ACCIDENT AT WAIAU.
PUBLISHED AT 8 O'CLOCK.
A shearer named Andrew Joyce was found in an unconscious condition outside the Waiau Hotel this morning. It is supposed that, walking in his sleep, he fell from an upper window. He is suffering from fracture of the base of the skull, and was taken to the Christchurch Hospital this evening in a critical condition. He is a single man, hailing from Hampden, Otago. -Star, 30/10/1915.
ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.
FALL FROM A WINDOW.
FATAL ACCIDENT AT WAIAU.
An inquest was held at the Christchurch Hospital yesterday afternoon before Mr H. W. Bishop, District Coroner, into the circumstances concerning the death of Andrew Joyce, a single man, about thirty-eight years of age, who died as a result of injuries received through falling from a window in the Waiau Hotel on Friday night.
Dr Gordon Napier McDiarmid, house surgeon at the Hospital, said that Joyce was admitted at seven o'clock on Saturday night in an unconscious condition. His left collarbone was broken and there were signs of a fracture of the base of his skull. There were no signs of external injury to the head whatever. His condition grow worse and a few hours afterwards he died. The injuries were such as would result through a fall from a window.
John Joyce, farm labourer, residing at Hampden, said that he was a brother of deceased, whose occupation was that of a farm labourer, and shearer. He left Hampden on Thursday morning to go to Waiau for some shearing work. Witness had never known deceased walk in his sleep.
Mr Bishop: You have heard the account of his death. Are you quite satisfied that it was an accident?
Witness: Yes, I'm quite satisfied it was.
Bernard Gdanitz, farm labourer and sheerer, residing at Hampden, said he had known Joyce since he was a boy. They came up together from Hampden on Thursday, October 28, to go to the Clarence Estate for shearing work and reached Waiau on Friday afternoon.
In reply to questions by the Coroner witness said that on the Friday right they had three or four pony beers each. Both were perfectly sober. Witness went to bed about 9.30 p.m., leaving Joyce at the bar parlour. Joyce was not drunk. Joyce was to occupy the same room as witness. Witness went to sleep and the next he knew was when Joyce came in and woke him up. Witness could not say what time that was. Joyce had his coat off at the time. About half-past two the next morning somebody woke witness up and asked him to open the door. It was locked at the time, but witness didn't lock it when he went to bed. Continuing, witness said that he did not know who woke him, as he was a perfect stranger to the place, but someone told him that his mate had fallen out of the window. Joyce had slept in his bed and all his clothes were on it. Witness went down stairs and outside, where he saw Joyce lying on the ground with a rug over him. It was just below the window of their room and he had only his shirt on. Joyce was unconscious and they carried him into a back room. The doctor arrived some time later and ordered his removal to the Hospital.
Mr Bishop: Are you quite satisfied it was a pure accident?
Witness: I'm perfectly satisfied it was an accident.
Mr Bishop: I will return a verdict that deceased was killed by falling out of a window at the Waiau Hotel.
To Sub-Inspector Hastie: Have you any reason to doubt that it was just an accident?
Sub-Inspector Hastie: No. I think it was just an accident. There is nothing to make me think otherwise. -Lyttelton Times, 1/11/1915.
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