THE SPRINGFIELD FATALITY.
THE INQUEST.
An inquest was held at Springfield last night, before Mr H. W. Bishop, district coroner, and a jury, to inquire into the death of Francis William Quinn, who was found dead on the Midland Railway ILine under suspicious circumstances. Chief-Detective Chrystall represented the police.
The Coroner said that there were circumstances surrounding the case which called for careful and searching inquiry in the interests of all persons concerned.
Dr James Howard stated that he had made a post mortem examination of the body. On the head there was a large lacerated scalp wound, measuring four inches in length, and two inches in breadth. The surface of the skull was exposed. There was also a small jagged wound above the right ear, not extending to the bone, and some slight scratches on both elbows and on the right shin bone. There was no fracture of the skull, but he had found in the brain case signs of a fracture of the upper part of the spinal column. This had been the cause of death. The other organs of the body were in a healthy condition. A fall on the particular part of the head injured might have caused a fracture of the spinal column. A fall from a considerable height on to a hard substance would have caused the wound.
Edward Miles, a labourer on the Midland Railway Works, said that he had known deceased for about a month, both working on the line. They left the Springfield Hotel on Tuesday, April 5 about 1 p.m. in a trap, with witness’s brother, Richard Smith and Vivian Fizelle, for the works, about twelve miles distant. All had had liquor, but were capable of taking care of themselves. They had whisky in the cart, and drank at least one bottle on the road, ten miles from Springfield. Witness’s brother was helplessly drunk. Witness was comparatively sober. Fizelle had had a good deal of drink, and deceased was still capable of walking. Deceased and Fizelle then started to argue about the working capabilities of the former’s brother, and a little while after Fizelle got out of the trap. Deceased followed, with his coat off, and began, to pull up his shirt sleeves, saying that he was going for Fizelle. Deceased rushed at Fizelle, and struck him several blows. Fizelle did not strike back, and witness told Quinn to come along. Deceased made no reply, and the cart went on, leaving him and Fizelle. They followed, but did not catch the cart, and were soon, lost to view, as the cart went over a hill. He last saw them about sixty yards from where the body was found. The cart proceeded at a walk for about twenty chains, and then Fizelle overtook it and climbed in. He could walk fairly well, although under the influence of drink. He said, “What on earth made Quinn attack me,” and suggested that witness should go back for the other man. Witness went back and met a man named Hutchinson, who said that a man had fallen over an embankment and needed help. Fizelle, from the cart, asked whether someone had hurt himself. Witness and Hutchinson went back, and found deceased lying at the foot of an embankment, close to the road where he was last seen. Deceased was a wrangling kind of man.
Richard Smith gave similar evidence. Ho said that deceased struck Fizelle in the cart, and witness put them out and went on. They were not sober, and he last saw them walking after the cart, close to where the body had been found. He did not stop, because he thought that a walk would do the men good. When Hutchinson came and said a man was lying on the railway line, witness said, “Serve him right. He struck Fizelle first.” Hutchinson had not mentioned the name the man on the line, and witness could not say what he had meant by saying ‘‘Serve him right.”
Robert Hodgson stated that on April 5 he had found the deceased lying on the railway line at the foot of an embankment, quite dead. Hutchinson arrived with some other men a few minutes later. Deceased had no coat or hat, and his right shirtsleeve was tucked up. The embankment was about 18ft high.
George Hutchinson stated that after seeing the body he went to the cart in which Smith, Miles and Fizelle were sitting, and said they must come back, as Quinn was killed. Smith said that he would not go back, but Fizelle said, “Shut up, Smith. Be careful!” Later, witness asked about deceased’s coat and hat, and said to Smith, “This is a nice thing.” Smith replied, “Serve him right. He struck him first.” Fizelle held his finger up and said, “That will do. Don’t say too much.” Smith repeated his remark in front of some other men, who collected some time later. Smith said he was going to Springfield to give himself in charge. Smith and Fizelle both seemed sober.
Vivian Fizelle stated that when the party left Springfield they had had a good deal of drink. He believed that there were three bottles of whisky in the trap, that they were drunk on the drive, and that all the members of the party became under the influence of liquor. Witness did not remember Smith ordering him out of the trap. He had a slight recollection of getting out, but did not remember any argument with Quinn or any blows. He found that he had a black eye on the evening of the accident. His first remembrance in connection with the accident was that of asking Smith why they were going back to Springfield. He was too drunk to remember what happened. He had never before been in such a state of drunkenness. He was still muddled on the evening of the day of the accident. He could not account for the fact that he had been able to walk, and be had lost all recollection of events.
Constable Barrett stated that he had seen Smith and Fizelle about 9 p.m. on April 5. Fizelle said that he was very sorry for what had taken place, and could not remember what had happened. Fizelle had a black eye and a lot of mud on his trousers, and appeared quite sober. Smith appeared muddled with drink. Witness had examined the scene of the accident, and found the tracks of one person on a small clay terrace leading to the edge of the embankment.
The Coroner said that the evidence was not satisfactory. The whole affair reflected discredit on everyone concerned, and two of the men, at any rate, came out very badly. The immediate cause of death had clearly been a fall, and the jury had to decide, if possible, on the cause of the fall. It was impossible to reconcile Fizelle’s statements with the evidence of Hutchinson and Constable Barrett, but there was nothing definite to connect any person with the accident. Every man in the party, however, was indirectly responsible for the fatality, and their evidence reflected the greatest discredit on them. The jury found that deceased had been found dead, and that there was no evidence to show how he had met his death, and added a rider that the evidence of the witness Fizelle was very unsatisfactory. -Lyttelton Times, 9/4/1904.
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