ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7691, 11 January 1909, Page 3

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

INFANT'S STRANGE DEATH

CHRISTCHURCH, January 11. A ten months' old child named Dorothy Ena Cook, whose parents reside at 51, Windr.ill Road, Sydenham, was accidentally killed on Saturday evening under somewhat unusual circumstances. The child was put to bed m its cot by its mother at 6.80 p.m., and the mother went into the kitchen. On returning later m the evening she found the child lying with its neck nipped between two of the curved bars ■of the cot framing. The child had evidently put its head through the bars, and had then fallen, the decreasing width of the bars inducing suffocation. Dr Courteney Nedwill was called m, and found the child had been dead for some time. An inquest was held yesterday afternoon by the District Coroner, Mr H. W. Bishop, and a verdict of accidental deatli was returned after the evidence of Dr Nedwill and the child's mother had been taken.

AUCKLAND, January 11. A motorman named Taylor, while driving an electric car from Onelvunga \k> the city, suddenly shrieked, and, falling, was thrown from the front of the car. He apparently had a narrow escape from being electrocuted, the current having struck him through the controller. Ho suffered considerably, and is now far from being well. WHANG AREI, January 10. A fatal accident happened last night at the performance of O'Neill's buckjumpers. One of the company, Richard Trcvellyn, was kicked by a buckjumper and died a few minutes afterwards. The deceased was aged twenty, and belonged to Christchurch. When the accident happened the show was stoppen. An examination of the body showed only a, slight mark of the kick, but it is considered that the heart was ruptured. TIMARU, January 10. One day last week Mr W. H. Williams of Timaru fjet with a painful accident at Geraldme. He was on his way to the Orari Gorge station to assist m the valuation of the land for the Lands for Settlement Department, and as the conveyance was leaving the stables m Geraldine be stood up to wrap a rug round himself. The horses started forward, and Mr Williams was thrown out on to the concrete floor of the stables, falling heavily on his side. He was taken on to Orari Gorge sta- j tion that night, but was so severely injured that he had to be brought into Timaru for medical attention. TIMARU, January 11. An old man name;! Frnncis Short, between 60 and 70 years of age, was found dead m his hut at Georgetown, near Temuka on Saturday morning. The deceased, who lived by himself, was a native of London, and is not known to have any relations m New Zealand. For some time oust he has been dependent upon the South Canterbury{ Charitable Aid Bftard for maintenance, and had been m failing health for some time. An inqueat was held m the afternoon, before Mr C. A. Wray. District Coroner, and after evidence j had been given by Mr W. G. Hopkinson, a .neighbour. Constable Gillespie, and Dr J. S. Hayes, the Coroner returned a verdict- of death from natural causes. During'the inquest it was mentioned that- deceased iiad at some previous time given his name asFrancis Tichbourne, but as this could not be supported, the Coroner remarked that no notice could be taken of it. DUNEDIN, January 10. A drowning accident occurred at Cape Saunders about eight o'clock this morning, the victim being Walter Patterson, twenty years old. Deceased and three companions went to Cape Saunders yesterday, and camped there overnight. While they were fishing from the rocks to-day Patterson was washed away. A line was thrown to him, but it was not long enough to reach him. A very high sea was running, and at no time would a boat have been safe. The body has not been recovered.