DEATHS
LOGAN. — On May 9, at Dunedin, Andrew Logan, 21 Alexandra street, Caversham; aged 51 years. Deeply mourned. -Otago Daily Times, 10/5/1920.
FUNERAL NOTICE.
THE Friends of the late Andrew Logan are respectfully invited to attend his funeral, which will leave his late residence 24 Alexandra street, Caversham, TO-MORROW (Tuesday), the 11th inst., at 2 p.m. for the Anderson Bay Cemetery.
HOPE AND KINASTON, Undertakers, 58 St. Andrew street. -Evening Star, 10/5/1920.
TRAMWAYMAN’S DEATH
INQUEST ADJOURNED.
Yesterday afternoon the Coroner ((Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) opened an, inquest on the body of Andrew Logan, a motorman on the City tramways, who died in the Dunedin Hospital on Sunday morning last. Mr W. C. MacGregor, K.C., appeared for the Corporation, Mr W. G. Hay watched the proceedings on behalf of the relatives of the deceased, and Senior-sergeant Murray represented the police.
The following witnesses were examined: —
Nicholas Mathieson (tramway traffic inspector), Dr Harrison, Dr Scannell (assistant medical superintendent at the Hospital), Alfred Cameron (car examiner), Henry Hayward (conductor), and William David Poole (motorman).
The evidence regarding the accident, which is supposed to have caused deceased’s death went to show that at a few minutes to 8 o’clock on the evening of April 30 the car which lie was driving came to a standstill at street to allow passengers to alight. It was a special car, and the destination was the Post Office, after which it was to return to the depot. The car in front of it, of which the witness Poole was motorman, was running late owing to a block in the traffic which had occurred earlier.
While the passengers were alighting from deceased’s car at Manse street he left his platform and climbed up the two steps in front to change the destination sign, which was situated over the canopy. While deceased was so engaged his car drifted onto the car in front, and he was jammed between the two, and, though he assured inquirers that he was “all right,” it was evident that he had sustained some injury, for when the car arrived at the Post Office Inspector Mathieson took charge and drove it to the sheds, deceased riding inside. The latter was then taken home by Conductor Hayward.
In his evidence Inspector Mathieson said that the regulations provided for the signs being set only when the cars arrived at the destination, and added that deceased had no occasion to alter his at Manse street. This witness assured Mr Hay that he knew of no cases where signs were changed before the cars reached the terminus. There was no regulation fixing the distance between cars at stopping places; but while in motion they must be at least 100ft apart.
The witness Cameron, when he saw deceased's plight, jumped on to the front platform, blocked the controller, and applied the hand brake. He found no brakes on at all, and the control lever was open. Deceased told Inspector Mathieson subsequently that he thought the hand brake was on. The usual method of bringing a car to a stop (according to the witness Poole) was to apply the magnetic brake, and as soon as the car came to a standstill to put on the hand brake. This was left on until the signal to start was given, when the power was applied and the brake almost immediately released.
The evidence of Dr Harrison was to the effect that Dr Carswell had attended after the accident, but he v.as not available on Saturday evening last, when deceased had become worse, and witness had been sent for. He found extensive bruises on the abdomen, but could find no evidence of perforation of the stomach or bowel, or of any internal rupture. Next morning witness was again called, and found deceased in a very low state, and, being of the opinion that the latter could not live long, ordered his removal to the Hospital, thinking that possibly he might be revived for a short time to enable an operation to be performed, should it be deemed necessary. Neither Dr Harrison nor Dr Scannell (who gave formal evidence) could state definitely the cause of death, so the Coroner adjourned the inquest to Friday next to enable Dr Drennan to make a post mortem examination in the meantime. -Evening Star, 11/5/1920.
TRAMWAYMAN’S HEATH
CORONER'S VERDICT.
The inquest on the late Andrew Logan was concluded this afternoon before the Coroner (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.). Dr Drennan stated having made a post mortem examination of the body of deceased. Witness described the condition of the body, and expressed the opinion that deceased died from general peritonitis. This had resulted from rupture of a coil of intestine corresponding in position to the bruising. This ruptured bowel had been enclosed by an inflammatory reaction, limiting the spread of infection at first, but later extension had occurred to the general abdominal cavity, and occasioned an acute peritonitis and pleurisy at the base of the right lung.
To Mr MacGregor (who appeared for the City Corporation): He could not say the exact date the injury to the bowel had been sustained, but it had occurred some days previously, and before the peritonitis. There was no doubt at all that the peritonitis was set up as the result of the injury.
The Coroner’s verdict was that deceased died on May 9; death being due to peritonitis due to injuries received by his being crushed between two electric tramcars on April 30. The Coroner added that the evidence clearly showed that deceased (a motorman) had, after pulling up his car at Manse street, descended tor the purpose of changing the destination sign, and had left the car without the brakes having been properly attended to. The result was that the car moved forward and jammed him between the two cars. It was an irregular thing for deceased to change the sign at that point, as the regulations provided for the change to be made at the terminus. It would appear, therefore, that the manner in winch deceased met with his injuries was not in any way due to the traffic arrangements made by the City Corporation. -Evening Star, 14/5/1920.
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