Lily Bargh, (1884-12/9/1890). "the sad affair"

FATAL ACCIDENT.

An accident, which terminated fatally, happened to a little girl named Lily Bargh yesterday afternoon. The little girl, who is the daughter of Mr Charles Bargh, of Musselburgh, and is only six years old, was playing in front of the Forbnry School in company with about sixty other children when the accident happened. The children were engaged in throwing turf at each other, and the little girl Bargh ran towards a cab which was passing with her head turned from it, and before the horses could be pulled up she was knocked down. The driver of the cab (William Ackerman by name, who gets the name of being a very steady and careful driver) called out, but was unable to check his horses so as to prevent the accident. Constable Daly, who was riding in front of the cab, jumped out, and took the child from under the cab, and it was found that she had been knocked down by the horses and severely injured. She was taken to the hospital, where she died from the injuries received at about 4.30 p.m. yesterday. Constable O’Halloran and Mr John Donaldson, who were present when the accident happened, exonerate the driver from all blame in the matter. An inquest is being held by Mr Coroner Carew as we go to press.  -Evening Star, 13/9/1890.

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the hospital on Saturday afternoon before Mr Carew, coroner, and a jury, on the body of Lily Bargh, aged six years, who was run over by a cab at Forbury on Friday afternoon sustaining injuries from which she afterwards died. The evidence of five witnesses was heard. The testimony of those who witnessed the sad affair showed that the girl was playing with a number of companions and made a dash out on the road just as the cab came along. She struck against one of the horses and was knocked down, the front wheel of the cab passing over her body, while the second wheel was just on her when the vehicle was pulled up. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the girl was accidentally killed by the wheel of a cab passing over her body, and inflicting severe injuries. No blame was attached to the driver. A member of the police force, who was on the cab at the time, totally exculpates him from any negligence.  -Otago Daily Times, 15/9/1890.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.