WANGANUI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 827, 15 August 1864, Page 5

WANGANUI.

Melancholy Event.'— The' Wanganui Chronicle of the 23rd inst, says:-" Quite a gloom has been cast over our town this morning by the melancholy death of Mr • Thomas Tyrrell Garner. The deceased, who was a remarkably fine young man and a serjeant in the Victoria Company of Rifle Volunteers, competed for the Ganeral Government prizes on the 14th ult., and ■when ramming down the bullet at one of the last rounds, punctured the p dm of his hand with the end of the ramrod. The injury appeared so ttivial that some of his friends regarded the fomentations and poultices applie-'l as quite unnecessary ; but the inflammation speedily became so great as to confine him to the house for some days. During- the early part of-lasr. week, however, he appeared far bettel", and was walking o.bout the town with his arm in a sling. On .returning; from a friend's funeral on Wednesday, he complained of increased pain in the hand, shiverings, and convulsive twitchings in the neck. These symptoms lasted till Friday, when signs of-.lockjaw appeared and increased during the next two days. Everything that the combined medicar skill of the place could suggest to cure and alleviate the disease were tried in vain, and after lingenmr in dreadful figo'ny till late last evening, he expired. Thu deceased was the eldest, son of one of the earliest settlers in this Province, and as his business brought him in contact with nearly every one in this and the neighbouring districts, and he was most deservedly respected by all who knew him. his unrimely end will be widely nnd deeply fe.lt. He leaves a widow and four young children to mourn his loss.

A Trio of Ruffians.—The Wanganui Chronicle of the 30th ult. says :—On Monday evening, about nine o'clock, three soldiers, half drunk, went .into a house in Victoria Avenue, situate in the Industrial School ground, and occupied by a widow nnd her young family, and endeavored to outrage a girl of thirteen years of age, the eldest of the children in the house. The mother was lying ill and helpless on a bed in the norn in which this atrocious attempt took place ; but her screnms and those of the girl were co loud and incessant as to attract the attention of some of the neighbors, who hastened to the House and found that the scoundrels, afraid ihat the noise would bring as istance, had made off.>/They are not known to the inmates of the house, but it is to be hope;) that they will bs discovered and punished. The fact of their oomrng late into the barracks in a half intoxicated state should lead to their identification. Besides, men of this character are so rare in the 57th that they must be known to thsir comrades. A Nareow Escape.—The other day a little boy, two years of age, belonging to a family up the river where a detachment of the 57th is at present placed, took a bottle of strychnine down from an unlocked recess., in which it usually lay, strewed some of it on the floor and swallowed a portion of it. He was almost immediately observed, and a messenger despatched for a doctor. An emetic was also made ready, but belore it could be administered the stomach rejected the strychnine, and the boy's life was saved. We are told that had the boy swallowed less he would most likely have died, but that when a large dose of strychnine is taken it acts as an emetic. There must have been great thoughtlessness in laying this virulent poison where it could be reached by any one not acquainted with its dangerous properties. _