GORED TO DEATH.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1311, 14 December 1911, Page 4

GORED TO DEATH.

SHOCKING EVENT AT ISLAND EAT. A shocking event took place at Island Bay between 5 a.m. and G a.m. yesterday, Nicholas Lopez, a Greek dairyman, being gored to death by a bull on his farm on the hillside at Island Bay. Tho bull, it is understood, had previously been known to bo vicious, and is said to have about a year ago attacked Lopez. Owing to the limited area of the farm, and its proximity to a thicklypopulatod part, of the city, the owner had been endeavouring to sell the animal for some little time past. It is, in fact, stated that he ihad effected a sale on Tuesday last, and had got up at an early hour yesterday for tho purpose of driving the animal from a large to a smaller paddock in order to expedite delivery. Precisely how ho fiift encountered the bull, and what misadventure' happened later cannot now be known. All that is asccrtsiinable is that, at about ti.35 a.m. the attention of passers-by was attracted by the bellowing of the bull, and they made investigation.

Constable Gallagher was summoned, but found that' it was highly dangerous to approach the savage creature, and, as ho could see that Lopez was past assistance, ho decided to telephone to tho Mount Cook Police Station for a rifle and ammunition.

On recoint of the message Mounted Constable Sim, armed with a rifle, did the journey from town at a gallop, arriving at the Bay within twelve minutes of the receipt of the message. Five shots were fired, (ho fifth cft'octing the constable's purpose.

After examining the body, which was dreadfully numglcd, the police officers drew tho conclusion that death had happened some considerable time before the attention of passers-by had first been drawn. 11. is stated that T/oper. made a habit of carrying a pitch-fork with him whenever ho visited the paddock in which the bull was confined, and. on this occasion, ono was found netiv tho spot, Aju, inquest will bo Md to-morrow.