ACCIDENTS, ETC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8473, 26 January 1891, Page 10

ACCIDENTS, ETC.

A MOTHER AND TWO CHILDREN FALL OVER A WHARF. Ax accident, which was very nearly attended with fatal results, happened on the 3rd January at the Onehunga wharf. It seems that the s.s. Manukau came in from Waiuku to Onehunga on the 3rd January about half-past nine p.m. Among the passengers was Mrs. Watson and two children, living in Vincent-street, Auckland, who were returning from a holiday excursion. She was met at the wharf by her husband. It was then intensely dark and raining heavily. Mrs. Watson had the younger child, twenty months old, in her arms, and the other, four years of age, she led by the hand. While her husband went to look after the luggage she walked forward to the gas lamp, as she thought, up the wharf, and fell over into the water with both children. The husband hearing the splash immediately plunged in off the wharf, a drop of 16 feet, and when he came to the surface he found his wife floating alongside of him. Although he could not swim properly he pushed her over to the stringers of the wharf, to which she clung. She told him that the baby had slipped out of her arms. He then heard a splash about 10 yards ahead, and on paddling forward he found it was the elder child. He also saw something white floating near, which turned out to be the baby, and he succeeded in securing both children. Meanwhile when those on board the Manukau heard the splash, they at once lowered a boat, but as it could not get underneath the stringers of the wharf, Captain Clarice jumped in, and swimming up to the man and the children, held them up till the boat came round the wharf, and rescued them and Mrs. Watson from their perilous position. They were taken on board the Manukau, where restorative measures were adopted, while Dr. Erson was sent for. Subsequently they were all removed to Captain Clarke's house, where every attention and kindness was shown to the unfortunates by Captain Clarke and his wife. It was not till three a.m. on the 4th January that all were out of danger. It may be mentioned that ten years ago Mr. Watson exhibited similar bravery by jumping off the wharf at the Thames, to save a man's life.

Just as the people were dispersing at the close of the Ellerslie races on January 2, an accident took place to a man named Edwin Cooke, which has ended fatally. The following are the circumstances so far as we can ascertain them :The driver of one of Martin's foar-horse 'buses, Joseph Carey, was about to leave the course, when, through some cause or other, his leading pair of horses carried away the ring of the pole, and the bar striking them on the heels, they bolted. Some people endeavoured to stop and head them, but some distance along the side of the course they swerved, and charged into the side of a cab belonging to Mr. F. Carter, of Parnell. At the time they did so, a man, named Edwin Cooke, was engaged in harnessing up the horse in Mr. Carter's cab, and he was struck in the abdomen, it is supposed by the bar. It was at once seen that the man was seriously injured internally, and Sergeant Bernard got a trap and removed him to the District Hospital for treatment. He was at once admitted, and Dr. Collins, after examination, felt apprehensive that the case would prove fatal. However, all was done that could be done for the unfortunate man, who died less than three hours after admission. Mr. Carter is not aware whether deceased has any relatives in the colony, or whether he is married or single. Cooke was a man about 40 years of age. An inquest on the body was held on the 3rd January, before Dr. Philson, coroner, and a respectable jury. The evidence of Joseph Carey, 'bus-driver, Frederick Carter, cabowner, Sergeant Bernard, and the medical officer at the Hospital was taken. A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned. A man named JuppSteedman met with a fatal accident at the Wanganui railway station on Jan. 20. He was on a low sieffe truck arranging goods, when the engine came into the shed to take the train out and he overbalanced himself and fell out of the waggon on to the ground, and the wheel went over his body. The man was picked up insensible, but shortly regained consciousness and was taken to the Hospital, where he died that evening.

A coroner's inquest was held on the 29th December by Dr. Philson, coroner, at the Wynyard Arms Hotel, touching the death of a newly-born male infant, son of Mrs. Annie Lewis, of Abercrombie-streefc. Mr. H. Shortland appeared for Mrs. Lewis, and Sergeant-Major Pratt represented the police. 16 appears that Airs. Lewis, who is living apart from her husband, gave birth to a male child early on December 29, in presence of Mary Olsen. It was believed that the child was dead, and it was not removed from the vessel into which it was dropped. Dr. Bake well was called in to attend Mrs. Lewis, and at his request an inquest was held. Several witnesses gave evidence, and the doctor's evidence showed that the child's lungs were about a quarter filled with air. He thought if tho child had been promptly attended to it would have lived. The jury brought in a verdict to the effect, " That the death of the child was owing to the ignorance of the females attending on the mother." On the 12th January Mr. Henry Roberts and Mr. William Sawkins, shopkeepers, on the Mapukau Road, Parnell, noticed that the shop of their neighbour, Mr. H W. Broadgate, chemist, remained unopened for a considerable time past the hour of opening. A little past ten a.m. it was decided to enter the premises by a back window, and on doing so, Mr. Broadgate was found lying on tho floor on his back, a corpse. He was partially dressed, having on his trousers and vest. Dr. Wright was called in, but of course the unfortunate man was past all earthly aid. Deceased formerly resided in Coromandel, where he carried on his business, but six months ago he bought a chemist's business in the Manukau Road. He was about

45 years of age. The last time he was seen alive was on the 11th January between eight and nine p.m., when he had the shop open. Dr. Wright made a post mortem examination of the body on January 12. An inquest was held at the Alexandra Hotel on the 13th January, before Dr. Philson and a jury of six. Mr. li. Wood was chosen foreman of the jury. Henry Roberts and Dr. F. W. Wright gave evidence. The latter stated that there was no doubt that deceased met with his death from sanguineous apoplexy. George Sawkins and Constable Hobson also gave evidence, and the jury returned a verdict of " Death from apoplexy." A lamentable boating accident took place on Jan. 21 near Ponsonby wharf, by which a young lad named Hector Foster, son of Mr. Foster, of the Government Survey Office, residing in Argyle-street, lost his life. It. appears that between five and six o'clock four lads, named Archie Dennes (14), W. Dennes (15), sons of Mr. W. C. Dennes, Queen-street, Hector Foster (11), and Harry Foster (13), took a dingy and left Dennes' Bay to board Mr. Dennes' yacht, lying in the bay about 100 or 200 yards distant, in order to fish from her. When 20 yards from the yacht the dingy shipped a wave over the stern-and filled. The lads called out to Mr. Cunnold, on board the yacht, to throw a line, but at the distance they failed to reach it, and as he could not swim they were left to do the best they could. The tide was running out, and swept them down towards the Ponsonby Wharf. Mrs. Dennes was on the beach, saw the accident, and called out to and encouraged the lads to strike out for the wharf. There was no one on the wharf at the time but ladies and little children. The Rev. Wm. Gittos hearing the outcries of the women and children at his residence up the street, hurried to the beach and got a boat, but there were no oars or paddles. He went to Masefield's fence near hand to tear down a paling to paddle out to the drowning lads but on getting to the boat Hector Foster had sunk. As the title swept the lads under the Ponsonby Wharf, Harry Foster and the two Dennes', who had been endeavouring to keep Hector Foster up, as he could swim but little, let go and caught hold of the stringers of the wharf, being exhausted. The unfortunate little fellow, Hector Foster, sank almost immediately alongside the wharf. The other boys clambered up on to the wharf, but Harry Foster was greatly exhausted, and he was taken home, and Dr. Knight telephoned for, and the police notified. It was not till half-past eight at night that the body was recovered. Mr. Cunnold, who was on board the yacht, got up anchor after the accident, but he was unable to reach the lads, and being no swimmer could not render any assistance. On the 22nd of January an inquest was held by Dr. Philson and a jury, but no new information was elicited, and a verdict of "Accidentally Drowned" was returned. On the 21st January an accident occurred on the ferry steamer Britannia, to an old man named Jaine3 Borley, shoemaker, of Newmarket. The vessel was on her trip to

the North Shore, about a quarter to three o'clock. When off the Railway Wharf, it is supposed Borley, who was 72 years of age, must have taken a fit of giddiness, or of some sort. At all events, he was in the water when first seen by one of the passengers, Mr. Williams, who gave thealarm. The steamer was at once stopped, and the mate and another man got into the dingy and rescued Borley, who was floating on his back, but had absorbed a considerable quantity of water, and was greatly exhausted. The steamer returned to the Auckland ferry tee, and Borley was conveyed to the Hospital, his wife being telephoned to at Newmarket of the accident. The unfortunate old man died of the nervous shock in the evening at half-past seven, at the Hospital. All that could be got out of him after the accident was that he was going to the North Shore to get some money due to him, so it is not clear how he fell overboard. Deceased was perfectly sober at the time of the accident. An inquest -was held by Dr. I'hiison and a jury on January 22, when a verdict of " Accidental Death " was returned.

When the gardener employed at the National Hotel, Cambridge, went to his work on Jan. 23 he found some fowls in the garden, and whilst driving them out he stumbled over the body of a man whom lie found lying with his head and shoulders in a cesspit adjoining a pigstye. The cesspit is about three feet deep, and there was about 18 inches of slush therein. When found the man was dead, and 011 examination he turned out to be a well-known individual named Walter Luckinan. Deceased has been a resident in Cambridge for a number of years, and has some well-to-do relatives in Hobart, from whom he has periodically received remittances. Some six months ago Luckinan received a considerable sum of money, which he squandered in drink, bringing on delirium tremens. It was then feared that he might commit suicide, and he was arrested and sent to Mount Eden for a month. Since his return from Auckland he has been about the various hotels, and appears to have recently received a further remittance, and during the past few weeks had not taken food, existing solely on intoxicants. It is supposed that the deceased was sleeping in the garden, and during the night rolled over into the hole, and on account of his weak state was unable to extricate himself. An inquest was held in the afternoon before Mr. J. H. Priestly, J.P., and a jury, of whom Mr. Tuck was appointed foreman. The medical evidence went to show that deceased had been suffering from softness of the brain brought on by alcoholic poisoning. The jury brought in a verdict of " Accidentally suffocated in a mud hole." The jury added a rider to the verdict advising Mr. Bach to keep the hole covered in future. Our Waiuku correspondent writes :An inquest was held in the Kentish Hotel on Tuesday, January 13, 189.1. on the remains of the body of the late William Parker, who was supposed to be drowned on Monday, 22nd December last, before Mr. W. J. Harris, acting coroner, and a jury of six, of whom Mr. C. \V. Flex man was chosen foreman. After viewing the remains and taking evidence, together with that of Dr. Dalziel, the jury returned a verdict. "That the deceased, William Parker came by his death by drowning in the Waikato River on Monday, the 22nd day of December, 1890. The funeral took place at 2 p.m. Among those present were Mr. A. Kidd and his son from Auckland, who were intimate friends of the deceased. The burial service was read in an impressive manner by Mr. E. Hamlin, M.H.R., no clergyman being at present available. On Friday, the 16th January, as Mr. R. Blencow was riding along the main road, Te Aroha, his "horse became restive and threw him heavily, unfortunately not upon the ground bub against a tele- ! graph post. His head struck the post, and he must have died instantaneously, as his brains were protruding from the fractured skull. At Waipori, Otago, John Morrison, whose brother is a member of the firm of Anderson and Morrison, plumbers, Dunedin, lost his life owing to taking an overdose of laudanum.

Our Pukekohe West correspondent gives the following particulars attending the death, by drowning, of young Latimer in the Waikato River on Boxing Day, After stating that the party arrived at Kohanga about half-past tv olvq o'clock, our correspondent adds :After securing the boats, they walked on a short distance, whore they all sat down and began making preparations for luncheon. After luncheon some of the younw men erected swings, so that the young ladies of the party could enjoy themselves. Five young men suggested bathing, and carrying the suggestion into effect went a short distance away, and were soon in the water. The first in was young Latimer, and by the time the other four were in the water he had been a good distance out, and was swimming back again and trying his best to stem the current. The others were now swimming about within a few yards of each other, when they heard young Latimer crying out, " Some of you fellows give me a hand there." At this they took no notice, thinking he was funning, but whan they saw he was drifting down young Wright made a dash and caught him by the arm, but found that he could not manage him alone, as Latimer caught Wright so tightly as to nearly drown him as well. Young Madill then made an attempt, and caught him twice, young Wright swimming against the current fetched one of the boats, and got near enough to push an oar within a toot of him, but Latimer made no effort to catch it. Young Madill in the meantime was forced to let him go to save himself. The young men think lie must have lost all presence of mind, as he never seemed to make the least effort after the first words to save himself. The sad affair was so sudden that the young people could hardly realise the truth when the bathers came back. The party at once made preparations to get back, reaching Pukekohe about eight p.m. The j body was found on Dec. 29 by a native about 10 miles clown stream from where the bathing party entered tho river. An inquest was held, and the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death." Our Kawhia correspondent wrote on Dec. 31 :Hone to Wetere, chief of tho Ngatihikairo tribe, an old and well-known chief, some sixty years of age, five days since was thrown from his buggy and severely injured. He expired yesterday. To Wetere was an old and famous chief in the days that have passed, and there will be a large tcwigi over him. His burial will take place to-morrow. One hundred and fifty natives have already arrived hero. For some time past deceased had been engaged in the occupation of native interpreter. A very serious accident happened to Mr. C. M. Brunskill at Taotaoroa on December 30. It appears that Mr. Brunskill was working a mowing machine, and while fixing some of the pear one of the horses, a young horse, started off, and Mr. Brunskill, being unable to get out of the way in time, he was caught by the knives of the machine, which inflicted severe cuts on his legs just below the calf. Dr. Cushney was immediately sent for to dress the wounds. He found it necessary to put five stitches in one leg and three in the other. Our Waiuku correspondent writes that an inquest was held at the house of tho deceased, on the body of John Dooley, who died on Tuesday night, the 6th January, suddenly. Mr. W. J. Harris was acting coroner. A jury of six was empannelled, of whom Mr. James Murray was chosen foreman. After viewing the body of deceased, Mary Ann Dooley, wife of the deceased, gave evidence that on Tuesday night, the Gth January, about seven p.m., he came home from his work, had a wash, and ato a

hearty tea. He then appeared in the best of spirits, having had a good day's work digging gum. After tea he had a smoke, and talked till shortly after nine, when they went to bed. The deceased after going to bed turned over on his left side and went to sleep. He gave a heavy sigh twice. She caught him by the shoulder and shook him, as she was alarmed. She got out of bed, struck a light, and the deceased then gave another sigh, but did not answer her. She called her son, and then saw that ho was dead. Ho was 58 years of age last July. He had been subject to colds and coughs for the last 23 years, and used to have nasty fits of coughing when ho got up in the morning, but got better after having had a cup of tea. He was never a month at a time without having those coughs, especially in the winter season. Other formal evidence was given, and Dr. Dalziel gave it as his opinion that deceased suffered from chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and that these were the cause of his death. Verdict, " That the deceased, John Dooley, of Waipipi, came to his death on Tuesday, the 6th day of January, 189, from chronic bronchitis and emphysema." On Monday, the 12th January, a very distressing and shocking accident occurred at the railway station, Brunnerton. On the arrival of the five o'clock train a Mrs. R. Smith got out of one of the carriages with a child in her arms, leaving another standing on tho platform of the carriage until she could assist it down. Before she could do this the train started, and the jerk caused the child to fall from the platform of the carriage. It fell on the line, the wheel of the carriage passing over and crushing its head, causing instantaneous death. At the inquest on Jan. 13 Mr. Jones represented the Railway Commissioners, and .Mr. Guinness the parents of the child. The evidence of the guard, stationmastcr, and others was taken. A verdict of manslaughter against Daniel Malcolm McLeod, shunter, was returned, and he was committed to appear for trial on the 16th March, bail being allowed, himself in £100 and two sureties in £50 each.

Two lads named William and Thomas Carroll had a narrow escape from drowning at the Thames on Jan. 15. They were sailing about the harbour in a yacht, when a sudden gust of wind capsized her, and threw them into the water. They managed to get on to the bottom of Mid boat, from which they were eventually rescued by Mr. Reddish, who happened to come along soon after in his fishing smack. A few days ago an inquest was held at Te Kura, Mercury Bay, upon the remains of a gumdigger, found in an old bush man's hut. Deceased, it seems, was named Edward Moran, 05 years of age, and has two daughters in Auckland. He lived alone, and was last seen alive in August. On deceased body was found Is 8d and some unimportant papers. He had settled in Adelaide in 1849, and came to New Zealand 20 years ago. The jury returned a verdict of, "Death from natural causes."

A man named James McGrath was drowned, after leaving the Maropiu Hotel, on the night of the ."Ist December. The night was very dark, and it is supposed that he walked by accident into the Jvaihu creek. He was heard calling for assistance, and on the hotel manager getting to the spot he struck matches, and saw McGrath go down. Some natives dived for the body at the time, but without finding it. The body was found next morning about four chains down the creek, in shallow water. There were no marks of violence on him. McGrath was generally known to bo a steady, sober man,and hehad£23in thePost-of lice Savings Bank. The body was brought down to Dargaville on January 1, in charge of Constable Can - . An inquest was held on January 2, when a verdict that deceased was accidentally drowned was returned. A miner named Thomas Kennedy, belonging to Dunedin, has met with a fatal accident at Brunner mine. He was engaged jigging trucks, and when the staples of The trucks were running down the bank he was caught by them and killed. The first officer of the barque Ganymedo, named John Lord, was found drowned on Sunday morning, January 11, in a pool of water near the Cross wharf, Oamaru. He had been in town on Saturday ni«-ht, and it is supposed he was returning to his ship when he fell into the water! The night was very dark. Deceased leaves a wife and three children in the old country. On Thursday, the Bth January, a middle aged man named Thomas Sheridan died at the Christehurch Hospital while under chloroform for an operation for cancer of the tongue. The pout mortem examination showed th.it death was caused by a rupture of the aneurism of the aorta. An inquest was held in the evening, when the evidence showed that every possible care had been taken, and that no one was to blame. A verdict of accidental death was returned. On January 6 the body of a man, named George Willmot, was found floating in the harbour at Lyttelton, close to the ocean steamers' wharf. Willmot had been living in a small shed on the reclaimed land for some time, and was last seen at eleven on January 5. It is supposed that he was going home when he fell over the wharf. He was about 40 years of age, and a native of Hobart. A Wellington telegram states that William Reekie, miner, New River, was found- dead in bed on January 12.

A chemist at Palmerston North, named Williams, was found dead in bed on the 4th January. As he was known to be in the habit of taking morphia, it is supposed this had something to do with it. A lad named Morrisey, while working over the tunnel at Kaimati, near Greymouth, on Tuesday, tho 6th January, was carried by a falling tree 200 feet, smashing his arm and injuring him internally. Dr. Buckley was at once sent to the scene, and amputated the arm at the shoulder. Wra. Jackson, boatbuilder, was drowned on Lake Wanaka on Dec. 28, while bathing. His wife, mother, and brother reside at Port Chalmers. On Monday, tho 29th of December, at Waikare, Canterbury, three young children belonging to a widow named Barker were poisoned by taking oxalic acid, which they found in the stable. The lives of two were saved by administering emetics, but the eldest boy, aged six, died in great agony two hours after taking tho poison. Peter Thomasen, GO years of age, a foreigner, fell dead while loading wool on the steamer Mana, at Palliser Bay, on Dec. 29. He has no relatives in the colony. A man, named Jno. Barker, a barman at the Eastern Hotel, Christchurch, dropped dead in the yard on December 29, it is supposed from heart disease. A fatality occurred at Invercargill on Saturday night, January 3, to a driver named Aspray, who was driving the last car from Gladstone. The night was very wet and there was no one on the platform with him, and how the accident happened is unknown. He had a habit in bad weather of sitting sideways on the splashboard, and it is supposed that he dropped the reins., and fell over in his attempt to grasp them. The car-wheel had gone over his jaw and throat, and he must have died instantly. News from Wairoa, Hawke's Buy, states that Constable Barry, while crossing the bar of the river in a punt, was drowned. A wave capsized the punt, and Barry, though an excellent swimmer, was washed out to sea. A boy who was with him scrambled to the shore.

A Timaru telegram states that Timothy Geaney, late butcher and hotelkeeper at Pleasant Point, was drowned in the Pengawai River, while crossing in a buggy, which capsized, and Geaney was somehow entangled with it. A young man, '20 years of age, named Albeit E. Harmer, was drowned in the Lyttelton Harbour on January 21 while in a lit. The dead body of a young girl was found on Jan. 15 floating in the Molyneaux, near Clyde. It is believed to be that of the daughter of Ivirby, a rabbiter, who has been missing from her home since a month ago. A fatal instance of juvenile imprudence has just been reported to the p. 'ice. A Maori boy named Parotitic was killed in the Otamatea district recently. While playing with other lads, he found an oil drum. Paretine filled it with water, plugged it up, lit a fire underneath, and awaited results. When the water became superheated it exploded, and a fragment of iron struck him on the head, taking off the top of it, and causing instantaneous death. An elderly man named Charles Cooper died at Lawrence Hospital from injuries received by a log rolling on him while he was splitting timber. He lay pinned for 24 hours before he was discovered, and for some time refused to be removed to the Hospital. Thomas Lynch, a miner, was killed on Jan. 19 by a fall of earth at Moke Creek, near Queenstown. An inquest was held at the Dunedin Hospital on Wednesday, the 14th January, touching the death of Emily Ferguson, who broke her leg on the wharf on the 12th December, and was removed to the Hospital. From the evidence it appeared she was a native of Kent, and eauie to Dunedin seven months ago from Wellington. She told one woman that she had a husband and son in Melbourne, that Ferguson was her maiden name, her married name being Claridge. After being received into the Hospital she developed symptoms of delirium of an alcoholic character, and the cause of death was brain disease, influenced by the shock of the accident and alcohol. A verdict, to that effect was returned. A child named Quinlan was accidentally drowned in a bucket of water at Danevirke on January 13. On the 13th January a woman named Miss Crawford, formerly employed in an hotel, was found dead in a cottage at Danevirke.