ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 588, 17 August 1909, Page 8

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

FOUND DEAD IN HIS OFFICE. (By Telceraph-Prcss Association.) .... Westport, August: 16. Mr. James S. Donaldson, local agent for tho Stockton Coal Company,- was found dead in his office'this.morning: Appearancenpoint to suicido by inhaling gas. Deceased was a son of Mr. Donaldson, sen., poHce magistrate, Sydney. ' ' '■'' : At the inquest held to-night the office boy and others gave evidence as to finding tho body wrapped •up■ in blankets, face downwards, with tlie chin on a pillow, close to the gas meter,;and with tho detached-end. of-tho tubo from the gas ring under deceased's nose. Another witness (Munro) stated that deceased appeared to worry a good deal about ■ business matters, and'he (witness) had told him not to take things, so seriously, as there was no occasion for.it. Mason and Wallis, fellow boarders with' deceased, stated that he" complained a good-deal about the'nature, of his work requirug long hours on tho wharf and much night work, causing , sleeplessness, and that.hefoundit necessary at times'to' snatch some sleep at the office. Wallis stated that, when he was leaving deceased on Sunday afternoon,, ho, inquired'what he was going to do jn the evening, and deceased replied that ho intended to "Do sohio work at the office, and_ try and get a littlo sleep,* as ho was feeling vory tired.'.' Deceased was usually in a. bright frame of. mind, and,had lio cause, as far as witness was aware, for worry. The doctor's evidence was to,tho effect that death' was due to aspli3'xiation f caused by inhaling coal-gas. Sergeant Dew remarked that ho saw no evidence to suggest a. reason for, suicide, and the.coroner (Mr. Sinclair) endorsed' this view, and' returned a verdict in accordance with the doctor's evidence. • ■ ; A FALL-.FROSr AN OAT STACK. (By Tclecraph;—Press association.) ■. • « "■"'-.' Ashbucton, August 16; ; A'. Garland, fell'from-the "top'-'of'a. high stapk.of ,qats at .Chertsey.'.".on . Saturday, spraining- both • wrists and injuring his neck. He is now progressing- favourably, though the doctor states that he had a-narrow' escape from breaking his'neck."-' '■ .'

SERIOUSLY INJURED. ;. ; '■.'■ ';..•' Auokland, August, 16. James Whittle, 58 years of agg, was: found seriously injured Under his cart,.which had broken down, and subsequently died .at Piike-i rimu on Saturday. ■ .'• ... ". • ' ■..'...,. '•A-CHAPTER-OF ACCIDENTS. / : •The good nature of William Dempsey.■ in. offering'assjst^iice,in-a street accident caused; him sover.oinjuries'yesterday' afternoon. .'A wagon,, driven by Mr. William Andrews,■ who had an "assistant with'him, and loaded, with about eighty bags of chaff,, was. goiiig' along Vivian Street, when.a dozen of tic bags lurched: off. ■ Dempsey, who. -had,"'worked; casually fo? , , Mr. D. Andrews, coalnierohaht, together with a man named • Kibble, gave assistance by-reaching up tho bags to the two; men on top : of the' load.'' When De'mpsey was handing'up the last bag to Andrews, the latter slipped,; and fell from "the wagon together with', tbe 1 , bag of chaff. Tie ohaff fell oil the tramline, ~ and Dempsoy was catching ' hold ■of the. sack, when : a' tramca.r. struck him. -"He was attended to■ by..Dr. Mac.kin, and sent in tho ambulance,.to-the hospital. Andrews was not; injure-by •■his f all. 0n... arrival at the hospital .it was found that Dempsey had all his ribs broken on one side, and had also received a bad scalp wound.. .... . ...