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THE CORNISHMAN THURSDAY JANUARY 1 1903


Fatality at Hayle

A sad fatality occurred on the wharf at Hayle on Monday morning. Charles Bawden, 37, labourer, of Mellanear, was unloading a cart on the quay, when the cart tilted up, throwing the unfortunate man over the quay into the river. There were but a few inches of water where he fell. When taken up the poor fellow was still conscious. He was afterwards removed to his home at Mellanear, St Erth, where he died early on the following morning. Deceased leaves a widow and three children.

Inquest

An inquiry into the circumstances attending the death if the deceased was conducted by Mr. Edward Boase, county coroner, at the White Hart hotel, Hayle, on Tuesday afternoon

Mr. Isaacs; station master, acted as foreman of the jury.

William Bawden, coal porter, who lives at St. Erth, identified the deceased as his brother. He was a coal porter in the employ of Messrs. Harvey and Co, and was 37 years of age, with a wife and three children. He lived at Mellanear, St. Erth. Witness last saw deceased on Hayle quay about eight o'clock on Monday morning, when he was waiting for a job. After being brought to his home from the scene of the accident on Monday afternoon witness saw him again.

By the Foreman; Deceased thoroughly understood the management of a horse and cart, having been in the employ of Messrs. Harvey and Co. for upwards of fourteen or fifteen years.

Alexander William Faugher, a Manxman hailing from Manchester, a seaman and cook on the schooner Sunbeam #discharging iron at Hayle, who was working about the winch ob the port side of the vessel on Monday morning about half past ten, disposed seeing deceased on the quay with his horse and cart.Previous to this deceased had carted away several loads. At the time of the accident happened deceased backed his horse and cart on the Foundry quay. He then got over the wheel into the cart, went to the back of it to take a basket of iron from the mate of the vessel, who was standing on a plank between the vessel and the quay, when the cart tipped backwards and deceased at first fell on to the quay, struck the bullwarks of the vessel with his stomach, and then fell down on to the beach, where there were only a few inches of water, the tide being out at the time. Witness got the rope ladder down over the side of the vessel, and with the assistance of another man carried Rawden to a house just opposite. When picked up the deceased was perfectly conscious, and remarked that his throat was sore. He did not, however, speak of the accident. He was eventually taken to his home in a trap.

By the Foreman; Witness did not examine the cart afterwards, and so could not say whether the pin was in or not.

John Henry Hampton, who saw the deceased at Penpol Terrace after the accident, said he was quite conscious. At the back of his head was a scalp wound about two inches long, which extended to the bone. Both his arms and legs were completely paralysed. Witness stitched the wound and ordered Bawden's removal to his home at Mellanear, where he attended him until his death, which took place at 5.45 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Death was due to compression of the spinal cord, resulting from the fall.

James Blewett, a coal porter, employed by Messrs. Harvey and Co., said he worked close to the scene of the accident, and saw the cart as soon as it got tipped. He pulled the cart down, took the pin from the front of the cart and put it in its proper place. Witness formerly drove a horse and cart, but could assign no reason but forgetfulness for leaving the pin out whilst the cart was being loaded.

After a few remarks from the coroner on the dangerous habits oftimes indulged in by drivers, the jury returned an unanimous verdict of accidental death.