ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 165, 12 July 1894, Page 6

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES

Andrew Hansen, aged 44, fell over th° Vbarf ab Napier on Jane 3Obh and vra 6* tirowned. John Menzlca was killed afa Bannoekburn (Obago) on July 2nd through falling over a. deep drain. James Scott, a miner working in the Walford Deep Lead Mine (Otago), was killed by a fall of earth. A man named Blythe attempted suicide »b Chrißtohurch on July 3rd by catting his throat with a razor. A settler named Charles Stewart, residing at Pokeno, fell off the 11.25 a.m. train, near the Tuakau station, on July 7tb, and one of nia legs was cat off. Wm. Garratn, an elderly man, dropped dead on June 19 in Courtney-street, New Plymouth. Failure of the heart's action is supposed to have been the cause ot death. Charles Liddel, of Paeroa, aged 20 years, died in the Thames Hospital on June 23rd, as the resulb of a kick in the nbdomen, received while playing football. Deceased was insured for £300. Captain Robert Bruce, of the Te Awamutu Mounted Infantry, died on July Bth in the Hospital' from the results of a kick from a horse, inflammation of the bowels being the supposed cause. A lad fifteen years of ago, son of Mr Poter Clarken, of Turua, Thames, met winh a serious accident on July 4, having gob his left band caught in a rip saw. Four fingers were cub off, and the hand terribly lacerated. John Walker, forty years of age, single, employed by Thomson and Co., aerated water makers, Dunedin, dropped dead on June 25fch at his lodging in the White Horse Hotel. The cause of death was heart disease. News from Chabham Islands states thab two young mon, named Williams and Clough, were drowned by a boating accident on Lake Whanga on June 17th. Williams was a son of L. C. Williams, a well-known Canterbury resident. A boy named Hanana Winterburn, five yeara old, a son of the manager of the State farm at Levin, Wellington, was drowned in a creek on July 2nd. An old man named Thos. Spencer, aged 60, dropped dead in the same district. Ab the inquest touching the death of Mrs Annie Atkinson, aged 54, who died on June 16 from the effects of a dose of *• death to rats," a verdict " Tbab deceased died from arsenical poison, self-adminis-tered while temporarily insane," was returned. Two men, named Cox and Williams, were buried by a slip in a gravel pit at Marbinboro, Lower Wairarapa, on June 15. One was got out much bruised, bub the other, J)avid Williams, 22 years, was found quite dead, his legs and body boing crushed. At tho inquest on Charles Henderson, Crown tenantat Catline, Obago, the evidence showed that he had been queer for some time, and for the past two months had refused to work. The verdict was " Suicide while temporarily inaano." Deceased haß a wife in Scotland. An accident which eventually proved fatal occurred at Pukekohe on June 16th. It appears thab Donald McMillan Beloe (aged 11), the son of the well-known nurseryman of that name, fell from the roof of a horse, sustaining injuries to which he succumbed on the following Tuesday. At Palmerston North, Percy Jones, a boy aged 13, son of John Jones, carter, fell off a railway waggon while shovelling coal on July 6th. The accidenb was at first thought to be trivial, but the lad died next morning from internal injuries. No one saw him fall, and a verdicb oi'accidental death has been returned. A man ab Catlins (Otago) named Charles Henderson committed suicide on Tuesday, June 19bh. He appears to have deliberately Bet fire to his tent, and then shot himself with a fowling-piece. When found the body was partly consumed by fire. The deceased was a village settler, and had been much depressed of late, because it is alleged he could nob get work. An old man named J, Braddy, who at one time carried on business ab Wellington as a dairyman, committed suicide at Kilbirne, on June 20bh, by hanging himself from the rafters in a shed on his property. He had been in a despondent mood of late. His married daughter, who bad come bo visit him, cub the body down, bub life was found to be extinct. Ho had not been missed very long. An elderly man named John Johnson committed suicide at Masterton on July sth by cutting his throat. His wife attempted to restrain him, . bub was unsuccessful. Her hand was cub in bhe struggle. Johnson was a shoemaker, and an old resident in the district. He had latterly indulged too freely in drink, and became despondent. Eighteen months ago he made a similar attempt, bub was unsuccessful.

A young man named Walter A. Tafce, 24, a clerk in the Permanent Investment and Loan Company's Office, Greytown North, attempted suicide on June 28. He was found in the English Church there, with a bullet: wound in his head, the bullet having glanced off and caused a scalp wound. There was also a bullet wound in the lower part of the lefb breast. No cause is assigned. The young man bsars an excellent character. Mr Magnus PeterßOn, organisb of St. John's Presbyterian Church, Wellington, accidently choked himself while ab dinner on Saturday, June 30, and died before any remedy could be applied. He had only been in Wellington aboub a year. Mr Peterson, it appears, waa in the act of ewallowing a small piece of meat, when he coughed, which drove the meat back and blocked the passage. Medical aid was sought immediately, bub was of no avail. A man named George Henry Smith, arrested at Ashburton (Canterbury) on Saturday, June 16, on a charge of horse stealing, was found dead in the police cell on the IStli. He had banged himself from a bolt-ring in the cell door, using a handkerchief and a bit of calico a foot long. It waa a most determined suicide, as the man could have saved himself at any time by simply putting his feet to the floor. To accomplish his object' he had to keep his knees firmly bont. A woman named Alary Watson, wife of William Watson, gumdigger, at Puketihi, near Tairua, died suddenly on the 21st of June. She was in good health when she retired to rest, bub about one o'clock her husband heard his wife groan. He got a light and called to his eons, bub his wife was dead before they reached the room. Death was supposed to have been the result of heart disease. Ab the inquest held subsequently by Mr J. Edwards, J.P., a verdict of "Death from Natural Causes" was returned. On June 20 a child named Mary Ann Lewis, aged two months and three weeks was found dead at six o'clock in her cot by her father, who residos in Brewer's Lane, off Grey-street. Tho child had been in a weak state sinco birth. It appears that the father was awakened about midnight by the crying of the child, and he got out of bed and gave it a feeding battle. The child immediately ceased crying, and the father returned to bed, where he remained until thin morning, when he found the little one ia the cot dead. A married woman named Emma Coultas died suddenly at her husband'e residence. Mercer, on June 22. The deceased was 54 years of age, and appeared in good spirits wben ehe went to bed the night before her death. She was heard to get up during tho

night, and as she did nob come down to breakfast, her aon went to call her. He found her lying dead on bhe floor of her bedroom. Death must have occurred some hours previously, as the body was quite cold. Mrs Coultaa was a stoub woman, and her husband, John Coultas, stated to the police that she had suffered from heart disease. On the afbernoon of June 19th a distressing and fatal accidenb occurred ab Quay-street Jetty, resulting in the death of an elderly man named Forbes Hill, expressman, of Epsom. Ib appears bhab in bhe coarse of his occupation Hill conveyed some crates of tins in his express from the premises of Mr Harvey, tinsmith, to the jetty for the purpose of being placed on board the Colonial Sugar Ketinery Company's steamer Eotuku. Hill had taken some of the crates off the express and pub them on the wharf, and with his back to the steamer was in the acb of pulling another crate towards the stringer, when he missed hold and fell backwards from the wharf on to the deck of the Kobuku, a distance of something like 14ft or 15ft. The poor fellow alighted on his head and dislocated his neck. In addition to Hill's neck being dislocated, there was a deep cub on the righb side of the head. The deceased was an old resident) of Auckland and was much liked among his fellow expressmen. He lived at Eason, and carried on his express duties during the day, while he delivered ;on a milk round in the morning. The deceased was father-in-law of Mr A. Johnstone, cab proprietor, of Bond-street, Arch Hill.

The mysterious death of two men who comprised the crew of tho little coasting cutter Tamaki Packeb occurred ab Ngunguru on the night of July 5. Philip Hoare, the master of the cutter, was the best known in this port. He was an old and experienced seaman, under middle age, and had sailed the Tamaki Packet for several yeara, with one hand to assist him. He formerly served before the mast on the Auckland schooner Sybil. Hoars was a married man. He leaves a widow and one young son. Hoare's mate on tho cutter, it has been found, was named Frederick Davis. He was only about 19 years of age, and had only just joined the Tamaki Packet, having left the schooner Annie Hill, on which he had been serving as a seaman, on her arrival in Auckland from Lyttelton recently. It is believed that his father is a prosperous tradesman in Melbourne. A brother of the deceased is in the employ of Dr. Scott, at Onehunga. Dr. Hall made a post- mortem examination of ono of the men, and found that they met their death by suffocation through inhaling carbonic acid gas. They had taken a firo of coal and titree into the cabin, which is about 6ft square, and closed everybhine up. They had been working bill about 12 o'clock on Thursday night, owing to having carried away part of their gear by accidenb. A verdict was returned in accordance with the resulb of the post mortem.

An elderly woman named Helen Parker, an umbrella mender, was found in her residence, Taranaki-street, Wellington, on June 28bh, with her back and right arm badly burnt. The woman could nob account for her injuries. It is stated that her husbandandshe had some words in the morning. The husband lefb for work at six o'clock. She occupied a separate room to her husband. The latber asked her if bhe would have a cup of tea before he lefb. About an hour after the husband's departure she found her dress, which was underherheadtobeonfire, andshe was badly burnt aboubbhe back and arm. She had no matches in bhe dress, and she could nob suggest any cause for the fire. Her husband smoked, and she saw his pipe on bhe floor, but could nob say if there was any fire in it. The police have no suspicion of foul play. The unfortunate woman died in the hospital on July 2nd. At the inquesb the evidence threw no lighb on how the unforbunabe woman received bhe severe burning which caused her death. There was evidence bhat she had been oub of bed to a fire composed of wood and coal, and some of the soup in the pot had gone, and thero was a plate and spoon on the chair beside the bed. The witnesses, who were first to assisb bhe woman on hearing her screams, deposed bhab bhe deceased could nob accounb for bhe bed being on fire. The husband said bhab he mover had an angry word with his wife, and he conbradicted the wibnesses who deposed obherwise. He said thab his wife had fallen into a fire some years ago in a fib, to which she was subject. A verdicb of "Accidental Death" was reburned.

On June 21st an accident, the parallel of which has nob happened here for years, occurred shortly after 11 a.m. at the work 9of the New Zealand Freezing Company. Messrs H. E. Kennedy and Mr John W. Lusher, whoheldthoNew Zealandrighta of the Volcanic iErated Water Company, were explaining to Messrs R. Menzies and S. L. Hirst, partners in the Thames and Te Aroha crated water business, the working of the lately invented way of serating water with the liquid carbonic acid obtained from springs in Germany, which is liquified under 9001b pressure and shut in cylinders to be exported to every part of the world. Mr Drummond, who made the cylinder, was also present. The gentlemen had charged the copper cylinder (which contaiaed some five gallons of water) with the gas ab loOlbs pressure, the experiment being carried out successfully, but it was found that there was a slight leakage. With the intention of finding out exactly where the gas was escaping, Messrs Lusher and Kennedy took up the cylinder, each taking a handle, and plunged it in a barrel of cold water. Tho efiecb was instantaneous, the receptacle bursting with a load explosion, and bhe sight presented to the horrified gaze of the threa men who were in the room, besides those who were experimenting, when they had recovered from the shock of the escaping gas, waa appalling. There on bhe floor, with his feet towards the barrel, lay Mr Lusher, face down, in his blood. His brains werescattered over the floor and right up the wall to the ceiling, Borne fourteen feet; while on the other side, with hi 3 face to the light, was the body of Mr Kennedy, his face _ unrecognisable and bis hand lacerated in a fearful manner. In tho former case death waa instantaneous; but in the latter, though unconscious, the man lasted for several minutes. A doctor was immediately telephoned for, and Constable MacDonnell, of the Water Police, and Constable Jones were prompbly on the spot. Shortly afterwards Dr. Wilkina arrived only to announce, afser a short examination, that ib was a matter of bub a few moments before Mr Kennedy would breathe his last, bub in the case of Mr Lusher death musb have supervened immediately- Mr H. E. Kennedy arrived here from Sydney in February last, to floab a branch of the Volcanic Crated Water Company in Auckland, and Mr Lusher (lately of the firm of Bowring and Lusher, bookbinders), joined him in partnership. Mr Lusher ia a son of Mr R. A. Lusher, local manager of the Royal Insurance Company, and was married to a daughter of Mr J. J. Holland (the Mayor). He leaves a wife and two children. Little ia known aboub Mr Harvey Einmerson Kennedy, the second victim, bnb he is a married man, and is believed to be a brother of Dr. Kennedy, of Hergott Springs, in South Australia. He was a native of Canada, about 30 years of ago, and in appearance a tall man of fine physique and genial manner. He was evidently an M. A., for his letters are so directed. He had stopped at the Alberb Hotel since his arrival here, and Messrs Jackson and Rusaell, of Shorblandstroot, acted as his solicitors in business affairs. Meesrs Kennedy and Lusher bad made arrangements with the Northern Club and

i'several hotels to have an apparatus and i one of bhe machines, which are in use in ', many parts of fche world, erected on their \ premises for the purpose of making and dispensing soda waber, lemonade, etc. The firm had two pabents, the firsb claiming to be an improved process and means for the teration, bottling and discharge of beer or other liquids, and the second a patenb for maintaining a constanb pressure in storage vessels bhab contain aerated liquids. The firm were unable bo geb cylinders from Sydney, and Messrs Drummond and Son were deputed to make one, and it was this cylinder that was being tested when the distressing accidenb occurred. With regard to the cause of the explosion, Professor Brown (of the Auckland University), who was interviewed ab bhe University buildings, said: "The explosion was probably due in the firsb place .to a portion of liquid carbonic acid escaping into the copper cylinder, where it would partially volatilise, becoming very cold,and, on the cylinder being put into the barrel, the liquid carbonic acid would give off more gas, owing to tho higher temperature of the water, and so rapidly increase bhe pressure. The leaky condition of the cylinder showed plainly that it was taxed \to its utmost strength, and bhe increase of pressure consequent on dipping ib into the water would be sufficient to cause the ■ explosion." An inquest was held on tho following day. Dr. Philson, Coroner, presided, and Mr Sanford was chosen foreman of the jury. Messrs W. J. Napier and C. J. Tunks appeared on behalf of various parties interested in the Volcanic Aerated Water process. The jury broughb in the following verdicb :—" Thab the two deceased meb their deafens accidentally. The jury believe the cylinder to have been of faulty construction, and that Mr Kennedy erred in further testing it after knowing thab such was the case."