FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE TRAMLINE.
YOUNG MAN KILLED IN GEORGE STREET.
A shocking accident happened on the tramway line in George street on Saturday night, whereby a young man named Hugh McDermott, about 20 years of age, living with his widowed mother at 108 Dowling street, lost his life. The accident happened under circumstances which point to the very great and long-recognised danger under which the tramcars pass through the crowded streets on Saturday night — a danger which principally arises from the carelessness of pedestrians and their apparent unwillingness to give way to the cars. Young McDermott was walking along the street towards the north end of the town in the company of a young man named Edward Ward. When just past the Octagon, opposite Messrs J. and J. Arthur's shop, a car which left Cargill's Monument for the Botanical Gardens at 9.10 p.m., came clown the incline behind them. The driver, as usual, was blowing his whistle loudly and coming down the grade had the brake on. McDermott was walking nearest the rails, and the accident happened so quickly that he was underneath the car before his companion missed him. Ward states that he heard the whistle, and stepped out of the way of the car, and he thought deceased was following him. But, unfortunately, he stepped right in front of the near horse and was knocked clown. The centre horse reared, and the two front wheels, or one of them, passed over him. The driver got the car to a standstill just as the hind wheels reached the prostrate body of the man. Willing hands lifted the car up, and the deceased, on being taken out, was removed to Mr A. Bagley's chemist shop. He was then alive, but it was seen that he had sustained terrible injuries; in fact, three minutes after he was taken inside he expired. The Fire Brigade Ambulance and Dr Roberts were telephoned for, but, of course, their services were of no avail. The injuries sustained by the deceased are mostly about the head and chest. The driver of the car is named Michael Cleary. He has been a considerable time in the service, and has the reputation of being a careful and skilful driver. The deceased young man was a corporation labourer.
At the inquest the jury, after a few minutes, returned a verdict that the deceased lost his life as the result of being accidentally run over by a tramcar, and that no blame was attachable to any one. They added two riders — First, that it was advisable that the tramcars should carry two lights in front instead of one as at present; and second; calling the attention of the proper authorities to the urgent need of a public morgue for the city.
The picture in our illustrated sheet shown as Hugh McDermott, the young man who was killed through being run over by a tramcar, is not that of the deceased, but of his brother. -Otago Witness, 28/8/1901.
PERSONAL.
Hugh McDermott, who was killed by being run over by the tram in George street last Saturday night, was accorded a military funeral this afternoon, as he had been a member of the City Guards for the past eighteen months. The deceased's company, under Captain Crawford and Lieutenant Jack, mustered twenty-six strong, and the Garrison Band also turned out eighteen strong, under Bandmaster George. There were also representatives of the Highland, North Dunedin, City, Dunedin, Wakari, and Caversham Rifles, and of the Engineer, Engineer Cadet, and Bearer Corps, the B Battery providing the gun-carriage. The parade was in charge of Captain Crawford, Sergeant-major Towler having charge of the arrangements. The cortege marched to the Southern Cemetery, followed by the friends of the deceased, and there the body was interred with military honors, the religious portion of the ceremony being conducted by the Rev. Father Murphy. -Evening Star, 28/8/1901.
No comments:
Post a Comment