We regret to record the death, yesterday, at Oamaru, of Mr. Allan Mawhinney, by a dray passing over him. The deceased was well known and long a resident in the Mount Ida district; and his industrious, quiet and inoffensive habits made him many friends. -Mt Ida Chronicle, 10/10/1878.
THE RECENT FATAL ACCIDENT AT TOTARA.
THE INQUEST.
An inquest was hold yesterday, at the Northern Hotel, before T. W. Parker, Esq., District Coroner, ans a jury of thirteen, of whom Mr. Thomas Proctor was chosen foreman, on view of the body of Allan Mawhinney, there lying dead. The following evidence was adduced: —
Robert Meek, sworn, deposed: I am a farmer residing at Waireka. I knew a man by the name of Allan Mawhinney, who was a laborer in my employment. He drove a team of horses. I last saw him alive about 20 minutes to 9 o'clock yesterday morning, the 9th October instant. Up to that time he had been engaged in loading a dray with grain which he was going to drive into Oamaru. He was then perfectly sober. Another dray and team of mine driven by John Bailey, was going to Oamaru in company Mr Mawhinney. There were three horses in the team driven by Mawhinney, all in a line, and with reins attached. From what I was told by one John McMillan, I went to the Main South Road at the junction with it of the Fortification Road, distant from 4 to 5 milos from my farm, from which the dray had started. I found Mawhinney lying on the side of the road. He was quite dead. The horses had been taken out of the dray, which was standing at the side of the road. The loading on the dray was all right. On examination of the road along which the dray had come I saw there in one place the track of one wheel was obliterated from the road for a length of some inches — perhaps fifteen or about that — and from this spot the body seemed to have been dragged to the place whore I found it, which was about a yard and a-half. The dray seemed to have been going along the main road regularly until the horses came to the already mentioned Fortification Road, which they seemed to have turned into. This road leads in the direction of my farm. I should think the deceased was about 30 years of age, and I have been informed that he was a native of Castle Dawson, in the County of Derry, Ireland. He was unmarried. I went to the scene of the accident in my buggy, and drove the body in to Oamaru. There were twenty bags of wheat in the dray, and I think the weight of the load and dray together would be nearly three tons. Deceased was on perfectly friendly terms with his mate John Bailey.
Albert Isaac Garland, sworn, deposed: I am a legally qualified medical practitioner at Oamaru. Yesterday morning I was called to sec a man who had been hurt. I immediately rode out to the place which I was informed was at the crossing of the Main South Road, just under the Fortification Hill. I found there the body of the man lying on the grass by the Roadside. The man was quite dead. This morning I have performed a postmortem examination. On opening the abdomen I found a large quantity of blood. On removing the intestines I found the last lumbar vertebra separated from the sacrum. The spinal cord was divided. The intestines were much bruised and crushed, and the left kidney was ruptured. On the external surface of the body there was an abrasion which appeared to have been caused by the pressure of some heavy body. On the left leg a few inches above the ancle was a similar mark, and over the right hip bone there was a small abrasion. There were no other external marks of violence. Death appeared to have been caused by the fracture of the spinal column, Those injuries might have been caused by the wheel of the dray passing over the body of the man, who would be lying on his back. I examined the road and saw the tracks of the dray, which turned into the cross road, and deceased would be run over by the near wheel, which would be turning towards him. I have not the slightest doubt that the injuries were caused by the wheel of the dray.
John Bulky, sworn, deposed: I am a laborer in the employment of Mr. Robert Meek. I know the deceased by the name of Allan Mawhinny. Yesterday morning, the 9th inst., the deceased and myself left Mr Meek's farm, each of us driving a dray with three horses, each loaded with wheat. On each dray was about 2 1/4 tons. Deceased was driving the first dray, and was about four chains ahead of me. He was sitting on the front of the loading, with the reins fastened to the front guard. Everything went right till we reached the cross road under the Fortification Hill. I had not my eyes on the deceased for about a minute, and on looking ahead again I saw the body lying on the road on the track, and the dray and horses going on. The dray was about three or four yards past the body, and the horses had turned into the cross road. I went up at once and put my arms under the body and raised his bend. He was not dead, and I spoke to him, but he made no answer. I drew the body to one side, took the horses from the dray, and went to Oamaru for a doctor. On returning to the drays I examined the road, and am certain that the wheel went over the body across the stomach. I believe that when the horses turned into this road, Mawhinney reached over to get hold of the reins, and losing his balance, fell under the wheel. I have seen the body, and recognise it as that of Mawhinney. The horses were perfectly quiet. McMillan, who went to inform Mr. Meek, was in a paddock near the road, and I called to him after the accident. He rode on one of the dray horses, and I rode another. He did not see the accident.
A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned. -North Otago Times, 11/10/1878.
Oamaru Cemetery.
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