ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1285, 15 October 1896, Page 38

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

About half-past 10 p.m. on October 7 the watchman on the steamer Wainui (which is undergoing extensive alterations alongside the wharf near the Star Boating Club’s shed) heard someone in the main hold of the vessel asking in pitiful tones to “ Let me out.” He accordingly lifted the hatches off, and on making investigations discovered, a little boy lying at the bottom of the hold, apparently in great pain. The boy proved to be the 11-year-old son of Mr Scoons, keeper of the hulk Ladybird, which is moored alongside the Wainui. The poor little fellow was taken on board the hulk, and Dr Chappie sent for. The doctor on examining the boy ascertained that his left elbow had been fractured in two places, and the operation of setting it —which necessitated the removing of an inch of the bone was performed under chloroform. Exactly how the accident happened is not known, but it seems that after having tea last night young Scoons played about the Wainui with some mates, who went away when darkness set in. It is supposed that the boy then started to return to the hulk, and in doing so fell down the vessel’s hold—a distance of about 20ft—was rendered unconscious by the fall, and remained in that state, when the hatches were put on, until he recovered his senses and called for help. The boy would, therefore, have been lying in the hold for about four hours, and his escape from death cannot be regarded as anything but miraculous. He met with a similar accident some time ago, and on that occasion also received a fracture of the left arm. The injured lad is a bright, merry little fellow, and bore his sufferings with great fortitude. He has sustained a severe shock, but is now progressing satisfactorily, and no serious result is likely to follow his narrow escape.

A Press Association telegram was received last week from Napier stating that a man named C. McAnally, who was working with two other men on Mr J. Saunders’ contract at the Napier breakwater, was lifting a heavy stone in the Harbour Board’s quarry when it fell and crushed his head. He was at once removed to the’ Napier Hospital, but is not expectedj tf> : recover. Much sympathy will be felt McAnally’s family, who reside in Wellington.

A shocking fatality occurred at Masterton, last week. A buggy was being driven by Miss McGregor in the direction of Kuripuni, the occupants being Miss McGregor, her mother and Mrs Alexander, when the winkers came off the horse’s head and Miss McGregor got out to adjust them. As she was doing so, the horse to,oh fright and bolted. Mrs McGregoy agd Mrs Alexander were thrown out, one sustaining an injury to her arm and the other an injury to her head, but neither accident was of a serious nature. Reaching the shop, of Mr W. Morris, butcher, the horse dashed under the verandah and the three year-old-daughter of Mr Morris, who was playing under the verandah at the time, was struck by the vehicle, thrown against a post and killed. Dr Grace’s homestead at Arles, near Wanganui, was totally destroyed by fire last week. The fire originated.through a defective chimney. Nothing was saved.

Mrs Lufvesen. a passenger on the Ruahine, while leaning over the vessel’s rail yesterday Aveek, fell into the water betAveen the Avharf and the vessel’s side. The lady Avas quickly rescued from her perilous position by some of the men Avho Avere Avorking close by, and Avith the exception of a slight graze on the head and a severe shaking, she Avas none the Avorse for the aocident.

An inquest Avas held at Mount Cook police station on Friday on the body of Bruce Gondy, aged 58, a gas Avorks employee. Deceased resided in Alma lane, off Tory street, and had been acting queerly of late. Ho threatened to take his life, and his family kept close Avatch on his movements in consequence. At midnight on Thursday he hanged himself Avith a strap, which he attached to the children’s SAving in the yard. His wife discovered him, and his son cut him down. Medical aid Avas called in, but Avithout avail, the unfortunate man being too far gone to permit of resuscitation, dying a feAV hours afterwards. A verdict was returned that deceased hanged himself Avhile temporarily insane.

Napier, October 8.

The inquest on the man McAnally, killed at the breakwater yesterday, resulted in a verdict of accidental death. He was a recent arrival from Wellington, Avhere he has a wife and family.

Christchurch, October 8

Mrs Mary Barnett, 70 years of age, who lived by herself, was found dead on the floor of her scullery this morning. Auckland, October 8.

William Ward, a steward on the mail steamer Alameda, accidentally poisoned himself to-day by drinking carbolic acid in mistake for whisky. He died within 10 minutes from taking the acid. At the inquest on James Francis, who fell from a window of the top story of the Waveiley Hotel, the verdict was one of accidental death, and that there was no evidence to show how or why he fell out of the window.

Later

At the inquest on William Ward, a waiter on the Alameda, who died on board this morning from the effects of swallowing carbolic acid in mistake for whisky, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death, with a rider that in their opinion poisons of any kind should not be accessible to any person but the doctor and his assistants. Deceased was a single man, aged 34, and an Irishman. He had been In the ship for four years. He had a brother in New York and a sister in Liverpool.

John Allen, a carpenter; aged 51, was found drowned at the crossing of the Mangaoeneka River, near Tokuni, in the King Country. He had to cross on some planking, and is supposed to have fallen in. A bottle of beer was found in his kit. Auckland, October 12.

Oliver J. Cromwell, aged 17, fell over the Chelsea wharf on Saturday night, and was drowned.

Mrs Jane Wakefield, a widow, committed suicide on Saturday afternoon by taking Rough on Rats.

Feilding, October 8,

Yesterday, at Waituna, John Mason wheU; bushfelling was crushed by a falling tree.. He suffered a fracture of the thigh, and also, internal injuries, and his recovery is doubtful. His mates carried the injured man eleven miles out of the bush.

Christchurcij, October 9, A young woman ppiped. Elizabeth, Simmons (age 27), school; teacher at W'ai-. kari, died suddenly last night. Heart disease.is.supposed; to have been the cause of death.

Dunedin, October 9-.

A fire broke out at 8, o’clock this morning ip the Eureka Restaurant, and the premises were gutted. The. stock and machinery of Messrs Cooke and Matthews, printers, on the. same fl;oor, were destroyed. Dunedin, October 11.

Ejr-nes-t Williams, second oook on the steamev Flora, was drowned at the wharf at 11 o’clock last night. A step was heard on the deck, and then there was a splash in the water. A life-buoy was thrown over, hut the man was unable to reach it. The body was got smartly out of the water, but life was extinct.

The unfortunate man’s parents reside in Wellington, to which port deceased belonged.