The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.: 1860 - 1954) Tuesday 30 July 1929 p 11 Article
EXHUMATION CASE
Gas worker's Death Evidence Concluded Coroner Reserves Decision
The healing of evidence was concluded yesterday in the inquest on the body of Samuel Hellessey, aged 61 years, an employee of the Hobart Gas Co., who died on February 4, and whose body was exhumed on July 12. Shortly before his death deceased met with an accident, which, it is thought, may have had something to do with his death.
Inspector Bush represented the police, and Mr. R. M. Clarke (Murdoch, Cuthbert and Clarke) the Hobart Gas Co. Mr. Horace Walch (Simmons, Wolfhagen, Simmons and Walch) appeared for the relatives of deceased, and Messes. A. G. Ogilvie, K.C., and C. Chant for the driver of the cart, Mr. R C, Lucas, and the owner, Mr. Willis Hay.
EYEWITNESS'S STORY.
Frank Harold Bahr, of 23 Campbell Street, said he was riding a motor-cycle down High Street, Sandy Bay, on January 10, about 11.15 a-m. Near the Dr. Syntax Hotel he saw deceased stooping down at a plug on the road, about 10ft.from the kerb. Deceased was working at the plug. He was following a milk cart, about 15ft. behind it. He swerved and passed the cart, which was about 20 to 30ft. from deceased, and on the left side of the street From his last glance at the relative position of deceased and the cart the vehicle would not clear him. Just after he passed ho pulled in again to the left-hand hide of the load, and looking round, saw deceased on his hands and knees with his hat off, and his head on one side. He seemed to be dazed. Witness pulled up his motor-cycle and went back to deceased. The cart had then passed the deceased. With a couple of others witness helped to get deceased off the road on to the path .Deceased had the top off his right ear and a cut on the side of his head, above the ear. Later witness conveyed the injured man to his home. Deceased did not speak on the way. He saw deceased several times between the accident and his death, and he seemed to be a "bit muddled." The milk-cart was travelling at a slow trot just prior to the accident. Witness knew deceased well, as he was a son-in-law. His health generally was pretty good before the accident, and witness never knew him to have an illness. Witness considered he was all right mentally, and never noticed anything peculiar about his conduct or manner. Ho had known deceased about 10 years.
Mr. Clarke: What made you look round?
Witness: I thought the cart would hit him if it did not alter Its course.
Questioned by Mr. Clarke as to an Interview with Mr. Blakney, of the Gas Co., witness said he did not make any references to the state of deceased's health, apart from a tendency to stumble in his speech. Mr. Blakney did not tell him that deceased's health had been worrying the Gas Co. for some time.
In answer to Mr. Clarke, witness could not say why the accident was not reported at the time.
Mr. Walch: What was the state of the traffic?
Witness: There was a tram or, a milk cart, and probably a furniture van, but he was not quite sure about the position of the van. He passed the van before passing the milk-cart. When he passed the latter it brought him right on to the tramline. There was nothing between the milk-cart and deceased. He had not heard deceased complain before the accident of pains in the head, but did hear him make such a complaint in the hospital, after the accident.
Cecil John Lewis, 41 Regent Street, said he picked deceased up in Park Street. Deceased had been carrying a pump on his shoulder. He had no hat on, and was wobbling from one side to the other. Two men helped witness got him into the cart, and he took deceased to the Gas Co.'s offices. Deceased was trying to speak, but could not.
GAS. CO. MANAGER'S EVIDENCE.
Francis Blakney, superintendent of the Hobart Gas Co., said deceased had been employed by the company since 1911. During the last 12 or 13 months of deceased's life he had noticed a decline in his health. Deceased gave evasive answers to questions, and his demeanor was generally peculiar. He reported the matter to the Board. Deceased was examined in 1926 by Dr. Fay. On the day of the accident deceased was told to go to Dr. Fay to be again examined, owing to the decline in his health. He learnt from Dr. Fay that deceased had not obeyed the instruction, and the day after the accident (January 11) asked him the reason. Deceased said he had an important syphon to do at the Cascades, but did not make any mention of an accident. Witness noticed no difference in deceased's demeanor then. On the following day (January 12) he saw deceased in hospital, and was not told anything then about an accident. He had an interview with Mr. Bain on the Monday after the accident. Witness said deceased's health had been declining for some time, and Bain agreed with him He did not know deceased had met with an accident till the Monday following it and learnt it then in general conversation at the works.
In answer to Mr. Walch, witness said he was in charge of deceased, and saw him frequently In the course of his work. There was not much danger in the work, and a man doing the work would have to take no more care than a man crossing the road. It was necessary to stoop to remove the plug from the road. If he found that the syphon "blow," there would be no necessity to use the syphon pump. If it did not blow, he would insert the pump and remove water. The escape of gas could be felt, heard, or smelt but not seen.
In 1927 deceased had been taken off service-laying, and put on to the syphon, to give him something easier to do. Deceased was not able to, answer questions intelligibly, and was "the joke of the works."
In answer to Mr. Walch, witness said he did not think deceased was as well able to take care of himself us he (witness) was. Six weeks before the accident deceased was getting so bad that he reported the matter to the Board He gave instructions that deceased should visit Dr. Fay to be examined.
DECEASED'S HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
Dr. Frank Fay bald he examined deceased in 1926, at the request of the Gas Co. He found that deceased'? blood-pressure was rather high, being 210 mm. of mercury. Deceased was warned that he must not carry out any hard work while his pressure was so high. He found no other trouble of note If a person suffered from blood-pressure and it was not treated, there was likely to be the rupture of an artery, which might cause death or paralysis. If the onset was sudden, and death was sudden, it would be described as apoplexy
There was no practical distinction be- tween sudden cerebral haemorrhage and apoplexy. External head injury' might cause cerebral haemorrhage, or sudden shock might have the same result.
In answer to the Coroner, witness said he was not surprised to see that deceased had died of cerebral haemorrhage. It was possible that deceased met with an injury at the time of the accident that would not take Immediate effect.
In answer to Mr. Walch, witness said that two possible explanations of the death of deceased were (1) haemorrhage, due to the blow received in the accident; (2) hemorrhage, due to the strain imposed on a weakened artery by the accident; (3) natural causes, viz. cerebral hemorrhage. If the pains in the head complained of were duo to the" hemorrhage, it was probable that the haemorrhage was caused by the accident. If there was a severe blow on the right side of the head, without fracture it was possible that a legion would take place Inside the head, on the left side, opposite the point of contact. If the blow was sufficiently strong to cut off the top of the right ear and to cause a deep cut in the head. It would cause a lesion on the left side.
DR. J. F. GAHA RECALLED.
Dr. J. F. Gaha, recalled, said he had no doubt In his mind that the injury caused to deceased's head was not connected with his death when he wrote out the death certificate. Had he had any doubt about anything, there was only one course for him to pursue, and that was to Inform the police. He did not know why he put "trauma" on the, certificate. It was possibly due to one of two things-(1) extra caution to indicate that he was aware that there had been an accident, and which he did not connect with his death; (2) that by virtue of apoplexy itself, which could have traumatized the brain cells sufficiently to have brought about death by secondary causes.
Dr. Gaha quoted cases to show that a post mortem examination would not always give conclusive evidence as to whether death was due to injury or natural causes. He directly denied the statement that a post mortem immediately after death would have facilitated the gaining of knowledge as to causes. He did not see the man till three or four days before his death. The only thing he was sure of was that apoplexy was the cause of death.
THE POST MORTEM EXAMINATION.
Dr. W. Inglis Clark, recalled, said that had the post mortem been held immediately after death, It might have been possible to ascertain whether death was due to accident or otherwise. When he conducted the post mortem examination after exhumation, there was no evidence to show how the haemorrhage had been induced. There was a possibility that death was accelerated by the accident.
CART DRIVER'S STORY.
Reginald Charles Don Lucas, driver of the cart, a vendor of wood, said as he was driving down the Sandy Bay Road on January 10 there was a tram going down in front of him, and another coming towards him. A furniture van was behind him. and he was on the left- hand side of the road. He had a clear view of the road, and did not see anything in front of him. He did not see deceased till he hit him. The spot was about 20 yards on the Hobart side of the Dr. Syntax Hotel. He looked round and saw deceased on his knees. Witness stopped, and went back to him, helping him up. Witness asked him how he felt, and ho bald, "All right." A spectator told him he had struck deceased with the wheel of the cart. There was nothing said as to where deceased was struck? Witness took deceased over to the hotel, and gave him some brandy. Deceased seemed a little dazed, but was able to walk all right. Witness went back to his cart, and know nothing about deceased till Constable Betts came to see him last month. He saw no wound on the side of deceased's head after the accident, but saw some blood on his ear.
The Coroner reserved his decision