KILLED IN THE STREET.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13336, 27 March 1911, Page 7

KILLED IN THE STREET.

AN OLD MAN’S FATE. (Per United Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, March 25. This afternoon, at about half-past four o’clock, a sad fatality occurred in Gloucester Street, near Latimer Square, whereby Henry Garland, an old resident of Christchurch, was killed. Garland, who was 81 years of age, has been in ill-health for the past four or five months, but was convalescent. The members of his' family were under the impression that •he was walking in the garden. It appears, however, that he had wandered into the street. According to two eye-witnesses of the occurrence, Garland stepped, on to the roadway, and, catching hold of the side of ia cart/loaded with metal, threw himself under one of the wheels, which passed over his neck, killing the unfortunate man almost instantaneously. He was removed to his.residence, and medical assistance was obtained, but life wag extinct. Further details indicate that the occurrence was probably Turely accidental. Garland was in a weak physical state, and it is assumed that when crossing the road he became bewildered and his mind became confused, with the result that he wavered and fell under the wheel of the dray. So far as is known, there is no reason to suppose that Garland contemplated ending his life. THE INQUEST. CHRISTCHURCH, Mayeh At the inquest on Henry Garland held to-day, one eye-witness stated he saw deceased behaving in a rather eccentric manner at the rear of a dray. He passed along the right side of the dray, which momentarily obstructed witness’s view. He next saw deceased lying on the road, just in front of the wheel of the dray, and next moment the wheel went over his neck. Replying to the Coroner, witness said that when he first 1 saw the deceased he was assured that he knew the driver of the dray and intended throwing a stone at him in a joke. He did not actually see the deceased fall. The driver of the dray stated that he knew nothing of the occurrence till 1 it wag all over. Another eye-witness, who was riding along and was approaching the dray, stated that he saw the deceased walking across the road, and when about level with the back of the rim of the wheel,; he put his hand on the dray, then took a step forward, and fell in front of the wheel. Witness thought the hub or nave of the dray wheel struck the deceased and swung hint round, and the occurrence appeared to be an accident. Deceased did not appear to como from, the rear of the dray, and was walkin'- shakily. Ho appeared to be in trouble, and clutched, at something to save himself. Deceased’s son stated that his father had been il!/"for the past four or five months, having had a paralytic stroke, and was very ottery. The state of his health made him absent-minded. In addition, he was 1 very short-eiglited. He was of opinion that the occurrence was entirely accidental. Witness, at hisfather’s request, had come from Wellington to discuss making arrangements for his father and mother to reside with him. A verdict of accidentally killed was recorded.