Shocking Accident in Port Chalmers
An accident attended with shocking results occurred on hoard the ship Jessie Headman yesterday morning. Wool dumping having been finished, taking down the press was proceeded with, and one part of it, the cylinder, had been slung, and was being lifted up to be landed on the wharf. It was attached to this gin chain leading to the steam winch; and also to the yard arm tackle. The slack of the latter was taken in as the steam winch lifted the cylinder, when suddenly the gin chain parted, the cylinder, thus released, swung out on the yard tackle, and struck against the spare spar on the port side of the ship. Unfortunately one of the able seamen, named Charles Lawson, a Swede, was standing there, and the cylinder caught his right leg below the knee, and crushed it frightfully against the spar, literally mangling bone and muscle. The poor fellow was immediately lifted from where he had fallen on the deck, and was placed upon a hatch and removed to the railway station. Dr Stenhouse, of the ship Auckland, was in attendance at once, and Dr Drysdale, who had been sent for, arrived a few minutes later. A glance at the, leg was sufficient to reveal the fearful character of the injury, and that the limb could not be saved. The doctors thereupon decided to send the case to Hospital, and set about preparing the sufferer for the journey by rail. Two tourniquets were applied to-the thigh, and the crushed leg carefully covered, and the man was then despatched to Dunedin by the 11 o’clock train. He appeared very weak at first, and it was thought was sinking fast; but the drain of blood from the artery having been checked, he rallied considerably, and was likely to survive the severe shock his system has sustained. -Lyttelton Times, 15/1/1876.
INQUEST.
FATAL ACCIDENT AT PORT CHALMERS
The City Coroner held an inquest at the hospital today at noon, touching the death of Charles Lawson, seaman.
John Muir, master of the ship Jessie Readman, now lying at Port Chalmers, stated that deceased was an able seaman on that vessel, in which he recently came from London. He was unmarried, about thirty-one years of age, and a Swede by nationality. Witness was in Dunedin when the accident occurred by which deceased met his death. It was caused by the breakage of a chain while lifting a cylinder. This chain had been in use about three years, but they generally last about five. Deceased was a steady, industrious man, and had no relatives in this Colony.
John Fergusson, boatswain on the Jessie Readman, said the crew were discharging a wool press on Tuesday morning last, witness driving the donkey engine. The cylinder was hauled up twelve feet from the deck, but had to be let down again, and on the second attempt it was raised on one end, when the chain snapped, and the cylinder swung against the right leg of deceased, crushing it against a spar. He was conveyed to the railway station and attended by Drs Drysdale and Stenhouse.
Dr Yates, house-surgeon to the Hospital, said deceased was admitted on Tuesday morning. He was suffering from a severe compound fracture of the right leg. The bone was broken into pieces, the skin and flesh stripped off and lacerated. He was in a state of collapse, and expired in the afternoon. Witness applied an instrument to stop the bleeding, and also gave him stimulants, but he did not rally at all.
The jury returned a verdict of “Died from injuries accidentally received.” -Evening Star, 13/1/1876.
Charles Lawson was buried in Dunedin's Northern Cemetery, in an area of paupers' graves.
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