THE PONSONBY SHOOTING FATALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12524, 17 March 1904, Page 6

THE PONSONBY SHOOTING FATALITY.

VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. An inquest was held by tho coroner (Mr. Gresham) at the hospital yesterday into the Heath of Raymond Stanley, aged 17 months, who died from a gunshot wound at the hospital under circumstances reported in yesterday's issue. :' . t Mrs. Stanley, mother of the child, said her husband was at present gumdigging. She left the child with his brother, Alan Stanley, aged 11, whilo she went to the hospital to soe another of her children, who was ill. The children were playing on the verandah. There was a revolver in the house. • The coroner asked witness how she came to have tho revolver in the house loaded. Mrs. Stanley said she was living alone, and as sho had been molested some two years ago she kept the weapon for her own protection. Her son, Alan, knew that shejiept it in a trunk. It was loaded in four chambers.

Replying to Sergeant Hendry, who was present on bohalf of the police, Mrs. Stanley said she had fired tho revolver, but it had missed fire twice. When sho returned from the hospital she- found that the child had been shot, and removed to the hospital. To the coroner, Mrs. Stanley said tho boy Alan had been remarkably kind to his little brother. The revolver was kept in a case in the trunk, but the trunk was not locked, because she frequently went to it. Alan Stanley, the brother of the deceased, who was playing with tho revolver, gave evidence.of the incident. Tho deceased was playing by himself, while witness 'was putting the dishes away. The lad, through his tears, said ho had seen the revolver fired once, and ho knew it was loaded. He held out the revolver, and his little brother walked in front of it. He had it in his hand about five minutes when it went off. When his brother fell down witness took him in next door. Ho had been cautioned by his mother never to touch tho revolver, but he had disobeyed. The Coroner: This will be a lesson to you for life. I hope. Dr. Tracy Jnglis, who examined tho deceased, stated that when ho saw the child it had a wound on the face. Ho took the child to the hospital, whore an operation was performed to find the bullet. This was found in the back, under the shoulder. The deceased was" suffering severely from shock, but there was just a chanco of him pulling through. By the Police: Witness was told at the house that the child had fallen out of bed, but he had been previously informed that it, was suffering from a bullet wound. The child died from shock following the wound. Dr. Collins, medical superintendent of the general hospital, gave evidence of the operation and the cause of death, in which last particular ho concurred with Dr. Tracy Inglis. Mrs. Trevartlien, who resides next door to Mrs. Stanley, Brown-street, said she heard a bang, and sho called out, "Alan, what are you doing?" Tho boy Alan came in and said his brother had fallen out of bod. She saw the child, and it was all black in the face, and was covered with blood. Sergeant Hendry said Mr. Waller, chemist, Ponsouby, did all he could for the child, but his efforts wore, unavailing. Ho summoned Dr. Inglis at once. The coroner pointed put that the death of the child was purely accidental, although it was to be deplored that people left loaded revolvers about, for there was alwavs a tendency on the part of unskilful persons to pull tho trigger. Tho jury returned a verdict of accidental death. •