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KAPUNDA.
(From our own Correspondent)
Kapunda, June 17.
An inquest was held here yesterday, on the body
of Thomas Thomas, whose death was caused by
the falling of a quantity of earth and stones on him
whilst excavating a tank for Mr. A. White, at St.
Kilda, on the 15th inst, before Dr. Tallis, J. P.,
and a respectable Jury, of whom Mr. W. Lewis
was foreman, when the following evidence was
taken:—Samuel Hall deposed as follows—I was
cutting out a tank with deceased for Mr. A. White.
We were working one on each side, and had left a
piece in the middle. Deceased was working on
his knees, when a portion of the earth above fell
on him, and struck him down. The earth and rock
fell on his leg. He called on me to get him clear;
and I called the masons, who were working close
by to assist me. We got him clear without any
difficulty. He was on his knees when the earth
and rock fell on him. There was no large stone on
him. The earth fell on him from about six feet
above. After we got him out we took him on a
board into a shed close by. A man went and told
Mr. White what had happened, who arrived in
about a quarter of an hour afterwards with a wagon.
Deceased was not bleeding much, and wished to
see his wife. We all considered it best to send
him into Kapunda in preference to sending for a
doctor. The nearest house was about a mile
distant. The accident occurred about 8 o'clock in the
morning. A man was sent on to Kapunda to get
a doctor to see the deceased at his house after he
had arrived there, who came immediately. De
ceased did not bleed much on the road. All the
blood was in the wagon. William Malthouse,.
mason, stated—About 8 o'clock in the morning, as
we left work for breakfast, I heard a man call out;
when I ran round the building and saw the de
ceased down in the tank; with his legs partly
covered with dirt. I went down and cleared the
dirt away from him. After I got him clear I told
the other man to get a board to lay him on, and as
soon as he was laid on the board I left the man to
get him out of the place, and went myself to in
form Mr. White of what had happened, who told
me to go back as fast as I could. Mr. White fol
lowed, and wanted to send for a doctor, but
we considered it best to send him in to Kapunda. I
believe Mr. White did all in his power for deceased.
Mr. Abraham White, examined, said—About 8
o'clock on Wednesday morning, the last witness
(W. Malthouse) came to the door of the hut and
told me one of the men was hurt. I told him to
go back, and I went to get my horse to ride over to
see what was the matter. I overtook him in a few
minutes, and asked him if the man was hurt
dangerously, and if I had better fetch a con
veyance. I gave orders to yoke the cart imme
diately. When I got to the fence the deceased
was lying on a part of a floor, and I asked the men
who were present if I had not better send for a
doctor and leave deceased where he was. They all
seemed to think it best to take him to Kapunda,
considering that he could be taken there before a
doctor could be brought to where he was; or quite
as soon. I made enquiries during the day after
the deceased until I had to go home. He had not
died when I left, about 4 o'clock. I saw the wound
on his leg; but was afraid to bandage it up, not
knowing what harm I might do. I did all that lay
in my power for him. Dr. Tallis deposed—
Between 11 and 12 o'clock yesterday a person called
at my house to say that a man from Mr. A.
White's farm was coming in in a wagon. I then
went down the town for some calico for bandages.
Shortly afterwards a messenger came to me and
said that Dr. Geyer wanted me. I went and saw
him with the deceased. He told me that he would
not feel justified, in doing anything until I came.
I examined deceased, and found him pulseless.
The congealed blood had formed and blocked up
the artery. We put on a tourniquet to stop the
hemorrhage. We did all that we could for
him. but I consider that no medical man
could do anything for him at that time.
Had a medical man been on the ground at the
time of the accident he could have amputated the
leg, which might have saved his life. The Jury,
after some deliberation, found a verdict of acci
dental death, caused by the falling of earth on the
deceased whilst excavating a tank, with their ex
pression of regret that a medical man had not been
sent for instead of removing deceased to Kapunda.
The cut on deceased's leg reached from the knee
to the ankle, and was of a frightful description.
He was about 26 years of age, and leaves a young
widow, not having been married quite six months,
and only came to the colony in the last immigrant
ship.
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