A FATAL SLIP

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7139, 28 May 1910, Page 7

A FATAL SLIP

BABBIT-SHOOTING TRAGEDY.

AN ACCIDENTAL OCCIJEEENCE,

An inquiry into tlie dentil of a Nortiiluiid butciitjv ixa-iued James. llmtou KusbciJ iweniv-seven years, and marr*ea. uaa held by Air W. R- Huseluon, .b.ji., cvrouor, yostorday, the result being a vermcl that the deceased was neexof Dr Hardwiek-Bmith sliuec-d turn tiie deceased was admitted I ) the iiotinuii on Bunuay night, suneriiii? IroiU a bevoie gunshot wound in tno leiriou oi the kidney c. Ho was operated on three days aitorwards and rallied. Lut sank laior and died on Thursday Ul ueorae llonin, tire deceased's brotlior-in-iavv a sliipwriglit, said that he and Kuseeli wont out rabbit-shooting last Sunday in Ohariu district. Each carried a douine-barreJled brooch-loading ”mi, and thev were shooting all day. h-e----lumiug over* Uie hills, they were apnioaching their staiTing-ixunt when tiio suggested “working” a little paicli. The dogs became active, aud a rabbit was started. Witness was ten vaiti* away from deceased, on the iuiihide above him. ‘‘There he goes." shouted Russell, and witness turned around, ij.s overbalanced himself, but recovered (iniekiv and heard a gun go off. At tne time, *lxo thought it might have been lUissoll's gun, but he discovered afterwards vhat it was his own. Ho w«3 carrying it across his left arm, with the right hand just behind the trigger guard. The next moment deceased called out "Good God, George, you've shut me. ' Looking at his gun, witness found that the right barrel had been discharged. Deceased pointed to his right side as the injured part. Witness brought assistance, and tho deceased was put to bed in a settlor's house. \\ lu'U the police were informed, they brought anVmbuhxnoo from Wellington, I while Dr Holmes arrived within I forty-five minutes of being summoned from the city. DECEASED EXONERATES MORAN.’ The coroner road the deceased's statement, which luid been written down at his dictation at the hospital. This coincided with Moran's evidence* Russell’s' version of the sad affair being that a rabbit sprang up.on his left s: and lie was ]/r«j t ,ci...g co axiuot when ho was shot from behind. Ho called out to Moran that lie had been shot by him, and Moran replied that when he was going to shoot tho rabbit, his foot slipped and tho gun wont off before It had been properly lifted. Deceased added that tlu.ro was no doubt about the occurrence being quite accidental. ; The testimony of Dr Sydney J. Simpson, senior house sui'geon at the hospital, showed that the deceased also told him tlmro was no blame attaching to anyone for the accident. Herbert W. Cook, a Makarn farmer who was called by Moran to the deceased, said Moran's explanation was that in turning around quickly, he slipped and his gun went off. He showed where a sn all piece of flesh had been cut out of Ms right thumb, and remarked that it must have slipped into the trigger.

The coroner found that death had been caused accidentally.