THE STRANGE CASE AT WAIHI.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1265, 28 May 1896, Page 37

THE STRANGE CASE AT WAIHI.

From information received at Wa.il)i by telegram there is reason to believe that the body found in tho Alartha shaft, and identified as that of Frank O’Neill, is not tho remains of that man, but of some other person. Constable Brooking, whoso serious illness from blood-poisoning caused _ by inhaling noxious gases while attending tho removal of the body was reported last week, is dead. Constable Brooking was well known in Wellington, wlieie he formally lived as a member of the Permanent Force. Two of his sisters —Airs A. Hall and Airs Bazar—aro residents of Wellington. While tho constable was giving his evidence at the inquest, at Paeroa, he was already ill, and broke down several times. The Coroner, Air Joseph Nathan, in his summing-up in this cnso, pointed out that the theory of accidental death tho jury would have to disabuse their minds of, on tho grounds chat no person could get into that unused portion of the mine without taking down tho barricade, which was six feet away from tho winze in question, besides which there was only a space of Sin between tho bin plank that covered the hole, and no person, ho maintained, could fall down a space of Sin without displacing the plank. Then again tho body was found nude and covered with earth, so it would be seen death could not have occurred accidentally. With regard to the theory of suicide, it would have to bo accounted for how the 9in plank could liavo been replaced; also how tho body could have been covered with earth, and considering that a man was specially told off by the \\ aihi Company to go the round of these passes, tkc., every day, and that this man had been over this particular part every day since last Christmas, and had never noticed anything unusual, there was no other alternative, lie thought, than coming to tho conclusion that deceased had met his

death by foul play. Tho jury, however, after deliberating for a considerable time, brought in a verdict of accidental death. Chief Detective Grace, wl:o lias been on a visit to Waihi to investigate, has returned to Auckland. He expresses himself satisfied that the death of O’Neil was tho result of an accident, and ho accounts for it by supposing that deceased, while in a semi-intoxicated state, entered the mine through a horse tunnel instead of going down in a cage from the brace, and that ho wandered off into a portion of tho mine where a pass exists, into which he fell a depth of 25 foot. Tho detective does not think that O'Neil was killed by the fall, but that, finding himself unable to get out, ho became delirious and stripped himself, and that his neck was broken by mullock which fell in on him. As to the barricade, the detective thinks the man could have got past it without disturbing it, and as to the plank over the mouth of the pass, it was, he says, only a movable board, which shifted easily from side to side. Tho dead body of Aliss Norah Watkin, ! daughter of the Rev W. J. Watkin, missing for some days, was found last week on tho beach near the White Bluff, Onehunga. She had strayed away to tho Bluff, two miles from Onehunga, and fallen ovor tho cliff on to a ledge of rock, and tho body rolled into a pool of water. There aro marks on the cliff which show where sho had caught hold. Tho Rev AY. J. Watkin. was at one time Wesleyan minister at tho Hutt, where Aliss Watkin, was a great favourite. She was also well known at Saudon, whore her father was in chargo of tho Wesleyan circuit.. At tho inquest a verdict was returned of accidental death through falling over the cliff. Charles Bridge, shepherd, in tho employ of Wi Broughton, was driving a load of timber across a river at Omalni, Hawke’s Bay, when tho load capsized, and Bridge was thrown into the water. Life was extinct when the body was recovered. A man named Richard Ward, aged 04, was found dead in an outhouse at Waipukurau last week. A. man named Patrick O’Kane, who came from Waitahuua to Oamaru, dropped dead from heart disease at tho railway station on Saturday morning. Just as tho last of the mourners were leaving the Karori Cemetery yesterday week, after the funeral of Sir Patrick Buckley, a horse attached to a buggy beeamo restive, and despite the efforts of a man who was Handing at its head, it backed the vehicle over an embankment, and fell a di.stiinec of about 20 foot into a gully. The horse was not much hurt, but, the buggy and harness were considerably damaged. Fortunately the vehicle was unoccupied at the time. An enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the finding ot the dead body of a, female infant in the garden of tho house occupied by Dr Collins was opened last week at the Morgue, before Air J. Ashcroft, Coroner. The only evidence taken was tliai

C>f Mr B. Metz, dispenser for Dr Collins, who deposed to finding the body, and communicating with the police. At this stage Fergeaut-Major Ramsay asked for an adjournment for a week to allow the police to make further investigations. The ciroumstances surrounding ihc matter were suspicious, and evidence would be given that the child had lived for a few days and had been given food. Accordingly the enquiry was adjourned for a week at the City Hotel. A cottage in Richmond street, Retone, owned and occupied by Mr Charles I.cpper, was totally destroyed by fire on Saturday. Little or none of the furniture was saved. The Fire Brigade under Captain Austin attended, but could not save the building. The cottage and furniture were insured for Alloo in the National oilicc. An old resident of the Western Spit, Hawke’s Bay, James Hamshaw, was found dead in his fishing boat on Thursday morning. Three ministers—Archdeacon Harper, (he Rev W. Gillies (Timaru) and the Rev .1. White (Pleasant Point)—were driving from a Lible-in-schools mociing at Geraldine last week when they were thrown from a buggy. The Archdeacon fell on his face, which was badly cut and bruised. The other two clergymen escaped serious injury. A sailor named bhroud, working on the Matatua, fell down the fore hold on Saturday sifternoon about 2 o’clock, and wars rather severely bruised. Dr Henry, who attended him, pronounced his injuries to be of no very serious nature.