ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 484, 17 April 1909, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

YOUNC MAN'S TRAGIC DEATH. " SHOOTS HIMSELF IN A FIT OF ' - JEALOUSY. JBT TBLEQBAriI— TtttSS ISSOCIATIOS I Chrfetohurch, April 16. An inquest was told at tho hospital this morning by Mr. Bishop, coronor, concerning tho death of James Orr, wharf labourer, 80 years of age, who shot himself on Wednesday in a fit of jealouny on the doorstep of No. 7*3 FalsgraVo Street, after quarrelling with a young woman ho was keeping company with. Sophia Spoor said sho had not been en--1 gaged to Orr, although keeping company with a'view to marriage.' Orr nsked her to marry him. She asked for a couple of months to arrango things. On 'Wednesday ho asked her to marry nim in a fortnight. , She- said sho wished to go for a fortnight s holiday, and would marry him when she came back. ' He was very jealous, and said she shcr.ld not go. About 9.15 p.m., he said: "You will bo a dead corpso to-night, and me with you." They got insido the gate, and ho eaid: "I have got a'thing hero to do it with," pulling out a revolver. He caught both her hands, aimed the revolver at her forehead, pulling the trigger three times, although' thd weapon did not go off. When it refused to go off he let her go, and rushod to the gate to get near a lamp, apparently to see what was wrong. ' Sho then ran ineide. Afterwards he fired a shot in tho back, yard to test tho weapon. On Tuesday evening he said: "I don't think you have enough love for me, but you have had your day, and I will have mine." This ' referred to Eastor Monday, when sho had cono to i tho races without Orr. Sho had liked him vory well 'up till last week, but v had not, intended 'to throw him over. ' "Are 'you sure .he clicked a revolver?" said the coroner. " Yes," 'responded tho witness. ' "Then you must have had a very narrow escape of-losing your life," replied the coroner. '" You are a very lucky _ woman, for by the look" of this weapon he evidently meant business." ' ' Constable M'Connack said he reached tho house about 9.50 p.m., in company with Constable O'Connor, and did not seo Orr till they got,to tho gate. He was standing in tho doorway, speaking to somebody inside. They crept up quietly, and' got on to the lawn, but' when they were about six feet away he 'slightly, turned his head,, and they 6aw a fash, tho man falling on his loft side. Tho coroner . returned a , verdict that James Orr committed suicide by shooting himself with~ a 'revolver, and added there was no evidence 'as to tho state of hia' , mind. ■ ' , . '' ■' J3UDDEN DEATHS. •' > \ Oamaru, April 16. i Daniel .Docherty, cook at Omarama station, / was found dead'in an hotel at Kurow. ' Inquest' , disclosed the fact that death was duo 'to heart disease, accelerated by drinking. "■ '".-,• •'■ . ■'" - - Dunedln, April 16, , A man went to tho watchman on the ferry steamer sMaheno last night and asked to be allowed r to sleep board. v The request was ' granted. This'morning the watchman found tho niinrdead. He has'been identified as "TafE" Mills, well known , , at Lyttelton. At fl tho inquest tho'opinion was expressed 6y the doctor that death was due to heart iisease accelerated by want of proper nourishment'and exposure to cold. A verdict in accordance with the medical testimony was returned. - INHALATION OF POISONOUS GAS. ' \ . ' ', Thames, April 16. At the inquest on the youth William Reid, found dead on the arrival of L an oil launch at Thames, the 'evidence was that (deceased' was in good, Hβ went to the cabin and lay down'on a"couclw-:He was beard -to groan once or twioo and his comrades called out, but thought hoi was suffering from seasickness as tho gulf was rough.. Reid was doad when -th» launch arrived. ' Tho medical evidence .was that • death was undoubtedly due to the inhalation of poison, ous gas. It was stated that when combustion, was incomplete, carbon monoxide, a deadly gas, was'formed. This apparently caused death. A verdict was returned accordingly. Tho opinion was expressed that this dangerous factor should be widely known. FOUND, DROWNED. 1 ' . ' Auckland, April 16. ■ r 'A body found in Mannkau harbour has been identified as that of William Taylor, a single man, 28' years of ago, loit -his Ihomo at Ponsonby a week ago seeking work. As a capsized boat was found in tho .vicinity of the body, and the latter was fully clothed, except for boots and socks, it is surmised he came by liis death through the boat toeing upset. 1 ' 'HEART FAILURE. Dannevirke, April 16. The District Coroner to-day returned a Fordict in the caso of Thomas Gebbie, who dropped dead in High Street yesterday, that death was due to heart failure. THE PARAPARAUMU'FATALITY. A verdict of suicido whilst temporarily ingane' was returned at' the inquest held on the body of Joseph Thawloy, who was killed ' at Paraparaumu on ' Thursday morning , through being run over by a train. Evidenco i ,' was given by two eye-witnesses of tho fatality,that immediately the train whistled deceased ran round a corner and on to tho > line.' ' Bystanders called, and the deceased moved back a step till tho train was a chain away, when he appeared to throw himself across the line.y Tho engine-driver pulled up almost lmmedia'toly. Other witnesses said deceased did not appear to stumble in front , of the- train". The act of falling seemed a deliberate one. Whon deceased fell in'front of the train he went down on his knees, and tovered his eyes with his hands. - ' A NARROW ESCAPE. ,' ' On Thursday evening (says our correspondent) 'a wheel-tapper namti Fitzgerald had a narrow escape from a serious accident. ' He was walking along the railway ime near tho signal-box at tho eastern'end of tho station when ho slipped, and a sliiinting engine struck him hard'on tho,, side, ripping his clothes, and bruising him-.badly. Medical -assistance was called in, wnon it was found that no bones woro broken. Later in'tho evening Fitzgerald was able jto proDeed to' his home.