A Sad Fatality.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 226, 24 November 1888, Page 2

A Sad Fatality.

Thebe were many expressions of regret in town on Thursday afternoon when the sad death of Mr Alex Watt became known. The suddenness of the event added a most painful interest to what would at any time have been a cause for much grief to those who knew the young man. He had been in town a few weeks previously, and returned to his work as usual, in tbe full bloom of youth and health, none of his friends ever for a moment dreaming how soon that budding manhood was to be cut off and the object to depart on the journey whence so many have gone before him. He was at work on top of the derrick at the Minerva Petroleum Company’s works, on Wednesday evening, and tell a distance ot about 25 feet. He was not thought to be Seriously hurt, and it was looked upon as a providential escape ; Indeed he subsequently walked about, but during the night he became delirious, and expired on Thursday morning. The sad news was first brought into town by Mr J. Brown, who did the journey in three hours and a half. Watt was an unassuming young fellow, of quiet and industrious habits—a credit to hie parents and a model which might well be taken as an example by others of his own age. He did not make acquaintances so quickly as young men generally do, but those he did take up with were soon converted imo fast friends. He worked at Messrs Brown and iimaiil’a for a period, at his trade of blacksmitu, and he bad been engaged at the Minerva works for a term of about six rponths. He was about 23 years of age, and had a younger appearanpe. Much sympathy is felt for the parents and relations in their bereavement, INQUEST ON THE BODY, An inquest was held at the Oil-springs hotel yesterday morning before Mr J. Booth, coroner, and the following jury: — Messrs Parsons (foreman), A. Campbell, W. Bracken, W. Wallace, J. Walker, F. Tait, and G. Glass. No fresh facts were elicited at the inquest excepting that after his fall the deceased said he would lifie to sit down in the open air as fie felt shaken. He complained of a pain at the bottom of his back. Previous to fits death deceased had a succession of fits lasting from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. Dr Pollen, in his evidence, said that he had found underneath the skull, and in the frontal region on the left side, a targe olot of blood, about the size of a man’s hand, and half an inch in thickness. He considered that death resulted from extravasation of fildod on tlje fpoqt part of the left hemisphere ot tfie bra;n. The jury returned a verdict ot accidental death. THE FUNERAL. The remains of the late Mr Alexander Watt Were interred in tbe Makaraka cemetery yesterday afternoon- The Bev A. H. Wallace reed the burial service. Among those present were Messrs Washington and Frank Weaver and Piesse, representing the Oil Companies.