ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 225, 16 June 1908, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

9 (by telegraph—mess association.) SHOCKING RAILWAY ACCIDENT. Chrlstchurcli, June 15. A shocking railway accident occurred at Lyttelton this afternoon, as a result of which Mr. J. Gilroy, chief engineer of tlie Kaituna, lost both his feet. Mr. Gilroy was crossing the railway yard shortly before three o'clock while shunting operations were in progress, and was struck by a truck and knocked down. He fell on to the track, and the truck wheels passed over both feet almost completely sovering them. Mr. Gilroy was carried to the casualty ward, where it was found necessary to amputate both feet, and to-night lie was in a critical condition. LAD SHOT DEAD. , ~ , •... Wangatuii, Juno 15 A sad fatality occurred at Maxwelltown, 16 miles from AVanganui, yesterday afternoon, when Ballance Edgar Jones, a 13-year-old son of Mr. F. Webb r 'Jones, of the "Herald," was accidentally shot by his cousin. The boys were near the verandah of the house, and theis; attention was directed to a gun standing on a cor*er of the verandah, which the cousin took up to explain its mechanism. Not knowing it was loaded; he accidentally pulled thei.trigger, - aud. shot the other lad dead. - BODY FOUND IN A CEMETERY. Thames, June 15. The body of a man named Porcival Tompkies, a stranger to the Thames, was found amongst scrub on a hill near the town. The man was shot through; the head.- Ono hand was grasping a loaded revolver, one cartridgo of which empty. Papers in his possession stated that deceased was a trainway driver from Melbourne, who arrived here last month. He inquired the locality of tho cemetery. It'is evidently a case of suicide. A GUMDIGGER'S. DEATH. Auckland, June 15. John Dickoy, a gumdigger," ' was found burnt to death in his whare near Takapuna. ■A WHARF LABOURER DROWNED. A drowning accident, occurred in tho-har-bour about eight o'clock last evening, by which a wharf labourer named James M'Cann met his It appears that three men left the wharf in a dinghy, which' was capsized.

John Kenny, a seaman belonging to tho s.s. Lily, which was anchored near tho-Thorn-don baths, stated that about five o'clock ho met James M'Cann, a wharf labourer, on tho wool wharf. They weut to tho Hotel .Cecil, where they mot a man named William Henry Campbell. Kenny wanted to buy some stores, and lie told M'Cann to wait at the hotel, and Campbell and Kenny loft, but they afterwards met M'Cann in Lambton Quay. Tho tbreo wont to tho wharf, whore Kenny had 'a dinghy nia.de fast. They got into the dinghy, and Kenny and M'Carin pulled. When the.v were off the King's wharf, a heavy sweil caused tho dinghy to upset, and. they found thcmsolves in the water., Kenny hung on.to tho dinghy, but M'Cann and Campbell swam towards the wharf. Kenny tried to right .the boat, but lie could not manage it, and ho sot off also for tho wharf. When he got there lie found Campbell.- Tho latter inquired about M'Cann, who was not to bo seen. . £4iortly afterwards a man on tho wharf called out, " Get hold of that man." pointing to some one in the water near the next stringer. Kenny swam round, and Baw M'Cann with his head under the water. Ho held up M'Cann's head until relief camo. M'Cami appeared to bo unconscious. Ho was lifted into a boat, and every effort was mado to induce respiration,- but without success. Dr. Palmer, of tho Athenie, and Dr. Gilmer arrived, but they could only pronounce life to bo extinct. INQUEST.. Napier, Juno 15. An inquest was opened to-day touching' the death of a seaman known as D.' Andorson, but whose roal naino has sinco been ascertained to bii William Kennedy, a liativo of Dunbar, Scotland, who died from injuries caused by his falling down tho hold of tho steamer Kini at tho breakwater on .-Thursday. Medical witnesses expressed tho opinion that death bad resulted from laceration of tho. brain and concussion. Tho inquest was adjourned till Saturday. About 0 o'clock last night, whilst working on tho Puluki, berthed at the Taranaki Street wlinrf, a wharf labourer named Percy King slipped and foil a distance of 12ft. into tho hold. I)r. Mackin was summoned, and on examination found that' King's back was ini'ured, and ordered his-removal to tho Hoslitol in the umlulancc.