Fatal Accident and Inquest

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1899, 8 November 1886, Page 2

Fatal Accident and Inquest

On Friday last an inqneat waa held at Carterton upon the body ol Nellie Petersen. The mother deposed that about 7 o’clock last Wednesday evening she was standing upon the verandah ol her bouse when she beard horses galloping as though they were racing down the Park Boad. One horseman was in front some distance, and she called upon her two children to come into the bouse. The horse which knocked Ellen down waa travelling upon the edge ol the grass and in its course struck the child, throwing her about two yards into the road; she thought the horse struck the child with its knee. The other horseman stopped, and the child was taken into a neighbor’s house. One ol the horsemen went lor a doctor.

Charles Olsen Petersen, husband of previous witness corroborated the evidence ol his wile. When he took the child up she was gasping for breath and appeared to be dying. Dr Johnston testified to finding the child bleeding copiously from the right ear, right nostril and mouth. There was a swelling about and behind the right ear, and the child was insensible. Examination showed that the skull was fractured. The child died next morning.

The inquest was then adjourned until Thursday next to enable Constable Darby to produce other witnesses. William Pilkington, the young man who was. arrested by Constable Darby for causing the death of the child, was working for Mr H. B. Bunny, of Gladstone, and is almost a stranger in the Wairarapa. With very little to guide him Constable Darby followed the probable course of the offender and arrested him. Pilkington said he did not remember his journey home, nor anything about the accident. On Friday he was brought up at the B.M. Court and charged with furious riding on the public street on 3rd November. Accused pleaded not guilty, and on the application ol Constable Darby, the case was remanded till Thursday next.