Robert Arthur Yeo – grave tales

THE STABLE TRAGEDY
INQUEST RESUMED
VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH.

The inquest into the circumstances connected with the death of Robert A. Yeo, who was kicked to death in Castieau’s stables on Sunday morning, was resumed yesterday, before Mr H. S. King, J.P. (acting coroner), and a jury consisting of Mr Carrigg, H. G. Flower, and W. E. Sheldon. Mr Randall appeared for the interests of the deceased. The examination of witnesses was conducted by Inspector Newland. A good number of the public were present during the morning. Dr Ellis said that, at the request of the deceased’s friends, he was present at the post-mortem examination on the previous afternoon. Permission from the Warden had to be obtained.

Castieau’s Livery Stables & Co,Coolgardie – Sylvester St opposite Kennedy’s Hotel, Coolgardie.

Dr Ellis took no part in the operation, but was present to observe all he could. He said the deceased was a man of about 5 ft 7in  in height, young, and having all the appearance of possessing a robust frame. He had several wounds and abrasions on the surface of his body, as well as some internal injuries. The first wound to deal with was one on the right-hand side of the head, behind the temple. It was semi-circular in shape. For about an inch and a half behind the wound, bruises were noticeable. The next wound investigated was one on the left-hand side of the head. Externally through the skin it was a small wound, clean cut, and on putting a probe into this wound it was found that the bone was fractured. The third wound was one situated on the front of the chin. It was 8in in its diameter.

The plate of the left temple was broken in several places and the epiphsisory fracture was fully 1in wide. On removing the skull they found the internal surface without any extravasation of blood, and on the left-hand side, between the brain substance and the skull, they found the middle meningeal artery had been ruptured. The brain itself was found uninjured and not at all lacerated. The cause of death was the two wounds on the left side. They were separated by 6in. They appeared to have been inflicted by similar instruments. At this stage, in view of the medical evidence,

Mr Jenkins asked that the deceased’s skull should be produced in court.

In the meantime other evidence was taken. Thomas McJannet, chief steward at the Coolgardie Club, said that at about 3 o’clock on Sunday morning Messrs Yeo, Smith and Woodville were in the club. Messrs Housten and Clark were also present at this time, but left shortly afterwards. The other three were then in the club bar and seemed friendly enough, and were indulging in skylarking and a little bit of frivolity. At about 4 a.m. the three named started a game of draw poker. While they were playing a bit of a difference started, in which the three were engaged. He several times tried to intercede and make peace, and partially succeeded. In the argument Smith said to Woodville, You are a cur and a *%$* thing. He also said to Woodville, “I’ll back my little friend here to fight you’ (referring to Yeo).

Woodville replied, ‘No, I don’t want any fighting in the club, and flatly refused to take any part in a fight. After that the three men had a few high words together, Yeo being very aggressive to Woodville by persistently asking him to fight. After that they did not again act in a friendly manner during the morning, but continued arguing. At about 7.20am Yeo asked Woodville to go across into the livery stables to settle the argument. Woodville went out into the street in front of the club, Yeo and Smith following. Witness went out to try and keep peace, especially as it was a Sunday morning, and stood between the parties. Smith and Woodville continued arguing, and Smith pushed Woodville and said –  ‘You Cur, you wont fight.’ Up to this time Woodville was not aggressive, and was being bullied a little. Woodville and Yeo were, in his opinion, sober. Smith may have had one drink, but not sufficient to enable it to be said that he was under the influence.

While they were in the street another member of the club came up and said—’Come and have a drink, Roley’ Woodville went back in with him, and they had a drink together. McJannet remained outside with Yeo and Smith. He endeavored to prevail on Yeo, who wanted to go in after Woodville, not to have any more rows. Yeo and Smith took no notice of him, but both walked into the club. Woodville had been left alone in the bar, his friend having gone. Smith and Yeo asked Woodville to have a drink, but still having a half-finished glass of liquor in his hand, he refused the invitation. Then Yeo smacked Woodville in the face with his open hand. Woodville folded his arms, and requested witness to take a note of Yeo’s action. When Yeo smacked Woodville again he said

“Come outside and I’ll fight you.”

but Woodville would not do so. A number of nasty remarks” were passed from one to the other. Witness thought that Yeo then went out to the back, and Smith to the lavatory, leaving Woodville alone in the bar. Woodville bought a packet of cigarettes, lit one, and as far as witness knew went over to his stables. Smith then came back to the bar and asked where Yeo had gone. McJannet went inside to lie down, and the next thing he remembered was C. Sommers calling on him. McJannet put on his hat and coat and went across to the stable. there he met Woodville, who was in a very excited state. He saw Dr Seed, Mr Sommers, the groom, a constable, and the body of Yeo on the ground, at the lower end of the passage between the stalls.

He obtained a stretcher and assisted to take Yeo, who was still alive, to his camp. Yeo did not speak during that time, and appeared to be insensible. A nurse was sent for, and arrived just after his death, which occurred about five minutes after the camp was reached.

Evidence given by Mr Randall who knew the deceased well. Yeo was a very quiet man. Witness had never seen him uuder the influence of drink. Complaints had never been made concerning him to the committee. He said that morning Smith, Woodville, and Yeo were all three sober. They had had a fair amount of drink during the night, but were by then practically sober, or nearly so.

Dr Ellis then continued his evidence. He produced the top of the skull, and explained the character of the wounds. A penetrating force had entered on the left side, gone along by the bone grooving it, and ultimately causing death. The wound on the right side might have been caused by the kick of a horse. He did not think that the wounds on the left and right sides of the head were caused by the same. One was a punctured wound, and the other an incised wound.

Dr Seed, resident medical officer, deposed that on Sunday morning he was called by telephone message to Castieau’s stables. He went at once, and on arrival he found a man lying on his back between the two rows of stalls in which horses were standing. He was unconscious, he was breathing heavily, his pulse was fairly good and regular. As soon as posible he had him removed to his own camp, and secured the services of a trained nurse to assist in treating his injuries. On witness’ arrival at the stables the head of the deceased was on a wet towel.

There was a large lacerated wound on the right side of the head, a small wound over the left temple;  Witness remained  in attendance till about 10 o’clock. He was was ordered by the Coroner to make a post-mortem examination. On external examination it was found that there was curved wound about 2in in length on the right sideof the head, that in one part of this wound the skull was exposed. The wound on the left side of he head did not have clean-cut edges, went directly down on to the bone, and a fracture could be felt bv means of a porobe.

Death was caused by the blow on the right side of the head, which could well have been inflicted by the shoe of a horse. The blow was so powerful that it could well have dashed the head of the deceased against the side of the stall and caused all the injuries which brought about death. The skull was almost broken into two halves.It was very hard to say how the lower wound on the left hand side of the face was effected. It could well have been made by the nail in a horse’s hoof or by the horse treading on the deceased.  The wound on the right hand side was probably causedby the kick of a horse,

but the man’s head must have been close to or 0n the ground at the time.

It must have been a blow of very great force. The skull was cracked right across, aud the parts were only held together by the tissue with which it was covered.  The blow on the ‘right side must have been very much more forceful than that on the left. The reason that the left band side bone was much more severely fractured than that on the right hand side was that it was thin and of little strength, whereas the bone-on the rigbt hand side was strong and much thicker.

John Schwartz, groom at Castieau’s stables, deposed that about 8 a.m on Sunday he was in the stable when Woodville passed him. Woodville was by himself, but a few seconds later another man followed him. Witness heard a voice call out “Come on, I’ll have a bit of you.’  It was not Woodville’s voice. Witness looked up and saw the second man take off his hat and coat and hang them of one of the nails between the stalls. Woodville had turned round, and the other man made a hit at him. They must then have got some sort of clinch for witness saw them fall into a stall containing a horse. He saw the horse jumping about and kicking, and heard a thud as if somebody had been kicked

He ran down the passage, and as he got to the spot he saw Woodville kicked out of the tall and about two, yards away. Schwartz steadied the horse, and then pulled the man remaining in the stall clear of the horse. Woodville got up and assisted. The man was insensible, and did not speak a word. They bathed the injured man, an while they were doing so Smith came in. Woodville rang up the doctor, who came dawn, and the injunred man was removed to his camp.

Albury Banner and Wodonga Express NSW 12 May 1899, page 29

When Inspector Newland questioned Schultz he said “a gentleman got kicked by a horse.’ There was no instrument in or about tbe stall which could have bean used to strike the deseased. Roland Travers Woodville, proprietor of Castieau’s livery stables, said he walked to tbe stable, went in at the gate, About 10 seconds later, Yeo made his appearance about three yards from him. The only remark Yeo made was ‘Now, I’m going to have a bit of you – and he then took off his coat and hat aid put them on the side of the stall, Woodville slipped his own coat and vest off, and as soon as he turned back to his opponent he received two blows, one on the forehead, and one on the lip. He had no chance to return the blows, as Yeo was on top of him. They closed and fell over into the stall. Witness could feel and hear the horse’s hoofs striking. He was kicked in the chest and thrown chlear of the stall When he picked himself up, the groom was just pulling Yeo out of the stall. At 5 o’clock the jury retired to consider their verdict. Returning 10 minutes later they delivered the following finding:

That Robert A. Yeo came to his death accidentally throngh a kick from a horse, producing concussion of the brain.