DEATH FROM MISADVENTURE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4533, 7 May 1889, Page 3

DEATH FROM MISADVENTURE.

Mr William ifredorick Campbell, aged 2[). ■who had beuu a-,cov»itiiut at tli« liaulc <A X-mr South Wide., Timaru, eineo January, 18*7, died attheGrosvonor Hotel yestordsymorning from the effect* of injuries received in a I'i'Ait'it fpttk. iu tbe sipsll houisof Hi'-- ff-'">'iys

. 1 morning. A party of young men were at the t Grosrenor Hotel till midnight ou Sutur* t day, and the outcome of some talk was a match between Campbell and another bank k clerk, Mr Miiiler, to race round the Ship and j Moncly iind Ziesler's corner. They started und lii'ller went round, after being detained some time on tho way by the policeman on duty, Constable Egan. Mr Campbell unfortunately run against one of tho horse posts in front of the Ship Hotel, with such violence that he rebounded on to tho road, lay there a few minutes, and then ran on to Beswick street corner where lie fell down. Here his cries were hoard, and he was carried to the Grobvenor and laid on a eofu. It was not supposed, he did not himself suppose, that he was very seriously hurt— only knocked out of wind a bit. Ho was then put "to bed. In the morning Dr Loregrove was sent for, and we are informed that he found no symptoms of material injury. Mr Campbell complained of internal pain.but lio was able to take nourishment and medicine. During the afternoon and evening Mr Steadoian, tlie manager of the Bank, spent several hours with him, and sent Mr McLean, the lodger keeper, to stav through the night with him. The latter pat up till the doctor paid his last visit about 12.15 a.m., and then the deceased told him to goto bed in the next room ; he was all right and could knock on tho wall for him if he wanted him. Mr McLean accordingly went to bed, but got up two or three times to see if the patieot whs all right, and found him, as he supposed, sleeping quietly. On tho waiter going in, however, about 7 a.m. yesterday, ha saw that Campbell was dead. Mr Campbell was a quiet young man, generally liked, and his sudden and shocking death has greatly distressed his friends. His parents reside io Wellington. His father, Mr Campbell Campbell, is an engineer, at present or formerly employed on one of the Government steamers. The body is to be forwarded to Wellington to-day. THE INQUEST. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon an inquest was held before C. A. Wray Esq., coroner, and the following jury, Messrs E. Stansell (foreman), W. G. Drummond, S. Clegg, J. Philp, : G. K. Triggs, and G. C. Miles. After viewing the body and on coming back ; to the room, tho Coroner said that Dr Lovegrove had attended tbo deceased, but had not : made anv posi mortem examination. The 1 doctor could only tell them that an accident ' had occurred, and that death had resulted from it. Ho could not tell them the exact causa of ' death. However, if tho jury wished to ' have a post mortem examination they could intimate to him and he would have it made ; ' or they could first of all hear tho doctor's ' evidence. ' The foreman said they would liko to hear l the evidence of Dr Lovegrove first. ' Dr Lovegrovo called said, that on Sun- ' day, the sth, at 11 o'clock in tho morning ' he visited the deceased. Ho found ' deceased suffering from considerable pain in * the region of the bowels. On examining ' him he could find uo indications of injury ; j no external murks. He ordered medicine to ■ relieve the suiTcring. He saw deceased * several times afterwards. Deceased told him ' that ho had been running the previous night > and had collided with a post. He suffered considerable pain, but there was no vomiting ; £ a moderately quiet pulse, and his temperature c was very slightly increased from normal. l Witness certainly did not anticipate so ' suddenly fatal an issue. Tho only solu- 8 tion lie could give was that deceased probably ruptured a portion of the intestines, or they might bare been bruised and given way in tho nisht. Thero was no mark on the outside to show where ho came ogainst the post. Much a rupture of the bowels as supposed, was certainly quite enough to cause death. Tlic last time he ?a.w the deceased was at midnight on Sunday. Deceased was then much freer from piiin ; had had bobio sleep, and had expressed himself as satisfied that he could then bo left alonp, as bv knocking on the wall he could procure the services of Mr McLean, a fellow clerk. Had given deceased some soothing medicine to induce sleep and tan any puin. Was called as late as 7 o'clock yesterdnT morning to again attend on him, but found him dead, and should say he had been dead 2or 3 hours. Never hrard of bis bavine received any previous injury that would belikelv to acoelerate death. Was of opinion that death had been causod by deceased striking the post when running. To the Foreman : About 12 hours elapsed before I was called in, but I did not think any barm had been done. He took nourishment several times without difficulty. He complained of pain immediately over the bladder, but there was nothing to show that a rupture bad taken place ; I merely concluded that from the sudden fatal terminntion. To Sergeant Major Mason : Deceased mentioned no names in connection with the accident— in the way of blame. The foreman and jury then in reply to the Coroner eaid thut they woro satisfied with the medical evidence as led -they did not think a puit ),wi-/e,n examination necessary. Olaf Moller stated that he knew accused intimately, and had been in hie company on Saturday night at the Groevenor Hotel. The conversation turned on running, and it was agreed to run a raco from outside the Gros. venor round the blook and back to tho Grosvenor. They started the race, and witness had got to the Ship corner when he noticed Campbell fall, and then beard a footstep running after the fall. The night was dark and witness could not see him. Witness ran a littlo further and then ran back to the Gro«venor, where he found Campbell lying. He wo» suffering from severe pain in the stomach, and saidjthat'.he had run against a post. Deceased was taken to a room at the Grosvenor. He expressed no wish to call a doctor, but witness thought ho was too bad to walk home. Witness blbo did not Uiink it necasiary to call a doctor. Hud e&llsd at his private residence on Sunday morning, nut found be was still at the Grosvenor. Called on him there, and found that a doctor had attended him. Witness on bearing the full had no idea that any accident had happened. Thought when deceased was not following him (witness) that ho had fallen Bg&inst the kejbinj;, and gone back to tbe hotel. Did nofc taarah for him, not thinking that be was injured. Had heard him »ay a second or so after tho fail "I'm done." Then thought that he had gone book to tha starting point. After getting deoeasod in hed witness asked him if he Bhould Bend for a doctor, but deceased said that it didn't matter, and seemed ta make light of it. Waß not in the habit of running such races, but thought there was no harm in them. Thero wcro no lights. Both witness and deceased woro sobor. Percv Pagel White, telegraphist, rending in Tiniaru, eaid that ho had occupied the same lodgings ns dceaaed. Had been out with deceased on Saturday night, bufc left him at 11 o'clock. In consequence of what Mr MGUor told him, called on Mr Campbell at tho Grosvenor. Decsased complained of having suffered great pain during tho night, and of not sleeping. Ho gave an account of tha accident similar to that givon by Mr WAler. Ho expressed himself as satisfied with what hid been dono for him. Witness saw him in tho evening, in tfao company of the doctor, when dcveaieii remarked that ho felt certain ho would be better in the morning. He was quite conacious and easily awakened. Witness did not think that defeated was seriously injured. Walter Pearey, waiter a(. l.lw Großvennr Hotel, laid thut ho oaw the deceased at 11 a.m. on Sunday, in room 23, and heard that ho hid met with an accident. Witness attended to him and last saw him alive at 10.15 on Sunday night. When he came down yesterday 'at 7 o'clock he went into iicceuei\'» room, und on going to his bediide, noticed that ho was dead. The doctor wai then sent hr. When witness was attending on dcccaieri ho complained of pains in hia stomach, but witne«§ had no idoa that he was so seriously injured. Jmnc9 Power, burmnn at tho Grosvonoi', •aid that about midnight on Saturday, Mr Campbell win sitting in ono of the parlours, and Mktci witncox to giro him it bod as ho wot i">iiigU> »to>l>- Deceased walkod upstairs without tho assistance of wipes*, but could übi my if Mr Junes had assisted Mr Camphell. Witness showed decoaaed to room 2J. and putting \,'u liund on his breast said thut ho wa,, hurt. Witneaa took his boots off und S was then told by doceascd not to let „ anvrna Hit? bis fom. Saw bijp l»«0

> I in Sunday night at 12, found him lying await and lie again told witness that hi was hurt -(again placing his hand 01 breasl). Doeeased then told witness tha he folt better, and did not want anything. I )io did he could get it by knocking ou thi wall of tha room, as a friend of his waß sleep ing in the next room. WitDess had not seer deceased since 3 a.m., nor did he know unde: wbut conditions ho had been brought to tht hotel. To tho foreman : I was at the hotel from t o'clock on Saturday night, and noticed nothing unusual with deceased. The coroner «aid that it would be bettor il Mr Jones, the man who had found deceased lying in front of the Ship and had taken him to the Grosvenor, wore there to give evidence The foreman then said that the jury were of opinion that there was in reality but little evidence to show the causo of death. They bad a certain amount of evidence before them, but now thought it would be better il a post murtsiii examination waß rondo. It appeared to tbo jury rather a curious thing that so many hours had been allowed to elapse before a doctor was called in. At tbo request of the coroner Dr Lovegrove then left the room in company with Dr Lawson to make a post mortem examination. Henry John McLean, clerk at the Bank of New South Wales, Bai'l that he first of all heard of tho accident at 4.15 on Sunday afternoon. Had gono to see deceased and found him in bed at the Grosveuor Hotel. In conversation deceased said that on Saturday night he had been running on the road, and at the Ship corner made to jump on to the pavement when ho struck against a pos*;. Had sat up with deceased on Sunday night who insistra on witness retiring about midnight, to a bed in the next room. Would have heard a knock on the wall, but was not disturbed at all. Deceased had told witness at one time that he suffored from palpitation of tho heart. On Sunday night on witness first entering the room deceased complained of great pain, but on witness leaving him he said that he was much easier. Did not hear anyone vieit deceased late on Sunday night. At this stage Sergeant-Major Mason in reply to the coroner said that they had done all they could to find Mr Jones ; had searched the town for him without avail. The coroner said that it would have been more satisfactory if this witness had been present, for his evidenco would supply on important link. Here Dr Lovegrove returned to tho reom, and on being re-called aaid : I have made a post mortem examination of the body of tho late W. F. Campbell. I found a large bruise on tho descending colon (ono of tho largo intestines) ; contusion and lasceration of the mesentery (membrane in the cavity of the abdomen which retains the intestines and their appendages in a proper position), and of tlia ilium (the upper part of tho hip bone) ; alao evidence of acute peritonitis ; quite sufficient to account for death occurring in the eudden way that it did. The bruise and the injuries named were caused by the deceased running against a post with great violence. There- was no rupture or actual bursting of tho intestines. If the jury like, Dr I/awson, who assisted me, is quite willing to corroborate what I have said. The Coroner then said that they now had all the evidence before them bearing on the case except that which could be given by Jones. The police had not been able to lind him, but though his evidenco would supply u link, there was no need to postpone the enquiry if the jury were sitisfied with the evidence they bad before them. He (tho coroner) thought that there was evidonce to show that death bad been accidentally caused by collision— through the deceased running at gre;jt baste against a hor»e post ; and that they would have no ditliculty in agreeing on a verdict of "accidental death." The jury atonco returned a verdict to tho effect named, and theproceodinga closed.