ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11898, 23 May 1899, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

THE LOCH SLOY THSASTER. United Press Electric Telegraph—Copyright. ADELAIDE, May 22. Mitchell, <m&-ot the .sur*iv«rs «f the Loch Sloy-wreck,, says- that the-ship wasan fairly calm waterfor half an homrteforeshe Struck, and the boats might have been got-out, but no attempt was made, the captain hoping to 'bout ship. [Per Pbess Association.] AUCKLAND, May? 22. Sterbourne Button, a settler at shot himself through the head with a revolver in the Victoria Hotel early this morning* and died five hours afterwards. The reason for the act is unknown.

The police have ascertained that Dufctba, who committed suicide this morning, is supposed to be single. He received remittances from friends at Home. He had sold his house and llanu, and received a balance, of £44 am May 10; but the police found on him only Is 6d. Mr BiackWsell, who paid him the money, sfattes that he was hard-working and industrious, but tjceaaicaially given to drink. He knttws of ho reason for the suicide, save that Button may have lost his money or run through it. J. Ryan, a well-known runner and foot-, bailer, died from, an overdose of landaniim at Paeroa. He had taken a second doss for insomnia. His brother went to Waken ihim, and found him dying. He \vas employed by his brother in the Tramway Hotel, Karangahake. . Thomas Rogers, an A.B. on board H.M.S. Mildura, was engaged this afternoon in shipping ammunition on the Mararoa for Sydney- When the work was finished, instead of going ashore by the gangway, be leaped from the top of the deck with the intention of jumping from the rail to the, wharf, eleven feet below by laying hold of the rail and putting a foot on a stoolHe slipped his hold in jumping and sfeuck the side of the wharf. Then his body rebounded on to a wooden fender below* and he was killed instantaneously. Isabella A. HulL, four years of age, died of burns. Her nightdress caught fire. Her parents reside at Otau, near Waiuku. 1 THAMES, May 22:

A man named William Johnson died at Tapu at five this morning, from the effects of strychnine.. He was sixty-five years of age, and had no relatives in tne colony. He had been drinking heavily lately. NELSON, May 22. The Wakefield-Stanley Brook mail coach was swept down the Stanley Brook whilst attempting to cross on Saturday night. The driver and the only passenger escaped, but the former had a narrow escape, being carried some distance down the river. One horse was drowned. The principal mailbag was recovered.

On Sunday evening a. trap driven by a young man named Dtiftlop, who was accompanied by two young girls, was capsized at the end of Beach Road, Kaiapoi. The horse was travelling at a fast pace, and by some means, when turning into the Beach Road, tlie trap capsized- All the occupants Were violently thrown out; the two girls were taken into a House arid received attention, and were-afterwards able to walk-home. Twelve days after the steamer Rimutaka left Plymouth, a second saloon passenger named Mr Murray died from an attack of aplopkxy. The deceased, who was about fifty years of age, accompanied by his young daughter, nad not, says the "Post," previously given signs of ill-health. Mr and Miss Murray were travelling to Christchurch, where they reside.

An inquest was held on Saturday at the Commercial Hotel, West Oxford, before Mr G. A. White, acting coroner, and a jury of whom Mr C. M. Lugar was foreman, touching the death of Bernard Langer, aged 67, who was found dead in Iris "bed on Friday morning. The evidence of deceased's wife and Dr Vofckman showed /that death was caused by weakness of the heart's action, accelerated by hard work and poor living. A verdict was returned accordingly- _.