ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 475, 6 April 1909, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

THE NAPIER DROWNING ACCIDENT. AN UNFORTUNATE MISCONCEPTION, (nr TELEaiurn—peess association.) Napier, April 5. Tho body of Mr. 11. P. Clarkson, director of tho Toclmical School, who was drowned on Saturday, has not yet been recovered. 11l connection with the accident, it appears Unit Mr. Clarltßon and a young man, Mr. Lv Espsgne, a clerk in Dalgety and Co.'e office, were tho only persons in tho water at tho time. By the timo Espagno was ready for his dip Clarkson waa paddling on tho edge of tko water. Espagne plunged straight in, and , swam towards tho Masonic Hotel. Finding himself getting tired -ho turned hack, and on again reaching a point opposite the marquees saw that Clarkson had entered tlio' water, and was swimming towards tho breakwater. Almost immediately Clarkson- 1 began to cry for help, and seeing that hie companion was in trouble Espagno began to swim towards him. On coming in contact Espagno said, "Are you really done?" but\ it was- evident that Clarkson had lost the; command of himself, as, oblivious of the ! fact that Espagno was tJiere to assist, ho began frantically to cry for tho caretaker, Lynam. Espagno endeavoured to got Clarkson to roll over on his back, so that he could support him, but deceased, who was tho bigger and stronger of the two, first clutched' Espagno by-tho wrist and then gripned him! round tho side. Espagne realised the full , danger of tho position, and finding himself 1 powerless set up a frenzied cry for help with , that of the drowning man. Tho people on tho beach failed to realise the tragedy that was being enacted under their eyes. Unfortunately, it has been tho practice amongst , some bathers to sham drowning in the waves, and set up mock serious screams for help, The caretaker and others thought Clarkson and Espagno were simply amusing themselves. Both men were known to bo ablo to look after themselves in the water, and as tho sea was calm it was not thought possible anything serious could occur. Espagno saw that a terrible misconception was being mado on the shore, and as Clarkson continued to struggle his position was a most trying one. Tho whole of tho time Espagno found himself out of his depth, and finally Clarkson slipped from his hold around the body and grasped his would-bo rescuer by the leg. A moment later and the unfortunate victim's hold relaxed, and Espagno readied shoro in an exhausted condition. A BODY FOUND. DunetUn, April 5. . Tho body of a man, almost unrecognisable, was found on Dcadman Beach on tho Molyneaux River, about six miles Mow Beaumont. It is presumed tc be that of Wilson, who has been missing from Kawaru Station for about six months.

TWO SUDDEN DEATHS. Palmerston North, April 5. Robert Milsom,. aged 7i, dropped dead at' his farm on Saturday. Deceased, with an' employee, was chopping wood, when a shower ■ . of rain caused them to run for shelter insome scrub. Tho employee, missing Milsom,. wont back to look for him, and found hinv dead. Milsom had resided in tho district lor thirty-sevcu years. Hawcra, April 5. Edward Morgan, of Nornianby, was found , ' lying besido a firc-placo in his houso thh morning dead. Last night at nine o'clocli Morgan was apparently m his usual stato o{ health, although ho complained of pain iit tho chest. Tho position of tho bodj; sug-- ■■ gested that deceased had fallon when in the! act of preparing his breakfast. Deceased,, who was seventy years of age and unmarried, had been in different parts of the district for the last thirty years. A BLOW WITH A BOTTLE. \* Auckland, April 5. At the .inquest to-day on Benjamin Mores, boardingbousq kcepfcr, who died in tho hospital from injuries caused by a blow with a bottle, tho ovidenco went to show that Mores got out of bed to find tho causo of a disturbance ill bis houso. Ho charged Joseph i Griffiths with having brought a loafer on to 1 , tho premises. Griffiths seized a.largo square| bottlo and throw it at Mores, striking him a; violent blow on tho head. Griffiths, when: asked why ho had done tbis,_ replied that ho was sorry; ho was in a passion. Tho jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against Griffiths, who is in custody. A STRANGE ACCIDENT. Auckland; April 5. I A strango accident occurred at Henderson late on Saturday night. Tho enginoman on a ballast train approaching Honderson. station saw a man lyiug across tho rails. Tho brakes were applied, but beforo tho train was stopped tho engine struck tho man and threw him off tho lino. Just clear of tho lino another man was lying." Tho injured man, William Armstrong, was taken to tho hospital, whero his injuries, not of a nature, received attention. Tho man whowas lying clear of tlio lino is a g/umdigger named Thomas Bayliss. At the Polico Court to-day ho was convicted of drunkenness." FATAL TRAP ACCIDENT. Christchurch, April 5. Inspector Gillies has rocoived advice of a, sad fatality at Littlo River yesterday. Aj young man'named Herbert Jacobsen, twenty- • two years of age, and his father wero driv-1 ing, when tho horso bolted. Mr. Jacobsen, < sen., escaped by jumping out of tho trap,! but young Jacobsen was thrown out of tho vehicle and killed. SUDDEN DEATH. Core, April 5. Denis Tuffloy, aged 63, an ex-railway sor- • vant, dropped dead whilo killing a pig at' Clinton to-day. The causo presumably was heart disease. Deceased, who was married, was to have left on a trip to tho Old Country on Monday. MISHAP ON A BUILDING. (BX TEtEGUAm— SPECIAL COnIIESrONDENT.) Mastorton, April 5. Mr. Percy Roso, of tho firm of Koso and Mason, of'JMnsterton, met with a serious accident yesterday afternoon. Whilo working on a building at Martinborough a sheet of iron blow up, catching him iu the face, knocking tlireo teeth out, and making a wound in the lip necessitating tlnco stitches being put in. THE PETONE ACCIDENT. Messrs. T. Cross and S. Towner, who were injured in the Gear Company's acciseut, are recovering quickly, and should bo able to resume work very shortly.