ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 16, 20 January 1898, Page 8

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

The five-year-old daughter of Mr John Watson, miner, of Blackball, avas accidentally drowned in the water-race on January 7th.

Mrs Hughes, wife of John Hughes, of Pahiatua, was killed at Kaikoura South during the holidays, being thrown from a trap.

A seven-year-old lad named Ernest Zachan, son oi the master of the lighter Trusty, was drowned by falling oil' the wharf at Port Ahuriri on January 14th. Ernest A. Clark, two years old, died at Port Chalmers on January 4th from the effects of falling into a tub of scalding water, which Avas being prepared to bach the child.

Harry Harrison, wharf lumper, between sixty and seventy years of age, was killed by falling down' the hold of the steamer Maori, at Wellington. He had been 34 years in the colony.

William Moore, aged 27, a native of London, A.B. on the shipTaranaki, hanged himself on board the vessel at Wellington on January 3rd. He was a teetotaller, and yesterday appeared to be in usual spirits, so that the cause of his act is unccoimtable.

An inquest Avas held at Komi on Jan.. Ist on-the body of Richard Richards,'formerly proprietor of the Governor Bo wen Hotel, who died suddenly. The verdict returned was that death was caused by hemorrhage arising from a ruptured blood vessel in the stomach.

John Copeland, a seaman belonging to the barque Pendle Hill, Avas drowned at Napier on January 9th by falling oil' the wharf whilst attempting to board the vessel. A verdict of "Accidental death" was returned. Copeland was a single man and a native of Birkonhead.

A man named John Gooney is missing from Hedgehope, Invercargill. His mind is supposed to have been ail'ected. He rushed out of a tent by the river side at 2 a.in. on the 12th inst, clad in his shirt only. It is believed lie has been drowned. The river is in Hood.

At the inquest on a young man named Herbert Upjohn, held at New Plymouth on Jan. 11, whose body was found in the Waiwakaiho River, a verdict of " Accidentally drowned " was returned. Deceased arrived in New Plymouth a week previously from Christchurch, where hisparents reside. At the inquest on the body of Robert O'Rourkc, who was found dead in the public gardens, Christchurcli, the analysis of the stomach showed arsenic in suilicient quantities to cause death. A verdict was returned of died from arsenic poisoning, but by who administered or where procured there is no evidence to show.

During the voyage of the barque Wenona, which arrived here from Newcastle on January 9th, one of the seamen, named Joseph Dominic, foil to the deck from aloft and received injuries which terminated in his death. Dominic was only 24 years of age. He was shipped at Melbourne, and is well spoken of by all on board. An inquest was held on Dec. 30th before Dr. Philson, coroner, into the circumstances .surrounding the death of a young girl named Ogarita Molloy, who had died from burns which she accidentally received at her aunt's residence, Victoria Quadrant, on the 2Sth. Dr. Wine considered that death was due to sudden collapse, the effect of the burns. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidentally burned to death."

Aii inquest was heid at (.'oromandel on January 13th on the remains of a young child found at Long' J>ay on the previous day by Detectives Grace and Kennedy. A declaration sijruetl by .Mary IJamsbottoni acknowledging that she left the child, then alive, on the .spot where Uic ie.inains were found, and that it was her own infant, was put in us evidence. It was decided to adjourn the inquest for one week fro obtain more complete evidence from Auckland as to the maternity of the child. The body of a man, said to be that of Edward Lalley, was found in the Ororia River about two miles above Kcilding on January 9tli. The body had evidently been in the river for .several days. It is believed to be a case of suicide. The body was found lloating face downwards by two hula named Edward Trevena and Wilfred Mnrray, who were going to bathe. Lalley was a bushnian and was last seen in Feilding about a fortnight previously, when ho arrived from Palmers ton, and said he was going to Wangiwliei to work.

Four miners named John Smith, John Truscott, William Ball and Egtui, employed in the Kurunui-Caledonian mine, had a narrow escape from suffocation on Jan. 4. It appears they went on shift yesterday afternoon. About eleven o'clock last night, whilst they were working at No. 4 level, gas came down from No. 3 level. Smith rushed for the ladder to make for the surface, when lie was overcome and fell, but providentially the water falling down the shaft was the means of saving his life. The alarm was eventually given, and Mr Paul (the manager of the mine) and Mr Brokcnshire (manager of the Big Pump) were sent for. The Big Pump was stopped, and the imprisoned miners brought to the surfac^ about 1 a.m. The Assistant Mining Inspector (Mr Ryan) and the manager are inspecting the mine this morning. AH the men arc doing well, and no .serious results are anticipated.

Considerable sensation was caused in Westport oil Jan. IS by reports of a case of drowning in the Jiiiller River, and there seems to be only too much fear that a wellknown public man, Mr Michael Flanagan, of Cromwell, near Charleston, lias lost his life. It appears that about one o'clock in the morning the. Rosamond's watchman, Mr li. Lewis, was passing along the deck near the lowei platform of the coal staiths, when he saw Flanagan sitting in a dangerous position. The watchman gave warning, but Flanagan replied that lie was in no more danger than Lewis was. The, latter then turned away, and was on the point of coming up the gangway when he heard a loud splash, as if caused by a heavy body falling into thewate;-. Upon investigating the matter Lewis could find no trace of Flanagan, but saw his dog on the platform. Flanagan had been engaged in mining in Charleston district for many years, but for five years past he had been living on his means. He has filled many public positions in Charleston, and represented the riding on the Buller County Council.

A young man named Fred Tarrant, aged about 23 years, was drowned in Tauranga harbour 011 Dec. 17 through the capsizing of a yacht. A party of live—namely, Fred Luiulon, Jack Keefe, Greg. Morris, George Bartletb, and Fred Tarrant went out fo/ a sail in a yacht, the Eliza, recently purchased by Lundon. When between the Mount of Miare they tried to jibe boom of the mainsail struck the water and the boat filled and immediately sank. All on board could swim witli the exception of Norris, whom Lundon stuck to and brought safely to shore. The tide was going out, running strong, and there was a considerable jobble on. The distance from the shore was about two hundred yards. The others had readied the shore and observed Tarrant, when within a few yards, start to splash exclaiming, "I'm drowning." Lundon and Bartlett, although exhausted, immediately went in, but be had sank and could not be found. Lundon's conduct was almost heroic, and . undoubtedly lie saved the life of Norris at great personal risk. Tarrant had been in the district about two months, travelling with another photographer named Wernergang. Wernergang is now either at Maketu or Te Puke. Tarrant's

people live at Bairnsdale, Victoria, and his father is a Avholesale fruiterer, and he is said to have a brother in Dunedin. A young man named Samuel Crocker met his death in a singular manner at the Wellington Meat Export Company's Works at Ngahurangi on January 3rd. As he Avas engaged Avith an upward cut, iv taking the pluck out of a sheep which had just been killed, his knife slipped, and completely severed his windpipe, death occurring in a few moments. Deceased, avlio was about 30 years of age, Avas a married man Avith two children. At the inquest the evidence pointed to suicide rather than accident. None ot the other men saw the actual occurrence, and they Avere of opinion that it could scarcely have been unintentional. The medical evidence was in the same direction. One Avitness said Crocker had been complaining of heart disease. The jury returned an open verdict.

About one o'clock on Jan. 9th a young man reported to Seryeant Walker, of the Karangahapo police station, that a man named Robert Thompson, grocer, 50 years of age, living in Newton Road, had cut his throat with a carving knife. The constable proceeded to Thompson's house and found him lying on the floor in a pool of blood. He had a severe wound across the throat, the windpipe being severed. A carving knife covered with blood Avas adjacent. Dr. Walker, who was summoned, bound up the wound and ordered the man's removal to the Hospital, where he was taken by the constable. Subsequently Constable Walker learned that Thompson had been very ill of late, guttering from heart disease, and for the last fortnight he had been unable to sleep. lie had been attended by Dr. Lewis, avlio did not speak hopefully of curing him. This, it is stated, preyed on his mind, and caused him to commit the rash act. Thompson has a grown-up family. We learn from the Hospital authorities to-day that the sufferer is doing as well as can be expected, but of course lie is in a critical condition.

A boy named Arthur James Harrison, 14 years and 8 months old, .son of Mr Tobias Harrison, shoemaker, of Alpha Road, Parnell, accidentally lost his life at Motutapu on Christmas Day. The particulars of the sad accident arc as follows: — The boy Harrison and two brothers, and other lads, namely, Reid, Shepherd (2) and Sharratt, made up a party to go in a boat, rabbitshooting at Motutapu. Harrison, Sharratt, and some other lads Avent round the pawnbrokers' shops on Christmas Eve, looking for a gun, and at last bought one, a single-barreled muzzle-loader, so they state, at a local pawnbroker's shop, paying 13s for it. Mr Harrison was opposed to his son going on the trip, and asked him to come with him to the Thames, but the boy was bent on going to Motutapu. The last words the father said in parting were, " Take care, and don't shoot yourself." The lads went away in the boat on Friday evening, and camped at Drunken Bay. On Saturday they went up on Motutapu to shoot rabbits. Deceased had a shot at a wallaby. Young Harrison re-loaded the gun, Iju t having no powder measure put the charge in by hand, and four teaspoonfuls of shot. The lad Sharratt told Harrison he was overloading the gun. but Harrison said he had not overloaded it. Shortly afterwards they were coining down a dill' when Shepherd, who was a little distance oil', heard the report of a gun. On looking round he saw Harrison lying on his face Avith his hands pressed to his side. He went up to him and asked what was up. Harrison said "1 am shot !" He removed Harrison's hands from his side, and saw the charge had "joins into the side, and blood was welling from the wound. Harmon cried out, "Oh, my poor father!" The gun seemed to bo in three pieces—the stock and the barrel in two pieces. The boys gave the alarm to the men in .some of the yachts, and they came on" shore, improvised a stretcher, and carried the wounded boy to the boat, lie died in half an hour. The lads pulled up to town with the body, and took it to the residence of the parents at Parnell. Mr Harrison was also informed by wire of the death of his son, and he at once returned to Auckland.

A terrible accident occurred on Thursday, December 2Hnl, at the Kingslarul railway crossing, which resulted in the instantaneous death of a highly esteemed citizen, Mrs F. Uattley, wife of Mr V. Battley, of Alt. ; Albert. Both Mrßattley and the coachman I .lames Kelly had very narrow escapes from instant death, each receiving blows on the head. The primary cause of the accident j was the lire on New North Road, iin front of Mr Page's grocery store. Mr and Mrs liattley were beiny driven home between three and four o'clock, and when the buggy reached the scene of the lire the horse, usually a quiet one, became frightened, and as people were throwing furniture into the roadway from the upper windows of adjacent buildings the driver turned round with the intention of reaching Mount Albert via the Kinjjsland and Cabbage Tree Swamp roads. This entailed going over the railway crossing just below theMvingsland station. Down here the grade in steep, and it is impossible to sec any train approaching Mount Eden from the Helensvilie side as the line is hidden by a spur of MeEhvain's hill which is scarped by Kingsland Road, .Before the crossing was reached Kelly heard the engine whistle and he fit once got down and seized his horse's head. Almost immediately the train came over the crossing. It w;is a special goods train heavily loaded with bricks, and according to Kelly's statement was not going quickly. This is also borne out by the fact that the train was a heavy one, and . the rise up to Kiiigslaiid station is somewhat steep. As soon as the train came on to the crossing the horse, which had been stopped .about half a chain away began to rear and plunge, with the result that the driver was struck on he head and thrown down, the wheels of the buggy passing over him, but fortunately without causing any serious injury. The horse, now thoroughly excited, made down the road straight toward the crossing and then swerved towards the cattle guards towards Mount Albert. The result was that the hood and wheels on one side of the buggy came in contact with the train moving in an opposite direction, anri this immediately wrenched off the wheels, causing the vehicle to tilt over towards the" line. Mrs ttattley being on that side was at once thrown out on the roadway so close to the line that her clothing was caught and she was dragged under the wheels. The unfortunate lady was so seriously injured that death was instantaneous, her body being' dragged for about 60 feet along the line. Mr Battley, who was sitting on the side furthest from the train, was thrown into the seat lately occupied by his wife and received some injuries to his head owing to striking the trucks towards the end of the train. At the inquest on Mrs Battley the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental' death ; no blame attachable to anyone." A memorial service for the death of Mrs Battley was held on Sunday morning, Dec. 26, at the Baptist Tabernacle. The Rev. Joseph Clark conducted the service, preaching from the text "Blessed are the dead ■ that die in the Lord." Mrs Battley had been 32 years a member of the church, a teacher in the Sunday-school, and had taken an active part in church work, till pressing domestic duties through the impaired health of her husband precluded her doing so.