ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13936, 19 December 1905, Page 9

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December 18. Cyril Alexander Young, aged fourteen, whoso parents reside at Rata Street, Ponsonby, fell from a horse which he was riding without a saddle. Death was instantaneous, it being presumed that his neck was broken. Robert Leas, aged sixty-one, died suddenly at his residence at Parnell. DAR6AYILLE, December 18. George Jordan, who was injured at Awakino bush a week ago, died last night in the Kopu-ru Hospital. Dr Collins amputated, the leg yesterday, but deceased gradually sank, and expired at 9 p.m. - GISBORNE, December 18. A man aged about twenty-four (single), who gave his name as .Bernard William Finch, lies dangerously ill in the hospital. Ho was discovered by a Maori at Patutahi on Saturday evening, his throat being badly cut, the wound evidently -self-inflicted. He is said to have come from Masterton and, unsuccessfully seeking work, had become despondent. WELLINGTON, December 18. An inquest was held to-day into the circumstances surrounding the death of Basil Graham, aged twenty-four years, who died at .Manners Street Polio© Sta--tibn on Saturday night, after having been concerned in a street brawl a short; time before. The- evidence went to show that several young men and youths, of whom deceased was one, had a disturbance in Cuba Street, which attracted a crowd of people. All of them had been drinking. Blows were exchanged, but the identity of the person who struck Graham and knocked him down was not established. Statements were made- by witnesses that _it was" some stranger, though they said theywould bo able to.identify him. ihe medical testimony was that death resulted from hemorrhage of the- brain ■ caused by a’ blow under the-jaw or by. deceased striking has head against the footpath when knocked down.- The jury .found that death . was caused, through a blow-delivered by some- person unknown, or by a fall consequent on such blow. WELLINGTON, December 18. George Wallace, aged about fifty, aii upholsterer by trade, shot himself dead with a revolver to-night in the bar of tho Oriental Hotel, Willis Street. He had been sitting in the bar for some time, apparently in a despondent state, and, without warning of any kind, took his life. Ernest Charles Bourne was killed hy a fall of earth at the excavation work at Kilbirnie to-day. INVERCARGILL, December 18. This afternoon the- express train from Dunedin collided at Yethen Street crossing, in the town, with a milk cart driven by a boy of fifteen, named Charles Clark, who was thrown out with great violence and died from his injuries two hours later. The hor.se was killed. The lad was driving from the south, where he had a fair view of the line for some yards, but got on the rails. The horse did not- respond quickly enough. It is also said that his attention was diverted by boys running behind the cart as it approaclied the crossing. An accident has been looked for by observant people since the mail train was inaugurated, as it comes into town .at great speed and crosses seven streets in less than half a mile with the merest toot of the whistle. The hoy was the son. of a carpenter residing in Earn Street.

SUICIDE AT RICHMOND. At the Morgue yesterday, Mr H. W. B : shop held an -inquest on the body of Richard Lawson, or George Sanderson, who was found dead late on Sunday night on the bank of the Avon, hear Swann’s Road, Richmond. * The man had been dead, it appeared, for a week, and there, was a bullet wound in the head, evidently self inflicted. Mr Bishop said that, although the deceased had worked in Christchurch for a couple of years as Richard Lawsen, there • was reason to believe tliat his name was George Sanderson. In that case ho was a deserter from H.M.S. Royal Arthur, at Sydney, on August' 2 ; 1903. He was described in the ‘ ‘ Police Gazette ” as twenty-four years of age. Mr Bishop read a rambling letter found on the body addressed to some person 'unknown . Hannah Stone, a married woman, said she could identify the body, although much decomposed, as that of George Sanderson, whom she- had known for two years. He was working at AuLsebreok’s Biscuit Factory, and going by the name of Richard Lawson. He had often said that he had deserted from tho Royal Arthur at Sydney in IGO3. He used to visit her house two or three times a week to see her husband. He had often said that he would do away with himself as ‘ 1 he was never safe,- and there was nothing worth living for.” He was living in lodgings in Avon Street. She had seen him about a fortnight ago. He was twenty-six years of age. He- said he had deserted because ho was not treated properly by the officers. To a juror: She did not give information to the police about him because she thought a warrant would be useless in New Zealand. James Nolan, labourer at Anisebrook’s, said lie had known deceased, who was living with him. He last tawhim on December 11, in the morning. He was then going to try to ship on an English boat at Lyttelton. He had left the house on the night before to go to other lodgings. Latterly he- had been of intemperate habits. Ho bad never said ho was a deserter, and had not talked of suicide. Albert Leslie Edgar said that at 7.30 p.m. on December 11 he was walking on the riverbank near Swann’s Road, Richmond, when he saw a man lying on the bank. Thinkifig it was a case of dnmkenness bo passed on. On Sunday night ho happened to pass the place again, and saw a body, apparently with

blood on the face. He at once informed the police. Samuel Flewollen, constable stationed at Richmond, said tliat at nine, o’clock on Sunday night, he found the tody in long grass on the rivorbank in River Road, in a secluded position. "Beneath the right hand there was a five-cham-bered revolver. There were three cartridges in the weapon, two discharged and one loaded. There were injuries to the front of the face such as could have been caused by a revolver-shot. _ On the body he had found .a box of cartridges, and a cash register coupon, showing that deceased had spent 17s 6d in Messrs Congreve and Co.’s ironmonger’s shop. The jury returned a veraict that the deceased had committed suicide while of unsound mind.