COACH ACCIDENT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 346, 11 April 1874, Page 2

COACH ACCIDENT.

INQUEST. An inquiry was held before the District Coroner, B. H. Carew, Esq., into the circumstances attending the accident to Cobb eSs Go's coach, by which Thomas Auderson, four years of age, son of Mr. Daniel Anderson, lost his life, was held in one of the wards of the Tuapeka Hospital yesterday afternoon. The jury, consisted of the following gentlemen : — Messrs Farrer, Jamison,, Herbert, Brown, Fraer, Meyer, Barnett, Bryant, Har-t-op, Hill, Budge, Woutton, Hay, Cox, King, and Gascoigne. Mr. Herbert was elected foreman. Mr. Humphrey, who had also been summoned, did not appear till the jury were impanneled, and consequently received a rebuke from the Coroner, who, however, did not inflict the penalty of a £3 fine. Mr. M'Coy, instructed by Mr. Williims, agent for Chaplain and Co., appeared for the proprietors of the coach ; Mr. Inspector Thompson watched the case for the police, and assisted the Coroner in the examination of witnesses. The jury haviug viewed the body, Wi'u'am Duff was called, and deposed — I am a co.ich driver in the employment of Cobb and Co. John Chaplain is one of the jjarbuers, and Job Wain is reputed also to be a partner. I recollect last Saturday the 4th inst. I left Clyde that morning at 5 o'clock I was driving one of Oobo and Co.'s coaches for !jttwn.uoo, Tlio ouav^lx -n-na lioonacil, ail<l bore the inscription " Licensed to carry 12 passengers ; 9 inside and 3 out. Had only been driving this particular coach about o weeks. '• Cobb and Co." was painted in large letters on the back. I never saw the license. "When I left Clyde I had the following passengers : — Mr. and Mrs. Anderon, and four children, Miss Aimbridge (Clyde to Duuedin), Miss Williams (Clyde to Alexandra). The age of the children, judging from appearauce, would be from five to nine years. I picked up four Chinamen passengers at Speargrass Flat, and two at Alexandra. I remember coming to the Beaumont Hill, which is situated about one mile an.l a-half or two * miles from Bcaumout Punt. It was about 4.30 p.m. when I arrived there, and I was in good time. Would not bo certain how many passengers I had on the box at that time. Thovo were Mrs. Anderson, Miss Aimbridge, and either one or two children. There were two children on tho box before I reached Rae's. I have viewed the body of deceased but could not say if it is the same being so much disfigured. I started at a walking pace at top of the hill. I went at the same pace about 50 yards when the brake broke. I applied the brake as soon as I commenced tho descent. (Being shown the portion of the brake, witness' identified it.) I then fell forward on the footboard, and by the time I regained my seat the horses, four in number, were going at full speed. The road wns not straight but had curves in it. I remember trying to steer the horses round the corner, but can't remember whether I did so. The next thing I remember was being at M'Beath's hotel, Beaumont Ferry, on the following morning. I recollect nothing that occurred from the time referred to till I was in M'Beuth's. Ifc is the duty of the driver to sec his coach is in proper order before he starts. I examined the coach at Clyde on Friday with the blacksmith, to see that it was in proper order, and found nothing wrong butjone of the bolts of tlie forc-^arriage. It had nothing to do with the brake. I have been coach driving about two years, but only three weeks in this province. The coach was a good one — neither old nor new. I examined the wheels at each stage, to see if they required oiling. The brake was not examined by me after I left Clj'de. Tho brake was a good one, and of the usual kind. The leather was good, and was last put on the brake on Thursday morning by the groom at Cobb's stables, Lawrence. The brake acted when I first started to go down the hill, and till it broke. The brake in this case was all I had to rely upon to back the coach. The horses had not breeching on, owing to the inconvenience of using it for straddling the ruts l where tho roads are bad. The horaes with breeching on are more confined together. Tho ruts are very bad on the road in question, and a driver has to endeavor to keep thehorses outside of them. If the horses had breeching on when I started from the crown of the hill the accident would have occurred the same, as the horses could not have steadied themselves, having got into full swing. Had the horses had on breeching they would have steadied the pole better, but would not otherwise have prevented the accident. I could not have taken the roach down the hill with breeching and without a brake. The brake had two handles — one at each side of the coach. Thero was no assistance given by the brake on the other side from which I was sitting. I asked Mr. Anderson, passenger, at Rae's, where we changed horses, to come outside with me, as the roads were rather heavy, and in i-ase of an accident he could give me a hand ; but none of the ladies would go inside because of the Chinamen who were there, so he could not get out. Mrs. Anderson was nearest the brake. The horses were all quiet, and I had had no trouble with them before I came to the hill. The distance from where the brake broke to the bottom of the hill would be about a quarter of a mile, part of which is not very steep. The harness up to the time of accident^ was perfect. The same brake was once broken before j :

while I was driving the coach when I had my foot on it. It broke at the upper part where the foot goes. I had it repaired, i am not aware of its having been broken before. There are other coaches on the same road belonging to Yeend and Pope, but Lam not aware that their horses carry breeching. From my experience as a coach driver-'I think if 1 had had a man instead of a woman on the box it would have helped to prevent the accident. Mr. M'Coy examined witness — Before being in this employ I drove a mail coach from Inverness to Killin for about two years. I was perfectly sober the whole of the day the accident happened. I had a special opportunity of examining the coach on Friday, as I stay at Clyde all day. 1 examined the brake at that time. Middlemiss repaired the brake at the foot, and examined the coach on Wednesday before the accident. I had no suspicion that the brake was insufficiently strong. The depth of the~rut3 I have spoken of is 24 feet. The road is not sufficiently broad to allow a coach to pass without straddling. It would not be possible to straddle the ruts with breeching on. The advantage of the second handle to the brake is that it might be used, by a passenger if required. Examined by the Coroner— lt required very little force to lock the wheels of the coach I was driving. Going over a stone when the wheel was lqcked might have been sufficient to cause the break. By the Jury— =-1 could not, at the rate the coach was going, find my way to the other side of tho seat to the brake. Breeching is not used on any coach horses. J. am not aware that Devine uses breeching. . I never heard he would not drive without it. I have seen brakes breaking nearly at the samo place as this one — not of a coach, but buggies. I had the horses well in hand after the brake gave way. The ruts near M'Cunn's, on Rae's side, are the depth I have stated. A part of the road near Manuherikia is as steep as the Beaumont Ilill. I believe the coach must have been turning the corner when it upset. I could not say what the weight of tho coach and passengers might be in all. Could not tell size of axles. I had a full load. Don't think the coach would have upset had Mr. Anderson been outside and his foot on the brake. By Mr. Thompson — The coach I was driving is the only ono belonging to Chaplin & Co. on the road, or that I havo known since I commenced to drive. L. C. Holmes deposed — I am licensing officer, under tho Carriage Ordinance, for Lawrence, and act in that capacity. I only kuow the firm of Cobb & Co. by repute. Job Wain, I know, signs cheques as trustee for tho firm. I have licensed two of their coaches this year, and two last. The licenses were issued on the 3rd of December. One coach was to Dunedin, the other to the Dunstan, numbered 16 and 17. The numbers have never been painted on the coaches. No. 16 was the smallest of the two. No. 16 was licensed for six passengers inside and three out : No. 17 licensed to carry fifteen passengers — nine in and six out. I did not measure the coaches, but licensed them as they appeared to have been licensed before. l3aniel Anderson, passenger by coach, manager of Bellamy Station, deposed — Remember Saturady last, 4th April. I was a passenger by Cobb and Co.'s coach, and my wife and four children. I started from Clyde for Bellamy Station, four miles from Lawrence. Arrived safely to top of Beaumont Hill. The horses went off from the top of the hill at a trot, and from a trot to a gallop, and did not go far at a gallop before they went off the road on the left side. Being inside the coach I knew something was wrong, but did not know what. The road was steep, and not very wide. When the coach went olf the road it upset on the left side. There was a slope of the road on to a flat where the coach capsized. The first thing I remember after the accident was m picking up my two girls and carrying them ou to the road, and afterwards Mrs. Anderson, then the little boy Tlioinas Anderson. Tho oldest hoy — William — was able himself to get up and go to the road. The coach seemed to, be all smashed to pieces after the accident. [Here witness was seized with a fainting fit, which prevented his evidence from being further taken »o this stage.] Ah Fat (interpreted by Mr. Blewitt) deposed that he was a miner, and at present a. patient in the Hospital. Was a passenger by coach from Moa JTlat, on Saturday, 4th inst., for Tuapela. Recognised the driver of the coach present. He was inside the coach, which came down the hill very rapidly. He fell out of the coach, and did not remember what afterwards happened as he was insensible. The next thing he remembered was some one coming with "a. conveyance r.nd taking him and others to a public house. Did not know the cause of the accident. Tho coach was on the off side of the road when the accident happened. He received a severe hurt on his forehead. There were seven Chinese in the coach, including himself, just before the accident, two of whom he knew, but not the others. There were three seats in the coach. He sat on the middle seat, and two others with him. They wereallEuropeansonthebackseat — hethoughfe a man and two girls — and three Chinese sitting on the front seat, One Chinaman was on the top. There was not a boy in the coach. Reuben G-eeves, swora, deposed — I am a surfaceman employed on Beaumont Road. Remember Saturday, 4th iust. I was at work on evening of that day at second point from top of hill. I was working alone. Rogers and Ferguson were working about 100 yards" from me, nearer to the Beaumont. I recollect the coach coming about 4 o'clock. When I first saw it, ifc was just on the top of the hill. Could not_ tell whether the horses, were trotting or walking at the time, being about a quarter of a mile from them. -Xsaw it about 20 yards, when it went out of s^jl>-fc. About 4o yards from me I again saw it,* when the horses were galloping as fast as a race horse. They had the coach with them. The horses and coach just got round the point and then capsized, on the near sid«. It was off the road when it capsized. I went up to it. The coach was a complete wreck, and scattered about. The horses were away down towards tho Beaumont. The two leaders took the swingletrees and a bit of the pole ; the others took the two forewheels and the other bit of the pole about fifteen or twenty yards from the coach, when they got parted from the gear, and galloped down the hill. The passengers were- lying about on the ground. I with Mr. Anderson assisted" Mrs. Anderson to the road, and then Mr. Anderson's little boy, whose body now lies drad here.. The boy was quite sensible. I could see his leg was broken, and carried him to.the road and put a bag uuder his head. I then fetched two dishes of water^ and gave one to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson and the lad, and then carried some to the Chinamen. I thea looked round, and saw the driver, who was senseless, lying on the road with his feet up the hill and his head down. A dray was brought up by Mr. Stevenson, in which Mrs. Anderson and the boy were put, and Mr. Anderson.. They were taken to Mr. Rogers's, a distance of half a mile. The Switzers coa.eh was passing, and it toot the other passengers. I never-observed breeching on any of the horses during the four months I have worked on that road. By Mr. M'Coy — Did not know why the coaches had not breeching. The road from Beaumont to tiie Teviot is in a very good condition. There is <?ne bad place about a mile from Rae's. I have no experience of driving. By the Jury — In many cases the passengers '. walk both up and down the hill. " There are no. ruts on the hill where the accident happened. The horses scarcely went off the road when the coach capsized. By the Coroner — The curve where the ' coach went* off the road is a sharp one. 1 George Rogers, sworn, deposed — I am foreman oa the road between Tuapeka and <

Teviot, and reside about a mile.- from the Beaumont* ' Recollect SaturdayT4th instant; I was at work' about a quarter of a mile, from my house at the Big Hill, about a. mjle, ot a mile and a half, ixoti the Beaumont. Reuben Ge^ves was woi-iing about 50 yards from'me? ," About 4 o'clock, 1 bovt the two , leaders of the coach coming down the hill at a very furious rate. They ,had the harness on, and were dragging part df the pole with them. I ran up the hill to see what was wrong, and metvthe other two horseB — one had on a collar and a bridle,'and part of the reins. I proceeded further up, and saw a coach in^a swamp, just off the road on the right hand side going up. The fore-carriage was lying about 20 yards away from the coach and part of the pole. The body of the coach waa upside down, and "smasßM up. The passengers were all lying in a heap two or three yards from the cdach. " I saw the coachman lying; on his back with blood streaming from Mb month and nostrils.- l -He was quite insensible. There were two men with them — Q-eeves and Ferguson, — bo I thought the best thing to do was to, go t to Lawrence, and get a doctor and a coach., I did not think the boy and one of the China- , men would live till I came back. When I j arrived in Lawrence I got Dr. Halley, and 1 went back with him io a coach to the Beaumont. The Dr. saw the passengers, wha were bad there, and proceeded to my house, where Mrs; Anderson and the boy were. From the time I first saw the accident, till the time the Dr. arrived at my house, about three hours, elapsed. Mr. M'Coy — Was not aware that any of the horses wore breeching Mr. Thompson — Mrs. Anderson's son, who was at my house, is now lying here dead. James Freeland, teacher at Beaumont school, deposed — Remember evening of 4th inst. I saw two horses with broken harness on them galloping down the hill. I then went up and saw a coach at the side of the , road. The coach was lying on its side. The

sides and top of the coach were all smashed; The top of coach was lying two yards away ' from the body of it. There were several persons there, some sitting and some lying. They were then removed. I and Thomas Cairns found a portion of the brake about 50 yards from the top of the hill, on the middle of the road, and about 200 yards from the j coach, up the hill. In the evening I gave it j to Mr. Inspector Thompson. I believe it id J in the same state now as it was then. Richard Andrews deposed — I am a black* smith and farrier, residing at Lawrence. I ' have examined this foot part of a brake belonging to a coach or carriage. I find a. weld upon it. The part of brake produced is never made in one, but is joined afterwards. It never was properly joined. I say so because the weld was never made sound or complete. It never was a fit instrument to be used as a brake. In my opinion, as a prac- a tical blacksmith, the imperfection of the wel JM could not have been detected until it broke o At the spot where the weld has been made th< 'Jm iron is not sound — the iron is not good. A 5 blacksmith could not tell in making the weld v whether it -was sound or not. Mr. M'Coy — A driver with pains and card in inspecting a coach could not have detected any of these deficiencies I have- described. By the jury — If properly welded the scarf would not have shown. It might be saferto make the brake iron all in one piece. Any man might have sent such work out of his shop and not know it to be imperfect. James Middlenriss deposed — I am a blacksmith, residing in Lawrence. This is the foot iron of the brake. I see a slight flaw in the weld at the place where it is broken. Ifc has seemingly been overlooked "when the brake va^ originally made, as it is not a mend. The blacksmith who made it should ; have observed it when it commenced to cool but it is quite possible not to notice it. I know the coach which this brake belonged to* Recognise the foot oi the brake as belonging to the Dunstan coach, which I have been in the habit of examining. About t?iree weeks since I last examined the coach. I examined it thoroughly. I had fchis same brake off for the purpose of putting a foot-piece on" it. I did not then notice anything wrong with any other part of the iron. Brakes sometimes" give way at the foot-piece. By' the Jury — The iron appears good 5 enough. "The brako is made of the genera" run of iron — Staffordshire iron. The Coroner asked Dr. Stewart if evidence could be obtained from Mrs. Anderson. Dr. Stewart said evidence could not be given without prejudice to Mrs. Anderson's, health, and he could not even hazard a guess when she might be able to give it. Ebenezer Halloy deposed — I am a legally qualified medical practitioner, residing in Lawrence. On the 4th instant I was called to the Beaumont. I went to the house of Mr. George Rogers, where I found the boy, . son of Mr. Anderson, whose body lies dead, here, lyiug thero, I examined the child, and found a compound fracture of the leg bone?, with extensive laceration of the musclfee of the right leg. He had also a fracture of the right arm, and injury to the left thigh. I paid attention at that time .chiefly to the principal injury, and believing that amputa* tion was necessary, I despatched a messes ger for Dr. Stewart to consult with " me, and bring the necessary instruments for performing an operation. When Dr. Stewart arrived, about 11 o'clock, he agreed that am* putation was necessary, which we performed at daylight. We also set the right arm. The operation was successful — very little orno blood flowing. Dr. Stewart and I de-. cided to remove aim the next morning when the vehicle came. Some hours afterwards, Mr. Pope brought up a covered conveyance, with mattresses and blankets, and I thought it more advisable to remove the patients to '< the Hospital at once, which we did. I after-* ' ■wards attended him in conjunction with Dr. Stewart. I saw him last alive on the morning of Wednesday. 1 I have since seen the 1 body. The immediate cause of dieath was exhaustion. The shock from the injuriea sustained, and the loss of blood, were the. cause of exhaustion. He had lost blood before I saw Mm. Alexander Stewart, deposed — I am a, legally qualified practitioner residing at Law*, rence, also surgeon of the THapeka Goldfields Hospital. Remember Saturday, 4th April. I -was called to the Beaumont on that day, and went as far as the residence of Mr. George Rogers. My attention was called to a little boy named Thomas Anderson, Tdiose body is now lying dead here, and afterwards to Mrs. Anderson. The boy had 1 compound fracture of the right, leg, beJowthe knee. For f oiir or five inches the muscles of the skin were torn open, and two bones were projecting. The right arm was also, fractured, and something or other the matter with the right scapula. After consulting with Dr. Halley about 12 o'clock at night, we arranged to. wait till daylight, and then amputate the leg. The leg was amputated between 7 and 8 o'clock in the morning. Very little Hood was lost. The arm was set. I left between 8 and 9 o'clock that morning, with the understanding that I was to go. back next morning with a vehicle to convey Mrs. Anderson and the boy to the Tuapeka Hospital. They were removed the same day to the Hospital, -where I saw them at 4 o'clock., I attended the boy from that time till his death on Wednesday last, about 6 o'clock. The cause of death I attribute \<x the shock and injuries he had sustained: The Coroner said as only one witness had; given evidence as to how the accident occurred, he thought it would be advisable to adjourn, the inquiry, so that evidence might be obtained from some of the passengers who occupied the box seat. Coach accidents wei. ■- become so frequent that it was necessary there should be a thorough investigation into, the case. rfj The inquiry was then adjourned to th% Courthouse till Friday, lfth izutanfc. -