FATAL GUN ACCIDENT.

Evening Post, Volume XX, Issue 267, 15 November 1880, Page 3

FATAL GUN ACCIDENT.

Information reached town on Saturday afternoon that a lad named John Archibald Craig, who reaidod with hia mother and a married sister in Wobb-stroet, had been killed at Karori by the accidental discharge of a gun. The particulars, as gleaned from from the police report, are these : — Craig, who was 16 years of ago, and a lad named Herbert Phillips, son of Mr. Phillips, of Cuba-streot, left town on Saturday morning for Karori on a shooting excursion, each taking a gun and ammunition. After rambling about for some time the lads sat down to lunch in a spot where some Bupplojacka grow, and after disposing of this Phillips went to have a shot at a bird some distance off, loaving Craig bohind. Phillip3, however, finding his gun unloaded, called to his companion to bring his gun and the ammunition, and a moment later ho heard Craig's gun discharge. He looked back and noticed Craig lying on the ground, and on running towards him heard him cry, "Oh! oh!" This was all ho uttered. Phillips hastenod to the house of Mr. Tarr, a dairyman living abont half-a-nrilo from tho spot, and Mr. Tarr's son and a lad named Noilson at once proceodod with Phillips to the soeno of the acoidont. There they found Craig lying on the ground with the discharged gun beside him. An examination of the body showed that he had been shot through tho right side, the trigger having, it was supposed, caught in a supplejaok. The deceased was taken to Mr. Tarr's house, and Miss Emma Tarr rode into town to convey tho melanoholy intelligence to his relatives. Sergeant Bnrfcenshaw proceeded to Mr. Tarr's residonce in tho . afternoon with an express, and had the body conveyed to the Morgue. In Craig's pocket waß found a letter, dated the 6th inst., intimating that he had been appointed a pupil teaoher under the Board of Education. i An inquest on the body wa3 held at the Morgue at 11 o'clock this morning, before Dr. Johnston (coronor) and a jury of twelve. Herbert Phillips, a schoolboy attending Mount Cook School, not 15 years of age, Btated that deceased was a pupil teacher at tho Mount Cook School, and was 15 years old lost January. On Saturday morning last witness and deceased went to Makara for the purposo of shooting game. After finishing his lunch on Makara Hill, witness left deceased and shot a bird, and then called to him to make haste and bring his gun, as there was a good shot for him at a bird. "Witness stood with his book towards deceased watching the bird, when he heard the roport of deceased's gun, accompanied by a heavy fall in the gorub. Deceased cried out " Oh ! oh !" as if more in surprise than pain. Witness rushed to deceased, and found him lying on his back, with fixed eye* and body motionless. Witness then ran for assistance to Mr. Tarr's houao, where he found John Niolson and a Bon of Mr. Tarr, who went with witnoss to the spot, and ultimately the body waß taken to Mr. Tarr's residence and information sent to the police. The guns wero borrowed; one was an old-fashioned musket and the other an old fashioned duck gun — both much worn. Witness and deceased examined the guns on the previous evoning, and the triggers appeared to work well, tho spring of deceased's musket being very strong. Had never scon anyono so careful with a gun as deceased was. Bofore lunch had noticed the deceased's gun had the trigger down on tho nipple, and drew his attention to it. Decoosed remarked that it was quite safo that way, if used with core. John Niolsen gave evidence a3 to conveyance of the body to Mr. Tarr's residonce. Sergt. Burtenshaw, who went out to Karori to bring in tho body, stated that upon examination he found the body quite warm. There was a wound on tho right side, jost bolow the lower rib. Ho probed tho wound and found it had an upward tendenoy, inclining to tho middlo line of the body. Tho clothes containod holes corresponding with the wound, and tho edges of the holes wero singed. Witnoss had no doubt the gun was close to tho body whon it was discharged. Tho place where deceased's body was found was so covered with supplejaok and scrub that witness could scarcely get through, and with firearms it would be a very dangerous thing to attempt. Ho was of opinion the guns used by the two lads wero not fit to be They wore old and very much worn. "*^fhe breach of one was cracked, and the locks of both wero bad. Tho gun used by tho deceased appeared to bo an old infantry musket, which had boon cut down six or seven inches, and ho would suppose it had boon used in the service 25 years ago. Dr. Johnston said it appeared to him that the trigger had caught in a supplejack and had snapped. Ho did not know that blamo could be attached to anyono for allowing boya of the age of deceased and his companion to go out shooting. Tho jury roturnod a verdict of accidental death.

" Gontlemcn," said a farmor, writing to tho chairman of an agricultural socioty, " put mo down on your list of cattlo for a