John Henderson, 1850-26/12/1899.

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Per Press Association.

We take the following particulars relating to the fatal accident to Mr John Henderson, of Glenavy, from the Oamaru Mail “He returned from the Palmerston races by Tuesday night’s train, and then started to drive for home with a horse and daisy cart. The horse reached home just before 11 o’clock, with very little harness and minus the trap and driver. As Mr Kinney, junr., was riding across the Waitaki bridge shortly afterwards from the north side, his horse stumbled over something, and upon investigation this proved to be Mr Henderson, lying in an unconscious state, but still alive. Mr Kinney called up the bridge keeper at the south end, who got a trolly and by this means conveyed the unconscious man home, but he died before reaching it. Dr Garland was telephoned for and a messenger was also despatched on horseback for him lest there might be no telephone communication with Oamaru. Dr Garland went out promptly, but on arrival found life extinct, and found a wound at the back of the head which he deemed sufficient to account for death. How the accident happened cannot be determined, but it is plain that Mr Henderson had been dragged along the road for some distance, as, while the trap was found smashed on the other side of the river, he was picked up about 60 yards along the bridge, and his face was disfigured with gravel, with which his eyes and ears were filled. At 5 o’clock on Thursday morning a resident of Glenavy came over the bridge to see if he could find any clue as to the cause of the accident, and found traces of something having been dragged along the road from a spot fully three miles south of the bridge. It is conjectured that the horse, which was a restive one, played up and smashed the trap and dragged it in a broken state to where it was found, and that even after that Mr Henderson held on to the reins until he was left stunned upon the bridge. Mr Henderson was considered one of the best men in the district in the handling of horses, always cool and collected, and was at all times a sober and steady man. Mr Henderson was an old and respected resident of North Otago and South Canterbury, and had had a large circle of friends and admirers because of his many good qualities. He was a member of the Waimate County Council, Oamaru Harbour Board, North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association Committee, Glenavy School Committee, and other public bodies.” 

At the inquest on Wednesday, at the Glencoe Hotel, Glenavy, before Major Keddell, Coroner, and a jury of six (Mr W. J. Richards, foreman), the evidence of Messrs Reuben Kinney and Robert Smith was heard bearing out the above report, and a verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.  -South Canterbury Times, 29/12/1899.

At the inquest at Glenavy, before Major Keddell (Coroner), to inquire into the circumstances attending the death of the late Mr John Henderson, it transpired that the deceased gentleman was picked up on the Waitaki bridge by Mr R. Kelly. He asked the latter to lift him up, and in reply to a question gave his name, and said he was returning from Oamaru. Mr Kelly and Mr R. Smith lifted the injured man on to a trolly, and Mr Henderson expired almost immediately. The jury, of which Mr W. J. Richards was foreman, returned a verdict that deceased accidentally met his death by being thrown from his sulky and being dragged a considerable distance. Mr Henderson must have been dragged for a considerable distance, as some of his belongings were found at Hilderthorpe, and his clothes were worn through at the back and his coat almost pulled off him. It is supposed that the reins caught round his feet, and he was in this way dragged from the scene of the accident to the place on the Waitaki bridge where he was found beside the overturned sulky.  -Oamaru Mail, 29/12/1899.

Oamaru Cemetery.