ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 143, 11 March 1908, Page 8

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

(Bi -TBtßOßirn—ruiss .issociiWON.) ' ■' SUSPECTED POISONING:' - ; '■ ' '' ' v : Auckland, March 10.' ' ;. A-man, apparently between 35 and 40 years of v age, ; named E. S. Harris, who lias been staying for the ~six months at tho Metropolitan- Hotel, was found dead in bed this; morning, : wheii the housemaid entered '.his.-: room 1 with; his, morning tea., Dr. King.wasVimmediat'olyi-summoned, and he pressed the "opfiiibn '.that ■ Were -suspicious'.'ividShces .oi-death' by 'poisoning.' '.>.i/ : 'jHairis was; laSt"; Seeh'"alive ; about .9.30.' last night,Vwheh 'h'e i'^'etir'edr.; : . He • ya's. supposed 1 to,be man,.-With his'■ relatives all'living ;in: England.,; He was apparently a .man. oitber. of independent means or. supported.by his.:people .at Hbriib, apparently; naving no occupation...' ' A letter found upon him and addressed to a relative ;at Tunbridgo Wells, England, referred pessimistic terms to/his omi health, containing'his opinion that his lungs were, hopelessly l affoctcd,--and that life promised little more than futuro suffering.

, PECULIAR GUN ACCIDENT. . BT IELEQBAPH—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

Christchurch,.March ,10. — A-,, -.'.rather' ■ peculiar .shooting , accident occurred 'at Culverden ,on Sunday ' last. Walter Davidson, a blacksmith, accompanied by. two other men, was returning home in a gig after a day's shooting.- Davidson had 'a double-barrelled gun in - his possession, the stock of which was resting on the floor of the ;vehicle .while tho muzzle was leaning'againsthis chest. Both;, barrels ' were fully .loaded, and tho hammers wero down. Previous to starting .on, their homeward journey a doe belonging to one of the p<trty:had been placed under tho scat, but he evidently, did not onjoy the drive, and.made frantic, endeavours to .'escape: 1 .-Whilst-: seeking freedom it, is thought he. niust'have placed one of his paws on the hammer o£-;tho gun, and'pressed it back, Jnot ; far -enough;'to cock it, but' suffi'oieritly exlplodd the cartridge, for suddenly tho.gun :went:bff.'' Tho::greater-portion of- the ch'argo entered -Davidson's chest, while the-Viremainder,.,of, tho '.'shot was' scattered round liis "face'and- left' ear.' : A doctor was summoned to ■' attend ;to his 1 injuries, and found; that a small portion of;, the. man's chest'had; been ; -blown ,away, but the wounds, aroynot considered .to ..ho• of -a verv serious nature". -

; ' / •. OLD MAN'S DEVTH ' ■ Auckland,' March 10. • Arthur ;.Ch'arles -Woollams, a resident .-if Mount Edeji, aged; 60; years;' was found dead by l 'his-'daughter'on;.-the floor ,of : -his rooim .this-'nioruing. • •■; ' ' i . . . BUSHMAN DROWNED. ; • Auckland, March 10. ;'lrispector. .Cullen -received a- telegram tliis' aftefnoon;fro'm'-the / -cbnstablo 'stationed at statinsv.that a' bushmdn ; nanjed \Ydlkof- /Williams w'iis .drowned at', Awakino fyjesterday, having .'fallen off. a lbg. while.-raft-ing.:;' Th'b bo'dy - had not ybt been -reebvered.-,, v, A. SHEEP FARMER'S DEATH. ■ . ABSonATION/)V ... . ■ '• Wanganul, March 10.; ' vWilliam r ßroiighton, of Fernhill, • Hawkb's Bay; - a -'sheep, farmer, who was in Wanganui on "a;'visit, was,'this .evening, found ■ hanging from', a- pi no - tree ;m ■■ front of-, the , house -.in Tvhich'ho ..was",'staying-,at-' Putiki; "Deceased; who -was well_ known in Hiwkels Bay, was. a half-caste,} his 'Maori name being, Wiremu Porote te: Muhunga. He was 1 52 years 'of ago.-'. 'He leaves a..wife and family.