BARRISTER KILLED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22063, 20 March 1935, Page 14

BARRISTER KILLED

CRUSHED BY AEROPLANE Mr. Robert Emmett O'Connor, of Brisbano, 0110 of Queensland's bestknown barristers, lost his life in a tragic manner at Wilsonton, a few miles from Toowoomba, recently, when he was struck by a propeller of a New England Airways monoplane. The accident happened so suddenly that many of those who witnessed the departure of the triple-engined monoplane were not aware of the fatality. Mr. O'Connor, after purchasing a newspaper, was walking round to take his seat in 7 the aeroplane, and when passing under the port propeller was struck on the head, by the whirling blades. He fell with a •wound about eight inches long, extending across his head, and when picked up he was in a dying condition. When the ambulance arrived seven minutes later ho was dead. The deceased, who was 37 years of age, arrived by aeroplane at Toowoomba on the previous night, having been briefed to appear in a case in the Magistrate's Court. At the close of the proceedings, be and two others were driven to the aerodrome for the return flight to Brisbano. His friends took their seats in the aeroplane, but Mr. O'Connor waited to purchase a newspaper. Mr. O'Connor was well known-among the legal fraternity of Toowoomba. He was the eldest son of Sub-Inspector J. J. O'Connor, and bis brother, Mr. J. J. O'Connor, is a practising solicitor in Brisbane.