Dunedin, May 22. Elizabeth Roy, wife of Alfred Henry Roy, of Ravensbourne, was run over on the Anderson Bay Road by an electric car last night, and died at the hospital without recovering consciousness, at 1 o'clock this morning. The deceased leaves three children. -Ashburton Guardian, 22/5/1906.
INQUEST.
An inquiry was held yesterday afternoon at the Dunedin Hospital into the circumstances connected with the death of Mary Elizabeth Roy, who was knocked down by a tram car on Anderson's Bay road on Monday evening. The inquiry was held before Mr C. C. Graham (coroner) and a jury, of whom Mr John Urquhart was chosen foreman. Sub-inspector Black represented the police, and Mr W. C. MacGregor was present on behalf of the City Corporation.
Alfred Franklin Roy, sailmaker, living at Ravensbourne, stated that deceased was his wife, and resided with him at Ravensbourne. She left her home on Monday morning at 5 o'clock. They had quarrelled on frequent occasions, but there was no quarrel between them that morning. When she left she said she would not live with him, and that she intended to go and live with someone else. Witness saw her later in the day in Dunedin, when she was under the influence of drink. She went into Bastings's Hotel, and witness followed her and asked that she should not be served with liquor as there was a prohibition order against her. Deceased was not served. After leaving he followed her into Cumberland street, where he overtook her and took a purse from her hand. The purse contained £2 1s, out of £3 6s which witness had given her on the previous Friday night. When in Cumberland street witness asked deceased to come with him to a restaurant, and rest until she got sober. She refused to do this, and tried to scratch his face, and he then left her, and she went south. That would be between 2 and 3 p.m. Deceased was then so intoxicated that she could scarcely stand upright. When deceased left her home she was fully dressed. They had not got on well together since he took out a prohibition order against her. Deceased's age was about 33 years.
To Sub-inspector Black: It was not true that witness turned deceased out of her home on Monday morning. She had been addicted to drink during the past three years.
Dr Ernest H. Williams, said he was called to the junction of Anderson's Bay road and Cumberland street on Monday night, where he saw debased lying on the floor of a tramcar. The hour was shortly before 10 p.m. Deceased was unconscious and had her clothes loosened and disarranged. She was covered with mud and saturated with water. Deceased was breathing slowly and heavily, and was bleeding from a deep contused wound over the left temple. She was also bleeding from an injury to the right hand. There were several bruises also on the nape of the neck. So far as witness could judge, no bones were broken. There was a slight smell of alcohol in the breath. The breathing almost stopped before the ambulance arrived. Witness gave deceased an hypodermic injection of strychnine. The wound in the head would account for all the symptoms witness saw. Deceased was removed to the tram sheds, and afterwards to the Hospital. Witness could not say whether deceased was under the influence of drink when he saw her.
Dr Thos. Gilray, assistant house surgeon at Dunedin Hospital, stated that deceased was brought to the institution shortly after 11 p.m. She was then unconscious, and almost pulseless. She had a deep wound over the left temple, and an extensive wound on the back of the head. There was also a contusion over the left knee. Deceased remained unconscious until the time of her death, which occurred about 1.30 a.m. The death probably occurred as a result of the blow on the head. Deceased's breath smelt of alcohol.
Dr A. R. Falconer, house surgeon at Dunedin Hospital, stated that Dr Stanley Batchelor, visiting surgeon, who saw deceased, expressed the opinion that she was suffering from fracture of the base of the skull. An examination that morning showed very extensive fracture of the skull, and laceration of the brain substance. The cause of death was fracture of the base of the skull. Witness thought she had been struck by the impact of some body, and thrown down by the force of the blow.
James Albert Storer, motorman on Dunedin tramways, staled that he was in charge of No. 12 car, coming to town from Tahuna. Near the corner of Vogel street and the Bay road deceased stepped in front of the car. Deceased was two or three yards off but witness could not see in what condition she was. Witness applied the emergency brake and rang the bell. Deceased was struck by the car on the back and fell forward. The lifeguard acted, and pushed deceased forward along the line two or three yards until the car came to a standstill. When the car stopped witness went to the assistance of deceased, who was unconscious. Medical assistance was at once sent for, and Dr Williams arrived about 10 minutes afterwards. It would have been impossible to stop the car in the time from when witness first saw her and the occurrence of the accident. Deceased was crossing the street diagonally, coming from Cumberland street. From the glimpse witness had of her before the accident occurred he could not say whether she was sober or not.
To Mr MacGregor: Deceased could not have been in her proper senses or she would not have done what she did. The electric lights were all in good order, and there was a strong headlight. The emergency brake acted at once, and the car was pulled up in its own length — 30ft. That was the practical distance in which the brake acted. When the bell was sounded deceased took no notice — she had no time to do so. There was one passenger in the car, at the rear, but he bolted after the accident happened. A bystander named who was standing on the footpath at the time, remarked to witness that, the car came to a standstill in a remarkably short time.
To the Foreman: There was a number of electric lights on the Princes street line, but not on the Bay road. He did not think there was any electric light in the immediate locality where the accident happened.
The Foreman: I think one is required there.
James Neame, conductor, stated that he was conductor on the oar, and that before the accident occurred the bell was sounded — the sounding of the bell and the stoppage of the car was almost simultaneous. Deceased's legs were under the car, over the lifeguard, when she was picked up. Witness did not see deceased before the car was pulled up. After the accident deceased was lifted up and placed on the floor of the car.
To Mr MacGregor: Witness did not think the car could have been pulled up more quickly.
Constable Albert LeComte also gave evidence, stating that he arrived on the scene after the occurrence. The deceased was bleeding from the left side of the head, and one of the tramway employees was engaged loosening her clothing about the neck when witness arrived.
The Coroner, summarising the evidence, said there was no doubt that the unfortunate woman was under the influence of drink at the time, and was responsible for her own death. There seemed to be no contributory negligence on the part of anyone else.
The Foreman said he thought an electric light was required at the end of Cumberland street, and that if a light had been there the motorman might have been able to see the deceased before he did.
The Motorman, recalled, said an electric light at the corner would perhaps have been an assistance to him in seeing the deceased earlier.
A Juryman: There is an ordinary gas lamp there, but, not an electric light.
A verdict was returned of "Accidental death." A rider was added that "the jury is strongly of opinion that a strong electric light should be placed at the corner of Cumberland street and Anderson's Bay road." -Otago Daily Times, 23/5/1906.
A photo of Mary's grave will be added in future.
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