SHOCKING FATALITY AT CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Independent, Volume II, Issue 132, 21 September 1905, Page 5

SHOCKING FATALITY AT CAMBRIDGE.

A sad accident, whereby a young man named William Ferguson, aged 2-1, son of Mr Kubfc. Ferguson, lost liis life, occurred m Cambridge on Tuesday even-

Young Ferguson, according to the police, on Tuesday evening, about seven o'clock, overtook his uncle (Mr David Lockley), who was leading four young colts from the saleyards, and as the animals were rather difficult to control, Ferguson took charge of a couple of them.

The horses were liberated in a paddock in which it was afterwards ascertained young grass was growing, and it was then decided to remove the colts.

Mr Lockley caught three of them, which deceased elected to hold whilst his uncle proceeded to another part of the paddock to secure the fourth animal. Hearing cries, Mr Lockley feared that something had happened, and hurrying back, he discovered Ferguson lying on the ground, with one hand on liis head and the other on his loin.

Asked what had happened, the injured man replied that they (the colts) had pulled back. lie asked for a drink, and shortly afterwards became unconscious. Ho was removed to his father's house, a short distance away. Dr. Roberts was summoned, but the sufferer never rallied, and died at 10 o'clock yesterday morning. The accident occurred just inside the gate that opens on to Mr T. Heslop's property on the Zig-Zag road, Fcncourfc Estate. Ferguson was engaged in dairying. THE INQUEST. An inquest on the body of the late William Ferguson was ' held at the National Hotel, Cambridge, yesterday afternoon, before Mr J. S. Dond,' Coroner, the jury being : Messrs E. J. Wilkinson (foreman), Godfrey Collins, S. Baldwin, W. McFarland, Hector Amos, and O. Johnson. After the jury had viewed the body, the following evidence was taken : David Lockley, contractor, of Hinuera, and uncle of deceased, deposed that on the evening of the accident be was lead ing four young horses on foot from the saleyards. The animals were being taken to Mr T. Heslop's paddock, Fencourt. Ferguson, who was riding a grey horse, overtook him, and stated, in reply to witness, that he was after his cows. ' Deceased agreed to take charge of a couple of the horses. The four animals were put into a paddock, but Mr Hcslop requested him to remove the horses from that paddock as it was the only one he had for his cows. He caught three of the horses and put halters on them. Deceased held the horses, and witness went after the fourth animal. Whilst ho was down the paddock he heard Ferguson cry out two or three times, and on hurrying to the place where he had left him in charge of the horses, he found the latter had got away, and Ferguson, who was lying on the ground, said he believed he was injured internally. Deceased was taken into Mr Heslop's house, where he was given some brandy. In witness' qpinion, the accident was caused through the colts pulling back and unseating deceased ftom his horse.

Thomas Hcslop, settler, Fcncourfc, deposed that the last witness was his brother-in-law, and the deceased was his nephew. Lockley was later in arriving at witness' place for tea that evening than he (witness) had expected. The accident occurred about three chains from witness' house, and deceased never complained of any pain when he was being conveyed into the house. Ferguson seemed in a sleepy state when he was being brought into his parents' residence in a trap. "Witness asked him if his head was sore, and deceased replied in the negative. Ifc was unconscious when he readied his father's place. Robert Ferguson, father of the deceased, stated that deceased breathed heavily when brought home and never regained consciousness. His. son was aged 24, a single man. Dr. Roberts gave evidence as to the condition he found decesed in. His breathing was short and jerky, his pulse very irregular, and he moaned slightly. He examined deceased's side, but found no evidence of injury. He then examined deceased for brain injury, and found the pupil of the right eye widely diluted whilst that of the left was somewhat contracted. Is'oticcd that the movements deceased made were almost limited to the right side of the body and there was little hope of recovery. Death was due to compression of the brain, caused by rupture of an artery, resulting from concussion. Death could have been caused by a fall in the manner presumed by Lockley. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death, in accordance with the medical testimony, and that no blame was attributable to anyone.