DISTRESSING OCCURRENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 117, 26 May 1885, Page 2

DISTRESSING OCCURRENCE.

Mr Waterhousc Nicholson Accidentally Killed.

Another shocking gun accident occurred last evening, and resulted in the death of a young man named Waterhouse Nicholson, aged 20 yeara, son of tholatoDr. Nicholson, The scene of the melancholy occurrence was the Mount Eden Railway Station, where a party of young men, of whom deceased was one, had fust landed on their way homo from a threo days' shooting excun-ion. Mr Ernest Brabazon, another of tho party, gave deceased his fowling pieuc to hold while ho waa looking atter his luggage. A few seconds later tho sharp report ot a gun was heard, and Nicholson fell across the rails. He was picked up, and medical assistance sent for. Dr. Lawry was immediately in attendance, and bandaged the wound, which extended across the poor young fellow's head. It waj, however, apparent that tho caso was a hopeless one, and death supervened twenty minutes after tho accident. Sergt. Gamble was communicated with, and a trap was procured for the conveyance of the body to the residonc-3 of deceased's mother, in Kybor Pass Road. Tho sad news was broken to Mrs Nicholson by Vcn. Archdeacon Dudley, Dr. Btockwell also borng in I uttondanco at tho time.

Mr Brabazon's Explanation,

The Btory of tho occurrence is best told in Mr Brabazou's own words. lie pays :—Our party consisted of Waterhouso Nicholson, Harold Nicholson (his brother), W. Colebrook, Herbert Noakes, Herbert Brabazon (my brother), and myself. Wo had been away sinco Saturday, camping out as a shooting excursion to I'ihi, Kariki, and over to the West Coast. We intended to catch tho train at Waikomiti, and being rather late, had to run in order to catch it. We had barely timo to get on board with our swags when the train wont off. My gun was a single - barrel p'nfiro cartridge gun, and when we wore hurrying to cfitch the train I could not stop to take out tho cartridge. After we got into the train, howover, I borrowed Harold Nichol son's ramrod and tried to get the charge out, but owing to the cartridge being swollen by tho rain, I could not do so. Watorhou&o Nicholson saw mo do this, and made a remark about it; he knew, tiieroforo, that tho gun was loadod, Whon wo got out at Mount Eden station, tho peoplo wore all rushing hither and thither. I saw my swag being kicked and trampled upon by passers by, and I drew Walorhoueo Micholeon'a attention to it. Hu held out hit! hand and took my gun while I went to look aftur it. I had been gono about ten or twenty seconds, and had just placed my hand on tho swag when 1 heard the nun go off.

Causo of tho Accident,

Mr Braba/.on is quite certain that the gun was at hnlt'-cock when he gave it to his companion, and ho is equally positive that tlio weapon would not go off ct half-cock. Ho say a the.ro waa a small tent behind Nicholson, who must, ho bolioves, have stooped down to pick it up when tho explosion occurred. His theory is thut something —possibly ono of tho tont ropas--cau2htthe hammer and pulled it back whilo Nioholson was stooping, and that when he was about to rise, tho hammor fell, causing the dischargo of the gun. It was clear moonlight at the timo of tho accident, the hour being about seven o'clock. The facts stated above wore duly reported to Dr. I'hilson.sund arrangements were made for an inquest to be held at tho Queen's' Hotel, corner of Kyber Pbbs Road and Symonds-street, at half-past two o'clock this afternoon.