ACCIDENTS, ETC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8693, 9 October 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

ACCIDENTS, ETC.

FATALITY AT WAIPIRO. < A distressing accident occurred afc Wai- ! piro on Friday morning, September 18, ' by which two men employed upon the j Waipiro Station lost their lives through i the capsizing of a boat in the roadstead, i i ■ while returning from the Union S.S. Com- J ' , party's A ustralia to the shore. It appears J that the s.s. Australia arrived off the ' station early in the morning, and cast c anchor at the usual place. 1 A largo boat from the shore put off to 1 communicate with the steamer, containing ' Mr. Wallace (manager of the station) and ' his wife and four men, named respectively j Gellender, Talbot, Neilsen, and Liddle. [ She reached the steamer after a tough row, ' • and Mrs. Wallace was pub on board in £ safety. Mr. T. F. Longland (travelling a representative for Messrs. E. Porter and " Co., of Auckland) got into the boat for the £ purpose of coming ashore to transact busi- 1 iiess at the station, and she started on her f return trip. J. A heavy sea was running, but tho boat * got a considerable distance in safety, when 11 15:; a huge roller struck her, and precipitated j l ■ all her occupants into the surf. They were " too far off for those on board the Australia 1 to assist, and a desperate struggle began r to reach the shore by swimming. l , t Mr. Wallace piuckily seized Neilsefi as j the latter appeared to be getting ex- ' hausted, but in hi>s humane endeavour he P was unsuccessful, and nearly drowned him- 11 self. The pair were afterwards separated by the waves, and Noilsen sank, while Mr. " Wallace himself was thoroughly exhausted 0 when he reached the beach. Talbot } and Longland made a good struggle for i life, bub the latter was almost gone when 1 ho was rescued by some on shore., Liddle appears to have sunk without being ob- r ■ Bcrvod. f Mr. Connolly, the hotelkeeper, witnessed ,J ; the accident, and, with great bravery, took ». rope around him and swam out to assist 6 'the struggling men. He reached Gellender, 1 who wa3 rapidly sinking, and attaching ' . the line to him gob him safely ashore. , ' Messrs. Wallace, Longland, and Cell en- I der were in very weak condition when they ) gob ashore, but received all attention ' quickly, and are expected soon to be little the worse. ' Tho bodies of Messrs. Neilsen and Liddel ' liavo been found. An inquest has been ' held, and a verdict of "Accidentally ' drowned," was returned. 1 DEATH UNDER PECULIAR CIRCUM- ' STANCES. ■ • * ' . Mary Cook Backhouse, wife of a wharf t r labourer, died suddenly at Wellington on I , ,y Saturday night, tho 3rd October, under 1 strange circumstances. She had been i ailing some three months, and accord- ' ing to her husband's statement to the \ police, went out on Saturday afternoon and ] returned with a bottle of medicine of which < she took a dose. Her husband' remon- I ' strated, but she said she would take it, kill I or cure. She remained in her usual health i till just before ten, when she complained 1 of a pain in her inside.; A few minutes later 1 «ho expired. Two doctors were sent for, j 1

who took possession of the medicine. At the inquest, Mr. M. Sheehy, chemist, was represented by counsel. Deceased's husband said she paid 4s (3d for the medicine, but did not toll him the name of the chemist. He did not know whether she took more than one dose. He remonstrated with her for buying an expensive medicine when she had the lodge doctor who had already been attending; her. She had not told him she was enceinte,- and ho did not know she was in that condition. He did nob recollect telling the police. His wife had threatened to got rid of her unborn child. They had been married nine years, and had two children. His wife was always delicate, and came back from Sydney throe months ago. Sho had been complainin" since. Michael Slieehy, chomisb, said he sold deceased two bottles of medicine; the first was on the 26th. Sho said she was not strong, and her health was irregular, and sho could not tell whether she was pregnant or not. He merely prescribed the usual tonic for such symptoms as she escribed, and no medical man could say there was anything deleterious in it. - Dr. Martin, who had been called in after her death, said deceased's husband and also mother-in-law both told him Airs. Backhouse wanted to proeuro abortion. In his opinion death was caused by injections she had used, which might have been assistod by the medicine procured from Sheehy. Dr. Fell gave similar evidenco. Dr. Batement said he had told deceased a month ago she was pregnant. Tho inquest was adjourned to allow tho medicine to be analysed.

About ten a.m. on the 12th September a well-known and respected resident of Dovonport, named William Feasor, died from the effects of a kick received from a horse on tho previous day. It appears from the statements of Mrs. M. L. M. W.Atkins, a neighbour, and Mrs. Collie, daughter of the deceased, that about halfpast nino a.m. on September 11 Fraser was trying to catch a horse which was in a passage about seven or eight feet wide between his residence and that of his neighbour. He was behind the animal, and was endeavouring to got to its head when the horse let out with one of its hind legs, and kicked deceased in the groin. He made his way to the steps of his own back door, and thero sat down for a while. On being questioned by his daughter he said that the horse had kicked him, but that he was not much hurt, and would very soon be all light again. However, as his hopes did not appear to bo in tho way of realisation, ho had to be out to bed, and Dr. Parkinson was called in, bub without avail. Mr. Eraser was sixty-four years of age at the time of his death, and was respected by all who were acquainted with him. An inquest was held at the Flagstaff Hotel, Dovonport, on September 14, by the coroner, Dr. Philson. After hearing tho evidence of Mr. Collie, son-in-law of the deceased, of Miss Watkins, a neighbour, and of Dr. Parkinson, the jury returned a verdict to the effect "That

death was caused by a kick accidentally received from a horse."

At an early hour on Friday, September 11, Mr. Richard Sandall. senior, butcher, Eden Terrace, died at the District Hospital, frotn injuries received on the previous day, under the following extraordinary circumstances : —On Thursday, Septomber .10, he rose at half-past five a.m., as was his custom, and went to call his men. While going through tho stable, he noticed a rat on one of (Tie beams, which had apparently been at the corn bin below it. He at once caught up a stick and jumped on the bin to destroy tho rat, but in his excitement failed to notice that a large meat hook wu§ suspended from tho beam, and with this he came in contact, the hook striking the eye, the blow causing him to reel and fall heavily backwards, his head striking the bin. Mr. Sandall, notwithstanding the shocking nature of his injuries, succeeded in returning to tho house, where Mrs. Sandall applied bandages, &e. He did nob have a doctor at once, not thinking it necessary, and it was not till four o'clock in the afternoon that, through the pain becoming more intense, Dr. La wry was called in. Dr. Lawry, after attending to the patient, advised his removal next morning to the Hospital. During the evening Mr. Sandall got worse, and subsequently delirious, so that it was a work of great difficulty to remove him next morning to the Hospital. Dr. Purchas operated on the eve, bub its removal gave very little relief. Deceased leaves a widow and grown-up family. An inquest was held on Saturday, the 12th September, at the Hospital. Dr. Pnilson, coroner, presided, and Mr. James Clark was chosen foreman of the jury. Dr. Somerville, the Hospital surgeon, gave evidence to the effect that deceased was received into the Hospital on September 11, suffering from a severe wound in the region of the eye, and in spite of all that surgical treatment could do, died about an hour afterwards. The post mortem examination showed that the hook by which the injury was inflicted must have penetrated about two inches into the head, piercing the brain. The cause of death was laceration of the brain, from which hemorrhage resulted. Dr. Lawry, and Messrs. R. J. G. Sandall and E. G. Sandall also gave evidence. The jury brought in .a verdict to the effect That death had resulted from injuries received accidentally." The many friends in Auckland of Mr. Tom Sullivan, the sculler, were sorry to hear that on Sept. 28 he met with an adventure while out practising that might have cost him hi 3 life, and which had a very serious effect upon him. It appears that about eleven o'clock ho went out in his shell for practice and sculled across the Rangitoto Channel to near the island. About noon he started to return, and while indulging in a spurt one of his rowlocks carried away, and the force of his stroke caused him to fall over backwards out of the boat into the water. Regaining his frail craft after a good deal of difficulty Sullivan began to paddle homewards as best he could, but finding that he was making very slow progress with his injured appliances, he jumped overboard and began to swim, towing his outrigger with him. Being a powerful swimmer, ho managed well enough, and after going about a mile reached the little jetty belonging to the Defence Force at the North Head. Procuring some wire, he patched up his broken rowlock, and, seating himself, began to pull home again. He had not gone far, however, when the apparatus again gave way suddenly, and Sullivan again found himself in the water. He grasped hold of the boat again, and after a tough swim managed to get ashore on the beach near the torpedo sheds. He carried his shell up the bank, but as ho did so he fell over it apparently exhausted. A young man who had noticed Sullivan coming ashore hastened to assist him, and asked him what was the matter. Sullivan replied that he was tired, but thought ho was "all right." As he was very cold and exhausted, the pair then adjourned to the Masonic Hotel. ■ Sullivan remarked that ho felt "rather queer," and some spirits were given. Almost immediately he staggered and fell, and on bein» lifted and placed in bed he became violently delirious. Medical aid was procured, and Dr. Roberton came and did all in his power for tho sufferer, with the gratifying result that by the evening he was quite calm and almost fully recovered.

On Oct. 6 a young man named Semadeni, aged 21, met with a bad accident at the factory, Upper Queen-street, of Messrs. T. and H. Cooke, cabinetmakers, Orey-street. Ho was turning a piece of wood, and while so doing it slipped, and in endeavouring to recover it his hand got caught, and three or four fingers were cut oil' by the machine. Semadeni was taken to the District Hospital and admitted to the accident ward, where his injuries were attended to by Dr. Menzies, the House Surgeon. A boy named Inglis, son of Mr. Inglis, blacksmith, Devonport, was riding out at the Lake on the 3rd October, when the horse bolted and he lost control of the horse and fell off. It was found that his leg had been broken. Mr. O'Meaghor, of the Lake Hotel, sent him to Devonport in a trap to his parents' residence, and Dr. Roberts attended to tho case. The injuries are of a more serious character than at first anticipated, and there is a probability that the unfortunate lad may have to have his, leg amputated. - Mr. H. L. Wright, dentist, Thames, met with a rather serious accident on Sept. 14. : At tho time he was extracting a tooth from a patient, and while forcing it, the tooth flew out and struck him in the eye. Mr. Wright took bub little notice of the occurrence ac first, but as the eye became very painful in the afternoon he consulted Dr. Williams, who, after examination found that the pupil had been cub, and there is just n possibility thab the Bight of the eye may bo lost. :

Our Waipiro (Waiapu) correspondent writes :— "I am ' indebted' 'to Mr. E. O'Meara, surveyor, at present engaged on the coast, for the following intelligence :— On September 23 a schooner supposed to be tho • Saxon, stood into the bay here (Tuparoa), and sent a boat to search for an anchor which had bpen slipped on a previous passage. Nob being successful in finding the buoy, the boat made for the shore, and was at once capsized by the heavy sea that was running, and the brew thrown into the sea among the breakers. There were several nativos about the Tuparoa Hotel premises at the time, and they at once mounted their horses and rode to the rescue, fortunately saving the captain and a sailor, who comprised the crew of the boat. Had it not been for the courago and timely action of the natives (Mr. O'Meara observes) they would certainly have been both drowned. The boat also was brought ashore by the natives. Certainly they deserve the highest commendation, and so also does Mr. Jones, the deservedly popular landlord of the Tuparoa Hotel, for inciting them to quick action, and encouraging them in their hazardous but most laudable work. After some time the boat regained tho schooner in safety. An inquest was held at the Asylum on Sept. 24, before Dr. Philsoii, coroner, on the body of a patient named John Brown. A verdict of "Death from natural causes" was returned. Deceased, who was a cook, and in middle life, was admitted to the Asylum over throe years ago. He was a native of the United States, and had no frionds in tho colony. Our Dargaville correspondent wroto on Sept. 22: —An accident of a very distressing nature, and which has since terminated fatally, happened some ten days ago to Lily Priestley, daughter of Mr. M. Priestley, of Northern Wairoa. Tho little girl, who was only seven years old, had been playing with some matches, when her frock took fire, and before her mother could extinguish the .flames, she was severely burned about the legs. Dr. Norton tried all that medical skill could do to relievo her sull'erincr; but, in fepite of every care, she succumbed on Sunday, the 20fch, and was buried at Mount Wesley Cemetery to-day. Many of her schoolfellows and playmates, among • whom she was most popular, attended the funeral. A man named Robert Dunstan mot with a painful accident in the Saxon mine, Thames, on Sept. 11. Ib appears ho was trucking at No. 5 levot, when the truck gave a jump from the line and "jammed the two fingers of the left hand against a pass. When taken to the Hospital it was found necessary to amputateone linger at tho second joint. Our Kaukapakapa correspondent writes : —"An inquest was hold on Sept. 22 at Pukerimu, about live miles from Riverhead, by Mr. R. Sinclair, J.P., and a jury of six, of whom Mr. Alexander Stewart was foreman, on the body of a married womannamed Ellen Landovicy, who died suddenly in her whare on Sunday, September 20. Dr. Gault, of Holensvillo, was in attendance, and made a postmortem examination. After hearing the evidence, which was somewhat lengthy, tho following verdict was returned:—'That the deceased died in a natural way from hemorrhage caused by a miscarriage.'" An elderly woman named Margaret Bird was found kneeling by her bedside dead late on Friday evening, the 2nd October, at the Thames. It .appeared that deceased had been drinking rather heavily of late, and when her husband came home from work on the 2nd October she was in a drunken stale and kneeling at the side of her bed. He afterwards left to attend a meeting of the Salvation Army, of which he is a member, and on returning at halfpast ton he found her still in the same position, but dead. An inquest was held on October 3, when a verdict of "death from alcoholic poisoning, caused through excessive drinking" was returned. A rider was also added censuring the husband for having left his wife in a drunken state for several hours without taking any steps to afford her relief. ■

The body of a man named John Bain, a gumdigger and saiior, who recently came from Walk worth, was found floating in the Auckland harbour early on October 2. Bain left Warkworth, whero he had been known for about two years, for Auckland on Monday, the 23th September, and was last soon alive at the Pier Hotel on Thursday, tho Ist October, about six p.m. lie was a single man, a native of Cornwall (England), and had no relatives in the colony. An inquest was held at Gleesorrs Hotel on October 3. Tho evidence disclosed no facts other than those published above, and the jury re-'" turned an open verdict. Dr. Philson was the coroner, and Sergeant Clark represented the police. A sudden. occurred on the2uth September at Titirangi, namoly, that of Mrs. Marie Bulte. Deceased had been ill for the past six years. An inquest on the body was held on Saturday, the 20th September. Dr. T. Hope Lewis, who had made a post mortem examination, gave evidence to tho effect that the cause of death had been sanguineous apoplexy, and the jury returned a verdict accordingly. The deceased wag 48 years of aire, the wife of a Belgian named Adolphe Bulte, and leaves five of a family. A somewhat singular affair is being investigated at Hakaru, near Mangawai. Tho following are the circumstances so far as they are known to the Auckland police authorities Frederick Thomas, aged nine, died from what was understood to be tho effects of a fall over some stairs. Rumours were current which led to inquiries being instituted, the constable ascertaining that the lad was alleged to be fastened with a rope on the stairs and bis allowance of food and drink diminished. Tho farther explained to the constable that ho had been obliged to adopt these steps to keep the lad from running away to the bush. Information obtained by Constable Abrams from neighbouring settlers corroborates the father's statement as to the boy's habits of running away to the bush. Deceased was a cripple, and was said to be recently in the Auckland Hospital, and his younger sister is also a cripple. Inspector Broham has made inquiries at the Auckland Hospital, but tho present Hospital authorities know nothing of a lad of that name having been there for treatment, which further complicates matters. No inquest was held on the body. We understand that Inspector Broham has obtained an order from the Colonial Secretary (the Hon. P. Buckley) to exhume the body of the boy, with a view to an inquiry as to the circumstances surrounding his death. An inquest was held atDunedin on Sept. 21 on Charles Retter, an inmate of the Benevolent Institution, who died from an overdose of atropia. From the evidence it appeared that Dr. De Zouche prescribed for him. The wardsman, in giving the deceased tho medicine, told him that he was to take a tablespoonful night and morning, whereas the direction on the bottle distinctly said a tcaspoonful. Deceased, who was 82 years of age, followed the instructions of tho wardsman. A verdict of " accidental death" was returned, tho jury adding a rider that it was obviously necsssary that a better system should be adopted in handing out and administering medicine to patients, and that great care should be used in selecting men for the medical ward, and that proper appliances should bo provided. William Roder, aged 17, was aboard the steamer Pakeha, at Lyttelton, at half-past eight a.m. on Thursday, September 24, in connection with his employer's business. A derrick was being hoisted over tho forehatch, when tho rope broke. As the derrick fell -the chain attached sWung out a heavy hook, which struck Roder, /Ivho was passing along the deck, and fractured his skull. He died in two hours. ;

By the arrival of tho Wairarapa at the Bluff on September 28, particulars are to hand of the loss of Mr. MararJen, fourth officer of the vessel, while on a voyage from Melbourne to Hobart. The following is a copy of the official report George Frederick Marsden, fourth - officer, whilst employed with tho watch securing the foretopsail boom in the crntch, was lost overboard. Ho was standing on top of a wing on the upper deck when the ship lurched heavily, and the boom took charge, throwing him overboard. Three lifebuoys were at once thrown overboard, the ship stopped, and the engines reversed • '' full speed astern," but he was seen to sink before the steamer could reach him., .The ship remained in the vicinity of the accident for fully half-an-hour. There was a heavy south-west, gale and a high sea running at the time the accident occurred, which was at a quarter-past nine on September 20th the ship at the time being off Capo Raoul, bearing north two miles. Deceased was about 24 years old,. and a native of Hobart.

A man named' William McKenzie, whilst bushfalling in Mr. Riddiford's bush • near Cheltenham, had both his legs broken recently. . A boy named King, aged 12, was drowned in the Manawatu-..River-on September 15. Deceased, with four others, was crossing the Wirokino ferry punt with a horse and cart when the horse backed the cart over tho end of the punt, and King went under with it.

John Burgess, a settler, residing on the Norfolk Road, between Inglewood and Waiputu, was drowned in the river near nis house on September 14. During tho sealing trip at the Auckland Islands, Mellish, headsman of the Gratitude's party, found tho headless body of a man fully dressed and in a good state of preservation, lying on its back on the sandy shore of the north harbour just above high water mark. Mollish is almost certain lie had seen the boots and jacket before, and believes they were Captain Eckoffs. A sensation was caused in New Plymouth on Friday morning, tho 18th September, owing to the body of James Davis, in business as an ironmonger, being found dead in tho ornamental water in the Recroation. Ground, and his clothes at the bathing house. It is presumed he must have gono for a bath early in the morning, and had cramp in tho water. - Ho was Chairman of the Recreation Ground Board, and presented the public with a bridge across the Lake. He was about sixty years of age, and well known over the colony, from the interest ho took in sporting affairs.

A child 18 months old, a daughter of Mr. Klink, labourer, Feilding, was drowned on Monday afternoon. A small boiler in Mr. G. Mantoll's dental surgery, Wellington, used to supply steam required in the business, exploded on Tuesday evening, September 15. Miss Buller, daughter of Sir Walter Builor, was rather severely scalded, but it is unlikely she will bo permanently disfigured.

A report has reached tho Timaru police that some human remains liavo been found on a range in McKenzie Country. They are believed to bo those of Andrew Thomson', chemist, who was missed from Burke's Pass as long ago as January, 1882.

Benjamin Stutheridge, farmer, residing at Belfast, near Christchurch, aged 59, was found dead in a ditch on his own property on Wednesday afternoon, the 7th October. He left home after dinner apparently quite well, and his wife cannot account for his death, as ho was hale and hearty, and in hi? usual state of health.

Christian Toxward, Danish Consul, Wellington, fell down in the street on Wednesday night, September 30, while on his way homo from a visit to a friend. > lie was carried to a house, but died almost immediately. Heart disease was the cause. Ho was an architect by profession, and a native of Copenhagen. Ho arrived in the colony 30 years ago, and was formerly a, resident of Southland.

James Pilbrow was drowned at the mouth of the Rakaia, near Ashburton, on Monday morning, September 28. He was standing in the river fishing, when a wave came and washed him offhi3 feet into the stream, and carried him out to sea. Pilbrow was well known in sporting circles, and was formerly owner of Clarence, Welcome Jack, and other good racehorses. Lately he has been farming in Ashburton, and training one or two horses. He was universally respected, and loaves a large family, mostly grown up. The body of Mr.'Pilbrow was found about four p.m. 011 September 28 off the Ninety-milo Beach, in the vicinity of Southbridge, whither it was conveyed. < A child named Sim, aged 17 months, died at Dunedin on October 2 from the effects of a scalding received by pulling a basin of boiling water on itself. Young Robert Bunthorpe, Wellington, had his ankle crushed by a horso falling on him, necessitating the amputation of the injured limb so far as tho knee. The one-year-old son of A. W. Harris, Gisborne, accidentally fell into a six-gallon iron boiler containing a small quantity of water and was drowned.

Donald McKenzio was killed while bushtelling on his own property in the Pohangana district, about 30 miles from Palmorston North, on Saturday, the 3rd October. He was struck by the limb of a falling tree, and only lived 20 minutes. He was well known along the coast, and was 30 years ojd and unmarried.