FATAL CURIO

Grey River Argus, 17 April 1920, Page 7

FATAL CURIO

LIVE SHELL NOSE-CAP.

SOLDIER AND BOY KILLED

"Shell nose-caps arc very dangerous when in the hands of inexperienced persons. Numbers of tliem nave been brought from tbc scene of war as curios. Except when it is known that they have been discharged, they shounT be handed over to the military." These remarks were made by Mr Janiioson, a Sydney coroner, after he had return, ed a verdict of accidental death in the cases of William Lang, aged 33, and William Benjamin McLean, aged nine years, who died as tlic result of a shell explosion in a yard at White Street, Lcichhardt, on March IS.

Mrs Evelyn Drcnnan, Lang's cousin, stated that a returned soldier had oc-

rupiicdi i a house next door^ but the jyiaee at the time of the explosion was empty, and a boy had found t'lie nose-cap there and brought it into her place. With other boys he played with it in the yard. Then last Thursday afternoon it was placed on the kitchen table.' Lang, who was a returned soldier, picked it up, got a screwdriver, and commenced to unscrew tho cap. He removed one screw, and then ,in compliance with the wishes of witness, took it down the yard. The boy McLean, who lived in the house on the other side, went witli him.

Before he walked down the yard, Mrs Dennan continued, he, by way of a joke, dropped izic apparatus In front of her a couple of times. She told him it was dangerous, but Lung said it had been blown, and was dead. He brought it down hard on top of tho garden gate, and then drew two more screws. Powder fell from the cap.

In order to remove the last screw ho struck the cap again on tlic gale. He said, "I must see what is in this cap." As he lifted it to hit it fur tihe last time smoke issued from it. Tho boy McLean was standing by his side. Lang motioned him away, but a few seconds later a terrific explosion occurred, and both Lang and tlic boy fell to the ground.

Other evidence was given that Lang died almost immediately, while the boy lived only two days. Lang's clothes were powder-stained and burned,' and the soft tissues of his right forearm were blown away. There were numerous powder-stained holes in flic chest. McLean's injuries consisted of two lacerated wounds on the neck.