CORONER'S INQUEST.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3559, 10 May 1901, Page 4

CORONER'S INQUEST.

♦ • On Wednesday last,, Mr James Sinclair, J.P., held an inquest touching the death of John Cochrane, farmer, of Waituna. The following jury -were sworn:—Messrs Osborne (foreman), F. O'Brien, W- Medlicott, D. Buckingham, T. Hardy, and W. Freeman. The inquest was held at the residence of deceased, Waituna. Miss Cochrane, sister of deceased, deposed that the dray and team of horses arrived at the homestead, Waituna, about 9 ji.m., on Wednesday evening. As no driver was -with them she went out to look for her brother and got Mr H. Meyer and Mr Menzies to assist. H. Meyer, junior, deposed that on being "called cm by last witness he went along the road by Mr Wm. Meyer's, and found deceased lying on the road quite dead. There were some bags of coal and empty sacks on the road as if they had fallen off the dray. The body was found near Mr Meyer's house. There was a. drain near where the body was found. Witness assisted in getting the body ot deceased into a trap, and removed to hia house. Mr Mann, Mr H. Saunders, and Mr S. CoHett, deposed to having seen deceased in Waimate on the evening of Wednesday. Deceased was then about to start with his dray and three horses for home with a load of coal and empty sacks. He had taken / some drink, but was sober enough to drive / home. J. Pattersoa saw deceased start for Waituna on Wednesday evening. Witness was with him to Butcher's Lane, -where they parted, deceased driving on towards his home with coals on the dray. Deceased was at that time quite sober and fit to drive his team. There was no evidence to show that any other person was in his company after the last -witness parted with him. Dr Cruichshank deposed that on her ar-1 rival at the house, she found that deceased j bad bees d*ad fos fonjei tiaw a TJwrejvere

marks of contusion on his head and face, and a mark as of a wheel having gone over the upper part of the body. Some'ribs were broken. Witness believed that death had been caused by a fall from the dray, and the injuries from deceased having been run over by the dray wheel. The jury brought in a verdict that deceased was accidentally killed through his falling from the dray on the Bth instant, on the xoad at Waituna.