ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Evening Star, Issue 8615, 8 September 1891, Page 2

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

— Accounts as to how Thomas Sibbin met his death at Auckland are conflicting. It is now stated that he ran backward to stop a descending ball with his head or shoulders, and collided with another player named Hough, who was in a stooping attitude behind him. With the impetus he had on, Sibbin fell backwards over the other’s back, and tumbled on to the ground on his neck. At the inquest the 'post mortem showed the cause of death to be rupture of a blood vessel at the base of the skull. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death,” exoneratIng Hough from all blame, and commending his fair and manly style of play. Several witnesses stated that the Association game was much safer than tbo Rugby. Another accident occurred at Auckland on Saturday, Rogers, son of the landlord of the Papakura Hotel, having his collarbone broken very badly. At the inquest on Richard Walsh at Auckland a verdict of “Temporary insanity through domestic troubles ” was returned. Some pitiful letters written by deceased were read. He was apparently worried to death.

The body of Charles Ryall was found in the Temuka River on Sunday morning at a point just below Myers’s property. The body was in a very advanced stage of decomposition, and appeared to have been in the water a long time. Deceased has been missed for about two months.

Inspector Hickson has received information from Tapanni that John Gray, son of Mr John Gray, farmer, of Waikoikoi, has been missing from his home since Saturday morning. The man is of unsound mind, and, as his footprints have keen traced to the PomaItaka River, it is feared that he has committed suicide. A later message says that Gray’s coat, vest, trousers, and boots have been found about 200 yds from the river on the side opposite to where it was supposed he bad gone into the water. The bash is being searched and the river dragged. Gray was thirty-two years of age.