Kapunda Herald and Northern Intelligencer (SA : 1864 - 1878) Tue 8 Apr 187312187

CORONER'S INQUEST.
An inquest was Held at the late residence of
tlie deceased (at Schonfeld, about two miles from
Freeling), on the body of August Obst, aged
twenty-two, by Mr. J. McNamara, J.P., and a
Jury of thirteen, of whom Mr. Elliott was ap
pointed foreman.
The Jury having been sworn in, and viewed
the body, the following evidence was taken :—
Gottfried Held rich (evidence taken through
Mr. Krueger, as interpreter) examined.
By the Coroner—Knew the deceased, who was j
his brother-in-law. Saw him alive last about j
mid-day on the previous day, when he was
cutting hay, and was in good health, and per
fectly sober. This was shortly before 2 o'clock.
One foot was on the ladder, and the other on the
haystack, when the hay slipped, and the knife
fell on to the ground, and deceased fell on the
knife, which pierced his body. The knife pro
duced was the knife in question. When he rose
he held both hands to his left side, from which
his entrails were protruding. He walked about
ten yards towards the house, and then fell down
again. He only fell on the knife once. De
ceased's wife and witness then helped deceased a
little further on. . The was but little external
bleeding, but deceased died before they got him
to the house, and then the blood gushed out of
the body. From five to ten minutes elapsed
from the time of the accident to deceased's death,
and there was no time to do anything for de
ceased in the way of binding ^his wound before
his death. Mrs. Obst, witness, and Mr. Eisen
were all who were present at the time. No per
son caused the fall of the deceased. Mrs. Obst
was holding the ladder at the time. The hay
was cut fender, and when deceased's knife went
through the top it slipped, and deceased was
trying to save himself when he fell. The stack
was about fifty or sixty yards from the house.
After deceased met with the accident, the only
words he said were " O Jesus." The occurrence
was purely accidental, and was not the result of
carelessness or wilfulness on the part of any
person.
G-ottfried Eisen, shepherd, deposed—Knew the
deceased. Was cutting hay with him on the
previous afternoon. Deceased was standing on
tile ladder and stack—his wife holding the
lactder, and cautioning him not to overreach
himself and fall. Witness was putting a fork of
hay on the waggon, and on turning round saw
deceased getting off the ground, and the knife by
his side. Deceased's entrails were protruding on
the left side, and he was supporting, them in his
hands. Heidrich and Mrs. Obst assisted deceased
towards the house, but he died before reaching
the house. He lived only about five minutes
after the accident. The body now lying dead
was that of August Obst.
Maria Obst deposed that the deceased was her
husband. Was with him cutting hay yesterday
afternoon—holding the ladder. It was because
of the slanting position of the haystack that she
cautioned him not to fall. Could not say what
caused the fall, but it was purely accidental.
He fell on the knife, and sustained such injuries
that he died before they could get him to the
house. He was in good health up to the time of
the accident. He was nearly twenty-five years
of age.
Dr. MacLaehlan deposed that he was a legally
qualified medical practitioner, residing at Ka
punda. Was called yesterday afternoon to see
the* deceased, August Obst, but he was dead.
There was a large wound on his left side. Had
since made a post-mortem examination, and found
an irregular wound on the left side, just below the
ribs, extending downwards. Found the diaphragm
cut, as also the bowel near the stomach, which
injuries were sufficient to account for death.
When witness first saw the deceased his bowels
were protruding, and lying on the sofa—the
orifice extending about six inches each way. A
fall on the hayknife produced would, if the
deceased had moved after falling, be sufficient to
produce the injuries sustained.
The Coroner briefly summed up the evidence,
saying the case was clearly one of pure accident.
The Jury, after a few minutes consultation,
returned the following verdict:—" That the
deceased, August Obst, came to his death on the
3rd April, 1873, accidentally, and not otherwise,
by injuries sustained in a fall from a haystack on
to a hay-knife."