him on his return at Takaka. About 4 o'clock he saw deceased in his bedroom at tho Telegraph Hotel. Deceased was lying on tho bed with his clothes on. He was a little drowsy, but appeared to bo saber enough. Deceased had evidently been having a bit of a sleep. There was a glass and a bottle in the room, and the glass contained liquid like ginger alo. The bottle appeared to be a whiskey bottle. About an hour and a-half afterwards ho went to see if deceased,was going to return to Tarakolul. Deceased then seemed all right; ho was sitting up on the tied. Deceased said he would go home., and followed him downstairs, where they remained" about a quarter of an hour. Ho could not say whether deceased went into the bar, but he saw him in the bar about half an hour luu-i. Witui-M liinl-oomo \liiuK i.i llit!> hotel, but could not say whether he had any with Cassidy ;he did not think so. Ho did not see Cassidy having any drink there. The next he sa-w of Cassidy was when he was in Cann's trap in front of tho hotel. John Harris and another young man named George West were in the trap with deceased, and Cann was standing near the horse-. He thought it was a two wheeled vehicle with two seats. Caun then went to the blacksmith's and brought witness' saddle horse. Cann said ho would tie the horse to the trap, and witness could ride with the others, which he did. Cassidy was sitting between witness and Cann. He went about a mile and a-half in the trap, then got out and mounted his horse. He was riding some distance ahead of the trap, when he heard someone call out and on turning round ho saw a man lying on the road by the trap. He went back and Harris assisted him to lift Cassidy into the trap. He could not say whether the others got down or not. Witness asked Cann'to drive Cassidy to the doctor, as he appeared to ba hurt. Deceased was lying face downwards when he went back to him. He could not explain why he got out ot tlio trap in the first pl'aee to get on hi:; horse. Harris seemed all right, but there were signs of liquor on him. He would say lie bad a good fair share .on board. Cann and West appeared to him to lie sober." Witness had four or five drinks, all of them, with the exception of one. at Allington's. Cassidy was awako while lie was in tho trap with him. Cassidy appeared to be like a man who wan recovering from a heavy spree,. He could not say that deceased was sober, nor could ho say he was drunk. By the foreman :He had no reason for thinking the liquor in the glass in deceased's room was ginger alo. Cassidy had been away from the works on his holiday about a fortnight. He could not say how long deceased had been at Allington's, but he was informed that he had arrived from Nelson the day that file accident occurred. He could not say whether Cassjdy was lifted into the trap. He did not have to hold him in the trap. It was in turning a corner that Cassidy was thrown out—tlie others weiu not. Cassidy was unconscious. By Mr. Maginnity: Cassidy walked down stairs at Allington's without assistance as far as he could remember. By the way Cassidy came down the stairs.he was capable of getting into the trap. As near as he could remember he;did not see Cassidy have any drink at Allington's. Arthur Cann, carrier, residing at lakaka, sworn, stated that ho did not know deceased before.. December 11th fast (the day of the accident). He was engaged by the previous witness to drive Cassidy and some others to iarakohe. It was between 6.30 and / p.m. when they started on tho journey. They were in a four-wheeled b"ggy. Ho thought either Harris or nest got into the trap first, then Cassidy and Lynch, and lastly hinijelf None of them were assisted into the trap. He should say thoy were all sober. Ho first saw Cassidy that day in a bedroom at Al]ingtou's"jioieJ just before they started for Tarakohe Lynch was then with Cnssidy, who j-as sitting upon tho bed. When | X louncl that more pers=on.« than Lvn"'were goinj. to Taiakolio be clianocii his vehicle from a gig to a imn wheeler. He iicnt into the bar to tell them he was rendv, but ho did not sen thorn having any drink. Lynch iuked lsim to have a drink, .->nd ho had i whisky, lime juice and soda. Shoitlv liter tlio.v .staited for Tinkoho ('-■ sidy sitting on the front .-sat botwo >V /.vnch and himself. Lynch rodo with <nem about two miles, then got oul md Rot on to his horse. He did not enow why Lynch got out, but he .hoMfiht it was because of a remark iascod by otio of his companions in he trap. When Lynch got out of the Tap, he madp some remark about )oing "«ut with the bulls." Lynch ippcared to be wild about some-

thing. When liw accicl«nt occurred thoy t,cro tmvelli:;.^ abuui. mx m/Ic-s an hour 31" could not s:iy what caused nw r.< <m6Wi Ail ii" knew \\.'i>3 thai, wild) about half a chair. around the corner of tlie Mo'tup.pi road Cassidy was shot out ot the trap over the front bar ou to the shaft, and then to the ground. lie sailed out to Lynch, who was fully t.eu chains in front. Lynch oamo. back, and when he saw ©nssidy said ho would have to be driven straight back to tho doctor. West and: Lynch lifted ©assidy into the buggy. He could not say why Harris did not get out of the trap _to assist Cassidy. The reason he did not got out him- | self was because- he had to look after the horso. Cassidy was placed in the front of the trap in a sitting position, with his head on his knoes. Witness said ho was too excited to j remember exactly what took place. Cassidy did not speak or move after being- thrown out. When they got to tho doctor's Cassidy said he was all right. The doctor was not at homo, so he drove . Cassidy to Allington's hotel, where ho was put to be-d. Cansidy was carried into the hotel from tho trap. There were- twelve bottles of beer in tbo trap when tho accident occurred. He thought tho beer had bo-en purchased by Cassidy. The beer was not handed back to Mrs Ailington that night, they wore taken to his stables. IT Mrs Allington was to swear that, the beer was handed to her he would contradict her. He had only one drink that day. Harris whs I sober. He would not swear that Cassidy was perfectly sober, but lie ■ appeared to. be all right. Sergeant Mullany asked witness why in his statement made to tho police, he said that Cassidy was not sober. Witness said ho could not say that Cassidy was drunk. He drove the Tarakohe men back on Saturday nights and sometimes on Sundays. He had not had an accident on the same road since the accident to Cassidy, nor had ho had a capsize of any kind recently. He thought Budgor and I'1 red Reil'.y helped to carry Car.- ] sidy into the hotel. When dassidy was at tlie doctor's he remarked that he was not hurt, "It is only beer." Witness denied that he had been hedging the questions. By the foreman :He could not say j why Lynch engaged him to drive himj back to Tarakohe when he had his horse saddled and bridled. Ho could not say that Lynch was incapable of riding the horse. —he might have had some drinks. I The foreman: How could a man bo shot out of a trap if the horse ■ was only going at a' jog trot—six j miles an hour? ! Witness: 1 cannot say. I don't! tkink anyone can oxplaiu it. I don't know what caused tli<> accident, the. road is as level as a billiard table. Continuing, witness said that the men wiiilo in the trap were all quiet. It was not true that the horsy was galloping before the accident. He could not help it if Lynch said Harris got out of the trap to help Cassidy. Hr> was certain it was West. U.v Mr Maginnity: He thought now the boor belonged to' cither Cassidv or Lynch. The beer was still in' his ste.bles. By Sergeant Mullany: A sober man might be able to tell the difference between a two und a four-wheeled vehicle. Lynch was wrong in stating that the vohiclo was a two wheeled one. At this stage the inquest was adjourned till 11 o'clo«k this morning. Jan 11. The adjourned inquest on the body of William Cassidy, a quarryman, who died at the Nglsou Hospital on December 21st as tho result of a trap accident which occurred on the Motupipi road, Takaka, was resumed at tho Courthouse yesterday morning before Mr. E. E. Trask, Acting Coroner, and a jury of which Mr. 0. M. Rout was,foreman. Sergeant Mullany represented the police, and Mr. Maginnity watched ! proceedings on behalf of Mr. C. Al- ! lington, licensee of the Telegraph i Hotel at Tnkaka. I Arthur Cann, recalled by S^.-. SI -r,,,i I Mullany, who stated on tho previous j day that he did not know Cassidy bi>I lore the day of the accident, repeated that that was correct. Every SaturI day ho left I'ohara beach at 2 p.m. i for Takaka. He had, by arrangement, often gone to Tanik'oke to bring men in to Takaka. lie had never been | employed by any of the hotelkeeper:; lat Takaka to bring men in from TaraI koho, nor to take them back. On the day of the accident there wero no arrangements made as to iho charge to be made for driving the men back to Tarakohe. He frequently took men '; from Takaka after ten o'clock on Saturday nights. Tho man fixed the hour of departure, and he drove to suit their convenience. He remembered waiting on a Saturday evening recently until after ten o'clock for tho men. He would not say that he was ready at nine o'clock. Sometimes he had beon kept waiting for the men, but he could not remember how long! He never took notice of the time—ho might have boon kept waiting for an hour. Ho had never been paid for taking tho men «ut to Tarakohe by aii.vono except the men themselves. He had never beon paid by anyone for ' the tune ho had boon kept waiting. He dici most of the driving himself By the foreman: lie could not say whether iio had ever driven deceased to- J arakohG Ho generally started , from Mr. Allington's corner. j By Mr Maginnity: Tho day of tho ' accident was a Monday. * i By the foreman : The men wore not always sober when lie drove them back to Tarakohe, but it was not generally the case that thoy wero not. John Harris, labourer, residing at Ifirukoho, deposed that lio know deceased. He met deceased at the Port INelson, on Sunday, December 10th' and travelled with him to Takaka iii the- A\airoa that night. H e con . sidered that deceased was r, "bit on" when he met him, and he hr.cl a bottle of wfciskey in his shirt. He helped ; deceased got the cork owi, of the bottle, and deceased had. a Dip. He did not see deceased havo any whiskey . out of the bottle on the trjp, hit j; they ! had two nips from the steward of tho ; Wairoa Waitapu was reached between 11 and 11.80 p.m. They arriv-! Ed at lakaka about midnight. De- I ceased and himself , Voßt to mgt^% hotel, and stayed there tbat night Jbe.y did not occupy the same room but lm bag (with the hntfe of wl iK y m it) was put into decease's room at'deceased's request. J-j e .■•onsidoror that decease,! had bee,, d,Vk ,«, although not actually.drunk then ] le considered tfcat deceased was on t c balance J'he drink they.had wa"supplied at LliG bar. Ho novf ■!■»«• i He n&ked him to come down-to breakfaat, but deceased replied, "Lot mo I de-eased askod bun to lmve A drinkami they had one drink ia tho bar ! Fk : oould. not remember what deceased had to drink. It was the only drink they had to-other to the host of hibelief It would be hard -for £, fn «esoribo <jcoensod rs condition. Deceased had been "on one long drunk " He considered that deceased was Vncapable. Deceased told bin, If] •"] some business to do, and he dd not soo him again until they got into the trap to R o to Tarakohe." TTo (witnoV l\ oi hquor and did not remember deceased Rt .tiP K ant, the trap. He ~ d JWst aa t on tho back Jcat of "X OUKWJ. Deceased was or; tho front joat between Cann, tho driver, and I,vnch Ho could not say iv l,v 1.^,"" uot out o tho trap ami r O da his j,.,,-^ He s-iw dowased fall out of the traplie'.hot out ns if thrown from a cat', put ]HRt !1B the trap turned the co.-ner. Iho horso was being driven at nn ordinary trotting rmes." Imrn--din rely deceased fell on to the road « est got out of the trap: Lynch, who iv;is alipnd on horseback, came back VV ost picked deceased up, but he believed deceased got into the trap him-' self. The reason ke did not get out ■ of the trap was because ho was under

the iii'lii'.'iK'o of liriuor, and it' ho had nicvfc' 'h'T'i might Invc be mi another a<"('i.i'iii!. "i"l iwioil'cc iu'niP t. They thon i- turned t" i!io 'Jtcicn'-i, n'ltl lie vent vi .UlingUj.'iS Imlul, Ik*, oho remained until the follow ing d.i.v. lil.1 did not soc deeea-cd again until Tuot,day morning. Ho could not say how nuiny drinks lie h:id nil the day oi tin? accident. He had .several thinks at Hook's and others at Allhigton's. Ho could not si.\ how long before getting into the trap it was that he had the lust drink. When he arrived «t Allington's on the Sunday night he was perfectly sober. Lynch was "slightly elevated." Cassidy was pretty far gone in drink that day. If ho had had another drink he would have gone down. Cann was pertectly sober. West, to the best of his belief, was sober. .Witness made no arrangements about going out to Tarakohe. Witness had no idea where Cassidy got the bottle- of whiskey he had on the Sunday from. There was no one in tho room with Cassidy when witness saw him on Tuesday morning. By tho foreman: When he saw deceased on Monday morning he was lying in bed with his clothes in. Ho had never driven with Cassidy. He had only been to Takaka about coven times during the year. By Mr Maginuity: On Sunday deceased'had tlie appearance of having been on the drunk. lie now remembered taking deceased a whiskey and soda to his room t)n the Monday morning. Ho did not think the drink he got at Allington's made him in a worse condition than he was when he left tho boat on Sunday night. To -Ins knowledge Mrs. Allington did not know that deceased had a bottle of whiskey in his bag. George West, labourer, residing at Takaka, deposed that he did not know deceased before tho day of the acicdent. lie remembered seeing deceased get into the trap before the accident. Deceased had no difficulty in getting into the trap. He would say that deceased was recovering from a drunk, but he would not describe I I him as being sober. He saw deceased i fall out of the trap. He thought that turning the cornor caused deceased to | reel. The reason Lynch got out of the trap was because he had a few words with Harris. He thought Lynch had had a few drink*. Harris was sober in his estimation. Asked if he could I explain why lie stated "to the police ! that deceased had difficulty in getting '. into the trap and appeared stupid, and I now that he had no difficulty in getj ting into tho trap, witness said that ! the first statement "was a slip of tlie I j tongue. j j On resuming after lunch the cvi- \ . dnc-ce of the witness West was con- j ; tinned. Questioned by Sergeant Mul i lan.v, he said that deceased although , sober was a little stupid. | The foreman : Was he stupid with I \ drink 'i i Witness: I can't- say. Ho eo;i- ---| sidered deceased was stupid by the j way deceased fell out of tho trap. ;il;v> , by the way he sot into the trap and | sat down, and, in addition.-there was ,no conversation. He could not s-iy ! what was the cause of deceased's con- , dition. He thought tha horse was being driven at about seven miles :m , hour. The actual placo where de- : ceased fell was .about ten yards round tho corner. Ho thought tho turn emised deceased to reel. Decens -d did not helii Ininsolf when he was falling He > fell like a log. Harris and witness first spoke about driving out to Tarnkohe, and they told Cann to lie ready any time after dinner, but did not leave tho hotel until nearly G.BO. He could not s.av why Lynch went in the trap with them. " fie couid not say that it was because deceased was so drunk that Lynch grit tip beside him. Deceased never swayed after Lynch left the trap. Ho wa.s sitting with his head up h'ko an ordinary man. Roughly speaking, the accident occurred .somewhere aboit 7 o'clock. He was tho only one who yot ' out of tho trap when the accident occurred. Cann had all he could do lo manage the horses, hut he could not say why Harris did not get out. By the foreman: He staved at Allingtnn's froin.Rn+.iird-.viii.t';! \lnml-iy no tlKl not see deceased until nt-arlv 6 o'clock mi Monday. He (witness') .spent the day playing billiards, ro-.'d ing, and looking ■ round. Deceased went over the dash-board and on ti; tho shaft. It was not true that tin horse was going at a gallop, and \\w. pulled up just before the accident. The only person he had spoken to. about the accident since it oeeuinM was the constable. -U.v Sergeant Mullany: He did not remember Mrs. Allington telling th;> fliier.iisner that deceafied could not have had any of the beer that was in the trap because the twelve bottle', were brought back. \ liy Mr. Maginnity: The corner ivs: ! a very tricky one. In his opinion ii was the turning of the comer that caused the accident. He could noi remember whether ho swerved when tne trap turned tho corner ■Sergeant Mullany said that a subpoena had been issued for anotli--r j witness, named Kennedy, but ho bad ! not been found. He was believed to no m thu JReefton district. | In reply to tho Coroner, Sergeant ; iUnllany said ho believed Kennedy'j evidence would be similar to that'ef . the otiler witnesses. I In summing up, the Coroner eonmonted on the unsatisfactory nature oi the evidence. In ],j X opinion tJwitness Harris had put the case in a j nut shell. It was the duty of the I jury to ascertain how Cas.-id.v met-his : death, and he did not anticipate thr-v wotdd .have any difficulty in an-iyin- ' ! at a verdwt. ' Mr. Maginnity proceeded to address i the jury, and said there wa.s do evidence to show that Mr. Allington— '■ Tlw Coroner said lie could, not allow : Mr. Maginnity to address the jury who then retired t;> consider their verdict. THE VERDICT. After a short retirement tho iury returned a verdict that the deceased \\ llham Cassidy met his death by be- ! ing thrown from a buggy whilst in a state of intoxication; that the evideuco was most unsatisfactory because , most of the witnesses wore under the ' mfluonce of liquor at tho time of the ' accident; that the jury oonsiders that there are grounds for further invosti- ] gat ion by tho police. , I I II I. .Hl— 111 »J.1.8 M \ A shearer named Puklmvski, employed at Mr Pike's station at Wai- ■ rangi, was admitted to the Hospital \ yesterday moiuu'ng suil'oriim from , badly cut fingers, the injury being " caused by the blauo oi: the shears ' slipping in, his hand whi"e he was ' attempting to straighten it. As ' stated in yesterday's issue, all the c fingers of one hand were, revered to 1 the bone-, and the tendons were cut. t Although-the fingers will ba saved, the probabilities are that they wijj oo always stiff. Mr Pukiowski is a ' well known axeman, and has com- ' potetf at sports in, ajl parts <;f the -Nelson and Marl borough districts. -Just prior to Christmas Mr and Mrs E. Coleman, of Carluke, had n '' remarkable escape from a bad acci- j dent (says the "Pelorus Guardian.") ! They were driving to Nelson, and j when the horse, which was a nervous ! animal, was going-at .a smart pace down the Whangamoa Hill it shied c and bolted. Racing round a sharp \ turn tho wheel skidded in a wheel- \ rut and capsized the trap against the cutting. The occupnnts were hurled out- of tlie trap, -:nd tlw -Ikmpp <-o-i- t tinned its gallop {'own-hill with the- 0 vehicle dragging sideways. Mrs Cole- c man had -an.arm badly.hurt and was n considerably bruised, and Mr Cole- s man's right leg was strained and he n was somewhat damaged by being a thrown against the cutting and re- t bounding against the trap. Luckily, »i no bones were broken, and, strange to li say, the trap and horse, which \w<? si recovered furtlter down the road, a were little the wose for the aecidest. h