ATARAU FATALITY

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1932, Page 6

ATARAU FATALITY

Inquest on Albert Pfaff ACCIDENTALLY SHOT. The inquest on fhe late Albert Pfaff, who was found dead at Atarau, on Saturday night, was held at the Aliaura Courtroom yesterday, before Mr James Sneddon, J.P., of Blackball, ActingCoroner and a jury of four Messrs Emil Simmondson, Patrick C'unan, Walter Baxter and Thomas Edward Ward. Constable O. 11. Hendrickson, of 2 'ackball, represen\d t’ e poii Arthur Gray, carpenter, of Blackball, gav ( , evidence that he visited Slatcy Creek on a deer shooting expedition, accompanied by his mate. Charles Lansdown. He had called at Pfaff’s hut at 10 o’clock on Saturday night, with the intention of staying with him fill day-break. He had knocked on the door and on receiving no answer had gone in. Not finding Pfaff in the hut, and knowing that ht suffered from miners’ comp'aint. they had thought that perhaps he was ill and was sitting down outside. On searching round house, they had found him lying dead in a paddock near his vegetable garden. Immediately they had left for Black ball, where they reported the matter to the police. Charles Land sd own gave corroborative evidence. Constable Honey, police constable, stationed af Ahaura. stated that he had seen the body and had identified it as Albert Victor Pfaff, a resident of Moonlight, who he had last see n alive at Ahaura on September sth, when the deceased appeared to be in his usual health.

Constable Hendrickson, p'olice constable stationed at Blackball, gave evidence of having received the complaint from Gray and Landsdown. He had proceeded to Slatcy Creek and had found the body as stated. The body was lying parallel to a wire fence round the vegetable garden, and the deceased bore the appearance of having been dead about a week. He had a bullet wound on th© right side of the chest, with a black ring round it scorched by powder, showing that he had been shot at close range. A n old-fashioned sin gl© shot Snider rifle was hooked up in the wire fence, with the muzzle buried in the ground. Witness considered that fire deceased must hav© bee n digging his garden just prior to his death and when climbing back through th© fence, the hammer must hav fc got caught in the wire and discharged the gun, thereby killing him. The finding of th© jury was that the deceased, Albert Victor Pfaff, m© t with his death through the accidental discharge of his rifle when climbing through the fence.

Th© funeral of the late Mr Alberti Victor Pfaff takes place to-morrow!. morning at Ahaura, leaving St. Mary’s Church, at 10 o’clock for the Ahaura Cemetery. Mr Carl Pfaff, of Wellington. brother of the deceased, arrives today from Wellington, to be present on the occasion.