OFFENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11770, 27 September 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

OFFENCES.

THE INYERCARGILL ROCKET EXPLOSION. i

Lwercargill, September 6. At the Supreme Court Hugh McGilvray was charged with manslaughter by firing a rocket in the street and culpably killing Nancy L. Sneyd. This is the ease in which the accused, the captain of the s.s. Invercargill, brought the ship's signal rockets to a platform erected in the main street of the town !for a display of fireworks on the occasion of the return of troopers on July 12. The rocket, charged with powder and guncottou, iwas fixed from a temporary socket, which was shattered, and the rocket fell on the platform and the guncotton exploded, and the fragments of the metalcase kill*" 1 'Irs. Sneyd and injured more or less ccverely some 19 persons. Mr. Sim, for the accused, admitted that his act caused ; the woman's death, but argued that had not ■ Trooper Wright, who was on the platform, kicked the rocket as it fell, Mrs. Sneyd would not have been killed. The issues in effect were—(l) Was accused guilty of an unlawful act ? (2) Had he taken reasonable precautions, and lind he used reasonable care to avoid danger in firing the rocket, to the best of his information ? (3) Was Wright guilty of an unlawful act in kicking the rocket off the platform ? (4) Was Mrs. Sneyd killed by the explosion of the rocket V His Honor said the second issue was really the only one before the jury. After three hours and aquarter deliberation the jury returned affirmative answers to all the issues except No. 3. and His Honor directed a verdict of guilty His Honor said the jury practically discharged the accused from the serious elements of the charge. Accused was ordered to come up for sentence wh«n called on.

A. man named Joseph Whanin was admitted to the hospital at half-past two o'clock on September 20, from B 1 where he had been attacked by bulldogs. On being examined and treated by *)?. Adams, of the hospital staff* both &ia «are were found to

be hanging by mere shreds; his feet were lacerated and torn open; the nose was bitten through; he was severely lacerated above the right eve, the scalp was torn and lacerated, and flaps off the scalp torn awayWhanin had several wounds on the back of the neck, and lacerated wounds on the hips and lower extremities. He states that he was being worried by the dogs for a quarter of an hour before help came, and he was rescued from the ferocious brutes. Dr. Adams thinks that the man, notwithstanding his frightful wounds, has a fair chance of recovery, but he will be a long time in the hospital. ____._.