Fatal Accident to a Child at Rushden

On Saturday morning a little boy about five years of age, named Wilfrid Lack, was playing in the road when a dray belonging to Mr. C. Praed was passing; the child hung on behind, and from some cause his foot came in contact with the spokes of the wheel, and he was carried underneath, and was so injured that he died of his wounds at noon on Sunday. On Monday evening an inquest was held at the Oakley Arms, before Mr. J. T. Parker.

Dr. Crew, of Higham Ferrers, said that deceased was taken to his residence on Saturday morning last between 10 and 11 o’clock, and he found him very badly injured, and recommended him to be taken home, where he attended him, and found his left leg badly smashed, and the thigh fractured in two places. The head was also very much bruised, and the deceased was suffering from internal injuries. His condition was hopeless from the first.

W. Wormleighton, a drayman in the employ of Mr Praed, said that on Saturday morning last between 10 and 11 o'clock he was driving a dray near the Villa, Rushden, when he saw two lads standing near the back as he passed. As soon as he had passed he heard a child call, and he at once stopped his horses and went behind his wagon, where he found the deceased under the wagon with his leg in the hind wheel, and his body between the wheel and the wagon. He must have got into the wheel from the inside. Witness thought he must have taken hold of the spring and was swinging when his legs got into the wheel. The other child was close to him and called out. He stopped at once and took deceased out of the wheel, and laid him in Mr. Cave's garden close by.

The Coroner advised witness to do all he could to prevent children hanging on behind, and said if speaking would not do it he would be justified in using harsher means, no matter who was offended. He wished him to tell his fellow wagoners the same.

Miss Alice Ann Adams deposed that on Saturday last she was standing at her workroom window and saw the two drays go past. They were going quite slowly. When they got to the spot spoken to she heard a child shout, and then saw the driver stop his horses and go behind the wagon and take the lad out of the wheel.

Jonathan Lack identified the body as that of his son, Wilfrid Lack, aged five years. He died on Sunday morning.

The Coroner having briefly summed up, a verdict of "Accidental death" was at once returned.