ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS

Evening Star, Issue 19745, 21 December 1927, Page 2

ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS

COUNTY ENGINEER’S TRAGIC DEATH. The death occurred yesterday afternono under tragic circumstances of Air John James Keane, engineer to the Cook County Council. In July last a cloudburst enveloped Waimata Valley, som fourteen miles from. Gisborne, and amongst other damage washed away a bridge. This bridge was replaced a few weeks ago by a temporary low-level structure. In the course of road inspection work yesterday Mr Keane had to cross this new bridge. A member of the County Council was about to cross the bridge in the afternoon, when ho noticed Air Keane’s car balanced oh the .side of the bridge, with the front and rear wheels hanging over the water, and the left-hand door open and the engine still running. Air Keane’s hat was seen in the water, and a few minutes later his body was recovered lying in 4ft of water. Air Keane had lately been in ill-health, and on more than one occasion recently had had a seizure, one occurring at a recent meeting of the County Council, when Air Keane was immediately granted leave to recuperate. It is believed that ho had another seizure near or on the bridge yesterday, and fell through the door of the car into the river. The deceased, who was fifty-one years of ago, was one of the most highlyrespected men in the district, and was popular with all classes of the community. He had been county engineer for nearly twenty years. He leaves a widow and a family of two children. DEATH FROM GAS POISONING. Early yesterday morning Eleanor E. Baynon, single, aged forty-four, was found dead in the kitchenette of her parents’ residence, St. Albans (Christchurch). A gas jet was found turned on, but the fanlight and one of the doors were open. At the inquest it was stated that Aliss Baynon was on sick leave, and had suffered from sleeplessness for some time. Dr R. H. Baxter said that deceased had suffered from thyroid and nerve trouble, and was in a debilitated condition. She was liable to a sudden collapse, and the gas from the open jet would in that case accelerate death. The coroner (Air H. A. Young, S.AI.) returned a verdict of death from gas poisoning, which may have been accidental.

BODY FOUND IN HARBOR. The Invercargill police were advised yesterday afternoon that the body of a mair had been seen floating in the harbor near the wharf. Constables succeeded in recovering the body. It is believed to be that of a man answering to the names of both Thomas Scott and Muir. FATAL SHOOTING ACCIDENT. A distressing fatality occurred at Mangawhero (near _ Wanganui) last evening, resulting in the death of Donald Gunn Poison, aged sixteen, the eldest son of Mr W. J. Poison, dominion president of the Farmers’ Union. The lad was out hare shooting, and while ho was attempting to get through a hedge the gun went off. The charge entered his right side, and inflicted so severe a wound that he died a few minutes later. EXTENSIVE BURNS. At the inquest on the body of Tlios. Shanahan, single, aged forty-three, who was severely burned in the retort house at the gasworks on December 8, and who died ten days later, a verdict was returned that deceased died from heart failure following extensive burns accidentally received. From the evidence the coroner said it seemed that the ordinary precautions had been followed, and that it was one of those accidents which happened so suddenly that there was no chance of preventing them.— Wellington Press Association telegram. FOOT AMPUTATED. Eric Clifford, aged nine years, got in the way of a mower driven by a lad named Scott, the knife almost severing the lad’s foot. The sufferer was sent to fhe hospital, where it was found necessary to amputate the foot at the ankle.-— Blenheim Press Association telegram. MARRIED MAN’S DEATH. At the inquest concerning the death of Alexander Osborne, married, aged sixty, of Lower Hutt, whose body was recovered yesterday from Fire Hutt River, a verdict of suicide while in a state of mental depression was returned. The deceased had been in ill-health for some time. —Wellington Press Association telegram.