ACCIDENTS, ETC

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10300, 27 November 1896, Page 3 (Supplement)

ACCIDENTS, ETC

A voono man named James Henderson, eldost son of Mr. David Henderson, wheelwright, of Parawai, accidentally shot/ himself on November 2. It appears thab deceased, who was a blacksmith by trade, and worked as Price Brothers' foundry, did not feel very well in the morning, and consequently did not proceed to his work. As the day wore on, however, he appeared to be much bettor, and about a quarter to four he picked up his Martini-Henri ride, and told his mother that he was going out to have a shot at a pheasant that was in the habit of coming about the houso. About a quarter of an hour afterwards his mother heard a report from the gun, but took little notice of it. As the evening wore on, however, she became anxious about bis nonarrival home, and about six o'clock sent his brother David, who had just returnod from his work, out to see what had become of him. David, after some considerable search, found his brother lying in a shallow crook with his body and legs under water and his shoulders and head above it, with a bullet wound in the centre of his forehead, and quite dead. He found the rifle about 15yds up the side of a steep bank adjoining, and it contained a discharged cartridge. It Is supposed that deceased was endeavouring to get down the bank, and whilst doing so tho rifle accidentally discharged. One sorrowful feature about the sad affair is that he was shortly to bo married. An inquest was held on Tuesday, the 3rd of November. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased met his death through an accident. Deceased was accorded a military funeral on November 4.

A man named James Breaker died in the Wellington Hospital from the result of injuries received from a fall of earth on the relief works.

The body of a girl was taken out of the Wellington harbour on Monday evening, the 2nd of November. It proved to be that of Madge Robertson, formerly engaged as barmaid in one of the city hotels. The circumstances connected with the case are of a peculiar character, as deceased had only her underclothing on, and the coat of an officer of a steamer. The coat was identified by letters in the pocket as belonging to ono of tho officers of the Penguin. At the inquest on Wednesday, November 4, on the body, the post mortem proved that death resulted from drowning. The ovidonce showed that Alfred Phillips, chief officer of the Penguin. wa9 in her company from 7.30 to 10 o'clock on November Ist, when he parted .with her.. at the gangway of the vessel, as she refused to allow him to see her home, Tho purser, Stevens, deposed that he saw her on deck with Phillips, and at ten o'clock heard hifa bid her good night. Phillips then joined witness, and remained in the lather's cabin till nearly midnight, when he turned in. Connor, a fireman on the vessel, said that about half-past one o'clock on Monday morning he heard a woman scream, bub thinking ib was an accident he took no further notice. In his evidence Phillips said he last saw deceased at the gangway on Sunday night. She appeared then as usual and not excited, and there was nothing between them to miko her despondent. She had, however, complained of feeling miserable. Next morning he first missed his coat, and was searching for it when he discovered the remainder of her clothes, which he sent to her friends, and asked for his own to be returned. His coat must have been removed from his cabin between 10.30 and 11 o'clock on Sunday night, or while he was asleep. Had he suspected anything wrong he would have informed the police, arid could not pub forth any theory for deceased's action. After a short deliberation the jury returned a verdict of found drowned.

The steamer Rakaia arrived at Wellington on Sunday morning, the Bth of Nov., from London and way ports. On Nov. 3, the day the vessel left Hobart, an unfortunate fatal accident happened to a youth named P. Casey, aged 18 (wlioi.e parents came out to Napier by the Tongariro, which arrived on November. 2), who wag working his passage, was engaged with others shooting coal into the bankers, Caeev was missed, and a search of the vessel failed to reveal any tidings of him, Eventually the engineer reported that a man's arm was exposed at the bottom bunker, and when the coal wis removed it proved to be the body of the deceased. As to how ho got into the bunker nothing is known, but there is very little doubt that he fell in, and was subsequently smotbofed. The body was buried at sea. Alfred Howe, a single man, aged 39, who is on bail to appear at the Supreme Court at Wellington on the ICth instant, is missin?. He was last seen on horseback, at the ford of the Rnamahanga Biver, near Carterton, apparently making for his home, This was at dusk on November 1. His horse was found riderless nexh morning near the same spot. ■ 1 ■■ A little girl, six years old, a daughter of Mr. S. Irving, was very badly burned nt Puherun, Russell, on the 11th ol November. She, with some other children, wore playing some distance from the house, where a fire was burning, and by some means her clothes caught fire, and though she ran straight home, she was badly burned before reaching there- She died on November 12.

An accident occurred in the Consolidated Goldfields Globe Mino, Reefton district, on on November 18, ■by which a miner named Jobn McLaren, aged 64, who lately arrived at Reefton, met his death. He acoidontally fell down tho shaft, 200 feot below the No, 5 level, He leaves a widow and' grown-up family. "

A Whangarei correspondent writes: Mr. Robert Forsyth's log was crushed by a dray accident at'Hikurangi on Nov. 14. Amputation was resorted to at Mr. Woolcock's boarding-house on tho 16th, and he died on the 18th from collapse. ~ i] The body of Mrs. Ellen McCann, of Cambridge, who disappeared from her noma on the 11th Nov., was discovered in the Waikato river on November 18 about a' mile on the Hamilton side of the Narrows Bridge, An inquest was held on the body next afternoon before Mr. T. H. Whits, coroner, ! and a jury of six, of whom Mr. Henry Holloway was chosen foreman. . From tho evidence given it was shown tbat tho deceased lady, who was 74 years of age, had been ailing for some time, and had on several ' occasions spoken in a way which left no doubt that she had intended to mako away.. with 'herself. The jury brought) in a verdict of ,".Found drowned." ; •' ■ H

Tho body of a man was found •on the 23rd of November, on - the road near Waikuku, Canterbury. He gob a lift' from Woodeini in. a waggon, and • appears |to have fallen out and a wheel passed over him. He was about. 55 years of age, and is supposed to be named Richard Giiilen, who has. been engaged whitebait fishing on the River Ashley, ■