ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 308, 30 December 1891, Page 7

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

A man named Russell died suddenly at ,&nn&b, Chrisbchurch, on December 3rd. &n elderly lady named Beaumont died suddenly at Springston, Christchurch, on December 3rd. A little Maori girl, daughter of Wabene Tenehu, was drowned in the Waikanae River on Saburday, December 12. John McDonald, aged thirteen, was killed jiear Coarnach's, on the Peninsula, Dunedin, on December 19th, by a kick from a horse. The eon of John Ferguson, aged 5, died ab Cambridge on December 5 from inflainjaabion of bhe bowels, caused by eabing green gooseberries. The eight-year-old son of Mi , J. R. Montague, auctioneer, Palmerston North, was drowned while bathing in the Manawatu Biver on December 21sb. Ellen Ring, aged 11, residing ab Wairoa, Napier, was learning her lessons in bed when the clothes caughb fire. She died from the injuries in four hours. A man named John Burns wae drowned in the Waiau at Parnassus Station, Canterbury, on Dec. 14. The body was recovered three hours afterwards. Mr Walter James Ollivier, grain merchant, formerly of R. Wilkin and Co., died Suddenly on December 12 at Christchurch. Ab the inquesb, a verdicb of deabh from joatural causes was returned. A rabbiber named Sinclair, from Southland, working on Tarras Station, Dunedin, waa found dead by a search party on Dec. 14. He had been in poor health. Sinclair, who was a quiet man, had been a bank clerk in Scotland. John Robertson, who sustained severe injuries on the 19bh Nov. in his claim ab Allen's Gully, Dunedin, by a fall of earbh, has died from bhe effects. He wa3 55 years Df age, and said to be possessed of considerable property. Joseph Roberts, lumper, aged 63, single* was found dead in the public gardens ablnvercargill. He left a lebter stating he intended to commit suicide, and is believed to have carried out his intention by arsenical poison. One of Arama Karaka's children, aboub four years of age, was severely scalded in a hob spring at Roborua. The little thing had been playing ab the time close to the Dtuhina river, where there are a number of unprotected springs. A lad named Frank Thos. Barker, aged 11, son of Mr William Barker, was drowned on December 18, in the Pukapuka River, near the Puhoi. He was with some other boys coming from school, and they were having a bathe in*the river. Tho body of Mra Richard Reynolds, of Trecnrne, Cambridge West, who had been missing tince December 12bh, was found floating among the timber in the booms on the 17bh. At the inquesb a verdict of "Found drowned " was returned. A painful accidenb occurred ab the Beres-forci-i-treet Public School on December l<.th. The children were playing on the .usph.ilted ground, when one of them, a little girl named Wool lams, whose paronts reside i:i Vermotit-e'treee, Ponsonby, fell arid broke her arm. A shocking accident occurred to the daughter of Mr A. B. Suttor, of Eureka, four. She gob severely burned on Dec. 4, her dress catching fire. The child was brought into Hamilton to Dr. Kenny, and euccuiiibsd next morning at 3 o'clock, death being duo to Che shook. An inquesb waa held ab Lyfcrelton on Dae. 7 on Thomas Batter, who died in gaol, havini: been arrested in Chrisbchurch, rushing ;.bout the streets with a drawn knife. The evidence showed that death resulted from rlie clise.ts of excessive drinking, accelerated by heart disease. On the afternoon of December 9bh a boy 8 years old, son of George Ayar, was killed in London street, Lyttelton, by being run over by an express driven by A. Thomson. The deceased ran off the footpath right in front of the vehicle, and no blame is attached to the driver. A sad affair occurred ab Maungakaramea, near Whangarei, on Dec. 3. A resident named Nicholas Phillips, aged 67 years, shot himself through the chesfc, death resulting almost immediabely. Deceased is eaid to have been in very comfortable circumstances, and was an unmarried man. An apprentice named Daniel McGie, aged 18 years, and belonging to the barque Largo Law, now ab Wellington, has been missing since December 19bh. Ib is feared that he has been drowned in tho harbour. The missing youbh is well connected in Glasgow. He has an uncle residing in Invercargill. A gumcligger named Roberb Payne, who was working at Puhipuhi, died suddenly on December 18. He wandered from camp while in an unsound sbate of mind, bub was followed and brought back again by hia mate, Robert Moore. He had nob been back long when ho Sied very euddenly. On Dec. 3 Edward Baigont was found lying dead ab his residence in Churchebreeb, Ponsonby. Baigent was employed in the Customs about eight months ago, when he had to retire. He had been drinking heavily for some months. At the inquest the jury returned a verdicb of " Death from compression of the brain." Mrs Lawless, wife of Mr Thomas Lawless> of Tararu Road, died in the Thames Hospital on Dec. 4th. Death was due chiefly to a shock bo tho system. Mrs Lawless , dress caught tire on the 3rd, and before ib could be pub out she was burned Bonvffwhab seriously aboub the legs, back and shoulders. At Whangaroa, Auckland, on Dec. 17, Mr Alfred Peter liatclitie, late fI.M. Customs officer, died after a brief illness, ajred 60 years. Mr Jttatdirle met with a serious accidenb a few days ago ab Whangaroa, by which he was knocked, through contact with a dray, down on to the deck of bhe s.s. Clansman, lying alongside bhe wharf. A lad named Courtney Evans met with a fatal accident at Mututapu on December 18 on the occasion of the Nelson-.sbreofc Public School picnic, and died ab bhe Hospita) tho next evening. The deceased was a litfcle over seven years of ace, and his parents reside in Hobson-street. The lud fell from n pohutakawa tree, a distance of some fifteen feet 'Mr Norman McDonald, settler, living with his mother nearKamo has been missing since December 8. He naid £ood-bye to hia mother on that evening and took a loaf of bread, a rug and razo:'- from his home, and has not been seen since. Search parties I md the police are cub searching fche i country. Mr McDonald was a remarkably j efceady young man. A boy named Sainfy met with a painful and serious accidenb by jerking the sharp edge of a stick of solder into tho*front of bhe eye. Ho not only cut tlie cornea right across, bub tcooped a small portion of it nearly out, Bennies the other injuries, a cataract, resulted. The boy was taken to l)r. Wilkins, and the treatment so far has proved highly successful. An accident of a serious nature happened on December 22 to a lad named MeGlynn, employed by Mr T. Connolly, butcher, of lfuntly. lie '.Mounted a horse for the purpose or riding oub for orders, when fche animal became restive and throw him heavily. He was attended to immediately, and Dr. Brootne m\ examination found that one of his jaws wa3 broken, he had sutiered a slight concussion of the brain, and interna! injuries had also resulted from the fall. He i* now conscious, and hopes are entertained of his pulling through, though he is attacks with periodical paroxysms of pain and delirium.

An inquest .was held ab Lyttelfcon .on Dec. 26 on an infanb child named Hewebt. The child was found lying on the floor with a fractured jaw immediately after birth. Medical evidence showed it had been accidentally injured in birth. A verdict of accidental death was returned; A sad fatality occurred ab Pafcea on Dec. 27th. Mrs Gad by and Mrs Cox were driving home, and on going down Whenukura Hill .the horse shied and went over a afaeep embankment. \ Mrs Gadby was picked up insensible, and died a tew minutes afterwards. Mra Cox was badly hurt, bub nob seriously. A young woman named Elizabeth Vonpyne died rather suddenly in Auckland on December 5. Deceased was a married woman and only twenty-five years of age. On the 27th of November she went to stay at the residence of Mrs Amelia Croft, in Albertstreet. She was then suffering from asthma, and although frequently asked to see a medical man she constantly deferred doing so. A fatal stabbing affray occurred ab Napier on December 16, in which a sailor named Samuel Robertson, aged 46, lost' his life. Deceased was engaged in an altercation with his mate Sullivan, when the latter stabbed him in the groin, Roberbson was conveyed to the Hospital, where he died. Michael Sullivan, who is a station hand, aged 56, was arrested and charged with wilful murder. Young McPhereon died in the Waikabo Hospital on December 4th from injuries received through a tree falling on him. At ! the inquest a verdict of "Accidental deafch" was returned. It was proved by*the evidence that deceased was a fair bushman and understood, his work, but the tree was a curious one to fell. He was accorded a military funeral, having been an active member of the Hamilton Volunteers. A single woman, named Sarah Ramsay, aged 27, domestic servant with Mra Edwards, Murphy-street, Wellington, committed suicide by hanging O n Dec. 17. The family were absent ab a picnic all day, and on returning deceased was found suspended from a stair-post by a rope which was round her neck. She was quite dead. The cause is nob known, bub deceased was slightly eccentric, and feared she was catching the influenza. She came to Wellington from Geraldine about nine months since. Ab Waipu on December 12, a young man named Norman Kemp was standing in the doorway of his father's house, when suddenly a vivid flash of lightning occurred, and Kemp insbanbly fell to the ground, having been struck dead. His sister was sitting in the room at the time, and she was rendered completely deaf, while the furniture in the room was smashed to atoms. The unfortunate young man was only 19 years of age and was residing with his father, who is a settler in the district. Lily Wellaon, aged 13, was crossing Te Arai Bridge, Gisborne, on Dec. 19 with her little sisber, when a man on horseback galloped his horee across the bridge, riding over the girl, who was taken to the Hospital, but died on the way to the town. The younger sister escaped unhurt. Ab the inquesb a verdicb of accidental deabh was reburned, the evidence showing that the two little girls had been riding behind the coach, and the horseman came suddenly upon them, he having no chance to get out of the way. A boy three years and seven monbhs old, the son of Mr Donald Craig, gardener, met with his deabh under very- distressing circumstances at Epsom on December 22nd. The lad had been living at Ellerslie with Mr Harrison's family on Major . George's farm. In company with two other children the deceased was playing in the vicinity of a well sur- ! rounded by a three-rail fence. The deceased mounted the fence, and, Overbalancing himaelf, fell down the well, a distance of about eight feet. The well contained about four feet of water, and the child must have bean drowned almost immediately. A serious accident has happened to a daughter of Mr White's of Otahuhu, and there was every danger of the total loss of an eye. The litfcle girl accidentally thrust the points of a large pair of scissors right through bhe front and sighb of the eye, lacerabing bhe internal structures considerably and the front of the eye right across ; the water ot the eye escaped, and a lar"ge portion of the iris, through trie wound. She was taken to Dr. Wilkins, who used his be3t skill in the case, and, contrary to her father's expectations, has succeeded in not only saving the form of the eye, bub the child will have also very fair sighb from the eye. 'About bwo a.m. on Dec. 24 an accident of a serious nature happened to an old man named John Roberts. Ib appears bhab Roberbs had been driven by a cabman named Powley to his place of residence at Mrs Milner's at the corner of Shortland and Princes streets, where he occupied two rooms. In order to gain access to these rooms he found ib necessary bo climb the fence, and geb on the top of a lean-to. Roberbs succeeded in getting on the roof of the lean-to, but from there he ! lost his balance and fell into the back yard, a distance of about 16 feeb. His injuries were serious bub he is now progressing favourably, and hopes are enberbained of his recovery. Some exefttemenb was caused in bhe neighbourhood of Kyber Pass and Sytnoncissfcreet junction on December 26bh by an occurrence of an unfortunate character, which terminated in the death of William ivlaloney, and subsequenbly led to a charge of murder being laid against John Ko!ly» From bhe investigations of Constable Hasletb into the circumstances of the lamentable affair, it appears that Kelly and Maloney were ab bhe Ellerslio races on Saturday and were apparently on the very besb of terms. They had been imbibing together, nnd generally having a good time, and after bhe races returned to towu, stopping afc bhe Queen's Hotel, corner of Kyber Pass and Symonds - street. Mr James Hawkins, the licensee of the hotel, states bhab he refused to give the men any more drink. They then went into or.o of the rooms, where a Mr and Mrs Churton were sitting. Some little time afterwards Mr Hawkins heard a disturbance in the room, and ran from behind bhe bar into bhe apartment, and found Maloney lying down on the floor on the buck of his head. The two men were gob out of the hotel and went on to the footpath, where it is alleged there was some scuffling, Muloney falling on his back on the kerbstone. '11 ie man was carried into a room and placed on a couch, but did not speak afterwards, and rolled off the couch on to the floor and vomited greatly. Dr. Cirdler was sonb for by Mr Hawkins, and after examining Maloney he recommended his removal to his honso in Clare-monfc-street, Kyber Pass, which was done at 10 p.m. During Saturday nijrhfc the unfortunate man remained i» 'i><> same state, and next morning Mrs Ivhiloney sent for Dr. Lewis , , who saw Dr. Girdlcr, and they vecommanded Maloncy's removal to tho Hospital. He was taken there and lingered tilt j four o'clock in the afternoon, when ho died, never' having recovered consciousness. The deceased was a baker by trade, but of late got his living on the gumfields, and had come into town for the holidays. He leaves a widow and young child. Kelly was arrested on a charge of murder, and brought before the Court. An inquesb was however held on the body, and after considerable evidence had been taken, the jury brought in the following verdicb :—" Accidental death while under the influence of liquor. No blame attached to anyone." Kelly was therefore discharged.

! Ivy Hoggard, aged fourteen years, was j drowned in the Kaihu Creek on Dec. 28 while bathing. The body was recovered. J. P. Bryant, a well-known resident of Fitzherberb, Palmerston North, wa3 thrown from his horse on December 26bh, sustaining injuries which have resulted fa&ally. j A girl named Rose Griffin, 18 years old, belonging to the Salvation Army, fell while going up the railway bridge steps jat Lyttelton on Christmas night and fractured her skull. She lies in a very precarious state, being still unconscious. An unfortunabo accidenb occurred on Dec. 10 ab Ellerslie, when Mr Roberb McKeand was knocked off the line by bhe cowcabcher of the train that leaves soon after five a.m. The engine-driver stated that he never saw Mr MoKeand, arid there were no eye witnesses. Mr McKeand's injuries consisted of a broken jaw and thigh, besides being terribly bruised all over. A boy named Frederick Arthur Mumford, eight years of age, was found drowned on December 22nd ab the Kauri .Timber Company's booms, Freeman's Bay. According to the statement of Henry James Mumford, an elder brother of deceased, they both lefb home aboub 8 o'clock in the morning, and wont down bo bhe Freeman's Bay beach. After they had both bathed he bold his young brother to stay on the beach while he wenb on the mill logs to fish. He fished for an hour, and when about to start for home he looked for his brobher, bub could nob see him anywhere. After looking aboub he saw his brother's cap floating in the water. He then searched for twenty minutes without success, and went home and told his mother. The deceased boy is a son of Mr William Mumford, tailor, residing in Collingwood-streeb. Considerable sensation was caused on the Queen-street Wharf on December 22nd, when it was found that a most determined case of suicide had Occurred on bhe bee. The well-known City Council water turncock on the wharf, Francis Heading, was discovered to have drowned himself in the harbour under the old' Worth Shore Ferry Tee, to bhe eastward of the main bee, the act having evidently been commibbed during the previous night. From tho appearance of the body ib was quite evident that the deceased had firsb deliberately tied his feeb and legs up and then thrown himself into bhe water. His ffilo hat was found close to on the wharf. Ab bho Inquosb held bhe next day, Charles Q Hara Smith, Inspector of the Audit Department, residing in Parnell, deposed that he had discovered somedeficieneies in deceased's water accounts, and ordered him to be brought before himself and the Town Clerk to give an explanation of his defalcations. Deceased at first denied the deficiencies, bub afberwards acknowledged fchab he had appropriated tho money to his own use. There were 18 or 19 cases of defieency. The jury returned a verdict of "Found drowned," adding that there was no evidence to show whether deceased was bound by his own hands, or whether anyone else had tied him. The dead body oE a man named George Egern, employed as a lumper, a resident of Freeman's Bay, was discovered on Christmas -Day on bhe beach near the Narrow Neck, Rangitoto Channel, under circumstances which poinb to his having committed suicide. The body when found had the ankles tied with a piece of rope, and a rope was also tied 1 round hrs neck and fastened to a heavy stone, while one of his arms was also fastened to a large stone by another line. It appears bhat the man Egern had been very ill lately, as well as being in very poor pecuniary circumstances, and brooding over his misfortunes be determined to kill himself. He had been suffering from cancer in bhe tongue for soveral months, and a short time a«o, after being in the Hospital, he went to Dr. Wilkins for medical treatment, and the tongue, which was the primary seat of bhe disease, waa successfullj ,, removed. By this time his case had become hopeless, and last Wednesday he went (o Dr. Wilkins and asked him for a candid opinion on his state of health. Dr. Wilkins told him that he could '■' only repeat what ho had previously told deceased's friend —that he was incurable, tho operation having been delayed too long before he sought his advice, and the cancer having spread bhroush bhts body. Egorn then went array. Ib seems thet he wenb across ab oncebotheNorthßhoremid drowned himself. At bhe inquesb the jury returned a vordict of "Found drowned." The danger of keeping loaded firearms aboub a house was again fatally illisstrabed ab Mounb Roskill, Auckland, Dec. 17, when two litbie children belonging bo Mr James Benfcon were accidentally shofc by bheir brobher. Ib appears that the eldest daughter ot Mr Benton waa engaged yeeberday giving the house a cleaning and in doing so placed an old double-barrelled fowling piece oub on bhe verandah. The gun had nott been used for the last two or three years, and as usual was nob thought to be loaded. One of tho children named George Benton, a boy between nine and ten yeara of age, playing aboub and his attention was atbracted by the gun. The lad appears to have procured some matches which he attempted to snap on tho hammer of the gun. Hia efforts were only boo su3ce»sful. The front door was open at the bime and his brobber Adam and sister Agnes v/ere in the kitchen. When he pulled tho trigger, the gun exploded and the charge of shot traversed the length of the passage and struck his brobher in the stomach, passing righb through the body and lodging in tho arm of the litbie girl Agnos Benton, who is about two years of age. Mr and Mrs Benton were nob ab home when bhe Gad evenb took place, and the nuii'erers were removed bo fche Hospital, where the medical mon did all that skill could to save tlio boy's life bub failed astheintestines had beonsadly cub aboub. As a lasb resorb bhe body was opened and attempts made to sow up fche wounds. The child however puccumed between seven and eight p.m. The little boy who was fatally injured was only aboub six years of age. An inquasb was held fche following day, when the jury returned a verdicb of " Accidental Deabh," enbirely exonerabing fche parents from blame.