DEATH OF PATRICK CARROLL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20982, 10 March 1938, Page 4

DEATH OF PATRICK CARROLL

ACCIDENTAL FALL ERROR OF JUDGMENT The Coroner, Mr H. Morgan, at the conclusion of the inquest in Timatu yesterday into the death of Patrick Carroll in the Southern Alps on February 13, returned a verdict that deceased died from injuries received in ah accidental fall due to his companion, Guide Ronald Gunn, slipping on a snow slope. The accident occurred on the afternoon of February 12, while Gunn and Carroll were endeavouring to cross from the de la Beche Hut via Graham’s Saddle to the West Coast. The inquest was opened at Fairlie' on Monday, when the evidence of A.' R. M. Bowie, chief guide at the Hermi- , tage, who recovered the body of Carroll, was taken. Opening the inquest, the Coroner first read the evidence he had already taken. The first was that of Andrew Michael Carroll, father of Patrick Carroll, who stated that his son was a fairly experienced climber, although he had not previously attempted the crossing of the Alps, from the West Coast side to the Hermitage. The evidence of Guide A. R. M. Bowie was also read. Dr. G. R. Kingston, who conducted an external examination of the body of Carroll oh February 22, said thei e were some small abrasions of the face and scalp, a small cut near the point of the chin and a deep injury inside the lower lip. There was a compound fracture of the right forearm. Both hands showed signs of frost bite and the left ankle was bruised. Witness said that he interviewed Guide Gunn', at? the Timaru Hospital the previous evening and got from him what medical symptoms Carroll had shown. Witness thought that Carroll died from a fall which caused cbh'cussion of the brain, a fracture of the forearm, injuries to the mouth which possibly prevented him from eating, frost bite of the hands and exposure. The Coroner: Would there be shock? Witness: That would follow the concussion. He had a period of unconsciousness from 4 o'clock in the afternoon until about 7 o’clock. The Coroner: The fracture of the arm; would that cause shock? Witness: That would increase the shock. The Coroner: And cause pain? Witness: I don’t think there would be any pain as the arm would be numb. It would be a drain on deceased's vitality, and would be a material if not a deciding factor in the ability of the deceased to hold out. Gunn’s Evidence Ronald Gunn, alpine guide employed by Sullivan Bros., at Weheka, Fox Glacier, South Westland, said that before February 8 arrangements were made by the Rev. Father Walsh to climb over the Copland Pass to the Hermitage. Carroll came from Greymouth to make one of the party. Father Walsh did not intend to make the return trip, but Carroll was to do so in company with witness. On February 8 the party left the Fox Glacier, and successfully made the crossing, reaching the Hermitage on Thursday, February 10. Later the same morning, witness and Carroll left on the return journey, going to the Ball Hut by bits, and then on to the de la Beche Hut, where they spent the night. On the following morning, February 11, they set off at 5.30 o'clock for tile Aimer jiut on the West Coast side, via the Graham Saddle. They travelled up the Rudolph Glacier and descended a snow slope not far from Graham Saddle. They were roped together and were using ice axes. The Coroner: Was Carroll in view all the time? Witness: No. He was 20 feet away fiom me and behind. Sergeant Black: You saw Carroll go past you? Witness: I realised he had slipped and saw him after he had gone About two feet. He fell about 20 feet past me. Carroll Used his axe in the snow in an effort to stop his slide, and it stayed in the snow. Carroll’s fall was arrested and I then secured his axe for him. I was about to hand it to him when I slipped. I had two axes in one hand and it was due to the fact that I was momentarily unable to anchor myself that caused me to go, and in the fall I dragged Carroll with me. Sergeant Black: How far did you fall? Witness: I thought at the time that it was 80 feet, but it nlay not have been that far. It was an old snow cliff we fell down. The Coroner: Where did you land? Witness: On a flat platform about five yards wide. Witness went on to say that the accident occurred about 3 p.m., and both he and Carroll were knocked unconscious. Witness recovered about three hours later, and he was then lying face downwards in the snow. His goggles were broken, ahd some of the glass penetrated the side of his left eye. Carroll was lying on his back, a few feet to witness’ right. He was still unconscious and his right forearm was obviously broken and had been bleeding. It also bled again later in the evening. He managed to rouse Carroll and their conversation mainly concerned getting to shelter. They crawled into a schrund and witness ihanaged to get Carroll to eat some raisins. He also complained about his arm. Carroll ate some condensed milk, raisins and pineapple, but not a great deal. They were both wet through, as it had been rainihg and snowing since 11.30 in the ( morning. Carroll slept during the I night, but witness remained awake. The | weather next morning was still misty, i Carroll woke after daylight but would eat nothing excepting a few raisins. He could not stand, rind became a bit wandering in his speech. Carroll passed away about 8 a.m. The weather was still too bad for witness to leave the schrund without his ice axe and he stayed there until 5.30 a.m. on the Monday. It took him until 4 o’clock in

the afternoon to reach the de la Beche Hut and he stayed there by himself for four days, being unable to move owing to his frost-bitten feet. He was found by a search party at 4.30 p.m. on Friday, February 18. Questioned by Coroner Sergeant Black: Did you make any inquiries about the route and the weather conditions while at the Hermitage? Witness said that while at the Hermitage he made inquiries of a guide about a route. The Coroner: How long have you been a guide?—Eight months. Before that had you had any experience of climbing? —Yes, for about two years in Arthur’s Pass, Wataroa, and Franz Josef districts. You had not had any previous experience of the- route you took to the Hermitage?—No. And you had not previously been over from the Hermitage to the Coast via Graham's Saddle?—No. Had you been up the Franz Josef to the head?—Yes. Hid you been over Graham’s Saddle from the west side?—No. Your experience then on, the Franz Josef was only up to the Saddle?— Yes. Had you had many cliinbs there?—l had only been to the Saddle once, but I had been to the Mackay Rocks several times. When the trip was arranged, were you engaged by Father Walsh to lead the .party?—Yes. Did the arrangement cover that you were to act as guide for Carroll on the return? —Yes. So you Were the leader?—Yes. Any decisions as to the route to be taken or advisability of setting out lay rizith you?—Yes. Before you left the Hermitage did you make any inquiries as to the route to be taken? —No. Had you any knowledge from information gleaned elsewhere as to the route?—Yes. From whom?—From a friend who was over the route at Christmas. I did not get the information, but Carroll did. Apart from the high section, the route is obvious. The information Carroll received was to bear to the right on the high section of the Rudolph Glacier. My previous information was secured from a guide who had made several trips over this season. Route Fairly Obvious You agree that the route up the Rudolph Glacier to the Saddle is obvious?—For the greater part of the Rudolph it is obvious. When you get to the top Jt the Rudolph there is a choice of routes is there? You can go either one of two ways ? Yes. The season causes schrunds. which will determine the route. What determines the decision?—The roughness of the Glacier would determine the decision in the case of a first trip. When you left the de la Beche Hut, what route did you take?—We made out on to the Rudolph Glacier and followed it up. Did you go to the top?—No. Near the top we branched to the right over a snow slope which offered a way round a rough part. We were bn the snow slope when the weather broke. When was this?—lt was after 11 o'clock. What do you mean? —It came over misty first and then rain set in. During the night there was rain, snow, sleet and mist at intervals. You continued on from 11 a.m. to 3 p.rti.?—Yes. The ridges seemed to take up to the right all the time. We knew we w’ere going too much to the right, but we were unable to find a crossing beyond a rock ridge which comes down. We had to gain height but the bad visibility prevented us from getting a better route. Your Intention was to go over Graham Saddle?—Yes. We missed it, but arrived at a divide to the right of it about 12.30 p.m. Owing to the bad visibility our efforts from 12.30 to 3 p.m. were in several different directions. A good deal of our time was spefit ill sheltering under ridges from the cold. Is it correct to say you did not know exactly where you were? —Yes, within a certain compass. When you left de la Beche at 5.30 a.m. on the Saturday what was the weather like?—The weather Was clear and the tops of the mountains were clear, but there was a haze at 14,000 feet, and I expected rain. You heard what Guide Bowie said that the weather was breaking?—l agree with that and I expected rain about 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Bowie said it changed about 10 a.m.? —lt depends where a person was. We saw a cloud on Mt. Cook at 9 a.m., and it gradually grew until it hit us about 11 a.m. If it was obvious to you that the weather would change, did you not consider it advisable not to start that day?—We discussed the advisability of going on, but considered that even if the weather did change, once we Were over the Saddle. We could easily make the Aimer Hut, for this was the easiest portion of the trip. Making Decisions When vhe weather broke, did you consider the advisability of returning? —Yes, we discussed that, but thought we were so close to the Saddle that we could make it. Who took those decisions? —I suppose it ultimately rested with me, but as we had climbed together so often the decision was really mutual. You were the leader? —Yes, as the leader the decisions technically rested with me. After discussion, we were both of the opinion tb go forward. Asked by the Coroner if he desired to make any comment, Gunn said that the accident itself Was really the cause of Cafroil’s death, for he had always been very fit. He took a pride in always being fit for climbing, arid the trip in question was no exception. Whether Guide Bowie was correct or not in regard to the weather and the route taken, the fact remained that the accident could have happened on a similar slope on a good afternoon anywhere where the same topography existed. Tire Coroner: Accidents can happen in the best of weather. Gunn added that he saw Guide Bowie for only two minutes and described to aim the journey back to the

de la Beche Hut from the schrund where the body was in order to give him some idea where the body was. He did so because he thought that that was the route by which the searchers would have to bring the body tack. Witness’ description of the route, he took on his return journey may have suggested to Guide Bowie that it was the rotite they had taken on the outward journey from the Hut. Did Not Take Wrong Turn The Coroner: You don’t agree with Guide Bowie’s’ assertion that you took d turn to the right just after leaving the de la Beche Hut. Witness: No. Certainly not. Tlie Coroner: You did not come back the way you Went out. Witness: That is so. The route I described to Guide Bowie was the only one relevant to where the body was and that is how Guide Bowie came to say we took the wrong route. I think Guide Bowie mistakenly concluded the route I described to him was the one we had taken going < ut. The Coroner: Was Carroll a member of the New Zealand Alpine Club? Gunn: No. He was captain of the West Coast Alpine Club. Coroner's Finding Reviewing the evidence, the Coroner said there was no doubt that Carroll died from injuries received in an accidental fall due to his companion Gunn slipping on a snow slope. The medical evidence was that the injuries were sufficient to caUs death, and his verdict was that Carroll died on February 13 near the Rahfurly Glacier from concussion of the brain, a compound fracture of the arm, injuries tb the mouth, frost bite of the hands and exposure, following an accidental fall the previous day down a snow slope while attempting, in company With Guide Gunn, to cross Graham Saddle to the West Coast. The Coroner contrasted the evidence of Guide Bowie and Guide Gunn in regard to the weather, and said that obviously there had been an error of judgment on the part of Gunn and Carroll, due no doubt to their inexperience in regard to the Weather on the eastern side of the Alps. There was an error of judgment in setting out on the trip under conditions which showed evidence of a change. That error was no doubt due to the inexperience of Guide Gunn and Carroll, who entered into the discussion. It seemed to the Coroner that the decision to push on after the weather broke Was a mistake. The proper course, to his mind, brd it been possible, would have been to turn back down the Glacier in an endeavour tc get brick to the de la Beche Hut, rather thrin proceed on. When they knew they were bearing too far to the right. They sought in several directions to fine Graham's Saddle, and obviously became lost. It was during that period that the accident? happened j The Coroner said that he did not propose to say any more about the accident, but it was obvious that Gunn after the accident, though himself suffering from injuries, did all that was i humanly possible to assist his companion. He remained awake all night and no one could have done more than he did under the circumstances. It was also obvious that he had had ? terrible ordeal under the conditions prevailing, and he thought it would b( Agreed that Gunn showed great endurance and fortitude in holding oui the way lie did in the cold region foi nearly two days, and then struggling back to the Hut.