ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2016, 25 March 1914, Page 8

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

: GRUESOME FIND.. BODY" IN THE HARBOUR MUD.' The,body, of a man wag found submerged in the treacherous deposit of mud at the extreme edge x)f the Thorndon reclamation works early yesterday ..' morning. : Footsteps traced' from the ground, of the formed reclamation to .the deposit of mud told a wordless tale of how the urifortunato man had walked into the slime, to sink as in quicksand. The body was recovered, 'and found to be that of an extremely emaciated man between 1 Go and 70 years. There were bruises, on the right knee, left eye, and elbow. Identification has not yet been made: . Deceased was .dressed in a brownish rain-coat, , with dark tweed .trousers,, and vest vi'ith a grey stripe, and a shirt of blue-cotton. • ..■■.- 'A. TUG AT THE REINS. '/. •• . • Christchurch, March 24. . . j James Londugan, who'was thrown I from. his .horse at the. Little River railway station, and admitted.to 'tne Christchurch- Hospital yesterday,- died there .At an : inquest -held to-day Dr. Scott stated'that deceased never Tβ- / gained-, consciousness '' after , his'admis--sion to the Hospital. Death was due to fractare of the base of the skull. Evidence was-given that' deceased was Tiding quietly along when he gave a tug at the reins and the horse, and rider .fell over. >;A,verdict of.accidental death -•jsras returned. ... ..',"' .!,.'.,'.-,;,,'i,.-,' , .'....; WHARF. LABOURER'S'DEATH, t 'An inquest was held at the Hospital bn Monday afternoon by , Mr. D G A Cooper, S,M., ..regarding the 1 death of ;. ;iWm Gerrey, : 'B--wharf; jlabpurer, ': : who .•died at-,tte-.institution ,on\ Saturday Evening 'last.,.' , «, .*?;£ i' JZi"X ■-.-, :JU* % Dr. Ha/dwiekSSniithTJMeaibaKSiipermtendent; stated that aeceased was admitted, t-o tlie institution-, on March 14, jn an_ unconscious condition. Ho was ; suffering .froni convulsions, ' and' an operation,,Tvag': performed-.to 'relieve the pressure on the brain.' Deceased, how;nver, became weaker,-and-subsequently 'died.. . ' ■ ■ . ■ ■ .

Dr. Fyifo.-saia thatvthe, 1 cause of death.;3yas,';;iipj,;<)asy : .to;':! : sta% but, from the history of the case, the symptoms fitted in with those of general paralysis or the, insane., . Janet Gerrey, wife of deceased, stated , that her husband was 37 years of age, , and, while ho had no real illness; lie (had been very,strange for.the.past 18 .months. He seemed to suffer'a.' great deal from loss of ■memory. :■"

James Costley,' Harboirr' Board em- . nloyee, stated that on tho morning of March 14 he saw deceased jump on to an express, and then,, soom'ini* to lose control of himself, he slid off , the vehicle, and fell to the ground. ; A. verdict was "returned in accordance' I'with the medical testimony of Dr. Fyffo..

LITTLE BOY DROWNED,. ' (By Telesranh.—Press Association.! . . ■'■'.■• NaPier, March 24. Late this afternoon a boy aged four, a son of Mr. T. Lines, fell into the Tutaekuri River, and was drowned. The lad was playing on the bank with his brother, and through a false move he fell into the stream, which was run-: Jiing almost bank high. The lad was immediately swept away, and it is thoughf.tho body has been carried out to sea,"' '■■' • '