INQUESTS, ACCIDENTS, &c.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3367, 20 November 1872, Page 2

INQUESTS, ACCIDENTS, &c.

A very sudden death occurred at Milton on Wednesday, the 23rd ult. Mr Edward Grey, formerly landlord of tho Camp Hotol, had on that day been at work at Holt's Fellmongery, and returned home in the evening in his usual health. After having tea, he sat down at the fireside, and while talking to Mrs Grey he gave a slight sudden start, and life was extinct. There was no strugglo or apparent pain. Heart disease was the cause of death. The deceased leaves a wife, a small family, and not a few friends to mourn his loss.

An inquest was hold at the Wakatipu Hotel, Queenstown, on the 21st ult., into the origin of a fire which burned two houaea in Boach street, Queenstown, on the morning of the 10th ult. One of the houses was occupied by Mr James Scully, woodcutter ; the other by Mr James Wilson, grocer. Both the buildings were uninsured : Mr Wilson's stock was removed without much damage, but Mr Scully lost all his furniture and moat of his clothes. From the evidence adduced at the enquiry, it appears that one of Scully's children, named Agnes, aged about tr-n years, on going to bed at about twelve o'clock p.m. on tho 18th ult., placed a small piece of candle upon a gin case which was used as a table. The case stood on its end, and was close to a loose calico partition. The child fell asleep, but says that she awoke shortly afterwards and put the light out, and that almost immediately afterwards she saw the partition and the lining of the roof on fire. Her sister Annie, who is about fourteen, stated that when Agnes alarmed her the partition was on fire, and the candle was still burning. The wind was blowing very strongly outside at the time, and it is believed that the draught inside brought the calico into contact with the flame of the candle, and so caused the fire. The girl Annie Scully displayed great courage and presences of mind in rescuing her younger brothers and sisters, who were at one time in great danger. She broke open a window, entered the house, which was then all on fire, put the children through tho window, and was much burned about the breast and arms while doing so. In these days of testimonials such courage should not go unrecognised. The verdict of the jury was that the fire originated accidentally; "but," they added as a rider, " tho parents showed great carelessness in not putting out the lights in their children's bedroom/

A serious accident occurred on Wednesday, 30th tilt., to a man named John Cameron, in the employment of Mr Boyd, North Taicri. Cameron was returning from Dunedin with his empty dray when he met a friend who was a little the worse for liquor. Cameron invited him to have a ride in the dray ; however, ho became rather restless, and Cameron, fearing that he might get hurt, went over to him to adjust him properly in the cart, when he accidentally fell over the cart, the wheel passing over and- fracturing his right leg. Dr. M'Br*arty, of West Taieri, happened to be at Mr Boyd's visiting at the time, and that gentleman attended and aut the fractured leg. An inquest was hold at the Shamrock Hotel, N.ivis, on tho 24th ult., on the body of John M'Donald, a miner, aged 34 years, who was drowned in the Nevis river on the 14th ult. It appeared that tho deceased on the day of his death left the store of Messrs Scully and Starkey, Nevis township, .'it about seven o'clock in tho evening for his hut, three-quarters of a mile further up the river, and on the opposite side. Deceased, before leaving, was cautioned by Mr Starkoy and others that the river was above its usual height, and they advised him to remain in the township until morning. Deceased decided to proceed, and said he would go at any rate as far as his usual crossing-place ; and that, if he found it too dangerous to cross, he would not attempt to do so. Ho "then left, and was not seen alive again. His body was found on the 22nd ult, by a Chinese, miner, about ten miles below the township. There is no doubt that deceased was washed off his feet while endeavouring to cross, and was thus drowned. He is supposed to have been a native of the island of Tyree, Argyleshire, S.otland. A most determined case of suicide occurred at Palmereton on Monday, the 28th ult. A man of the name of M-Tag-gart arrived by the coach from Dunedin. He missed the Oamani coach, and went to Mr Allan, baker, to stay until the following day, being an old acquaintance of a man living with Mr Allan. About half-past six o'clock in the evening he cut his throat, and died immediately. An old man, named David MoncriefF, fell from his horse in Great King street, on the afternoon of the 7fch inst., and "broke his thigh bone. He was taken to the Hospital. An inquest was held at Mr Gallagher's Shamrock Hotel, Naseby, on the sth inst., regarding a /ire which occurred in Leven streot, in that town, on the previous day, and by which furniture, clothing, stook-in-trado, and building, the property of Mr Walter Inder, valued at £145, and insured for £300, and a house and photographic artist's stock, the property of Mr Robert Keenan and Coxhead Bros, respectively, and not insured, were dos'royed. It appeared that at about 1.20 p.m., Mr Harry Coxhead, photographer, who ronted the shop, locked the door and left the premises, in order to go to dinner at the dCmpire Hotel, opposite. At the time of his leaving, everything appeared to bo safe. A woman named Snell, passing up the street shortly afterwards, stopped to look at the photographs in the window, when she obaorved that a partition was on fire, and immediately raised an alarm. It appeared that a man named Helkessel was having a conversation with Coxhead shortly before his leaving for

dinner. Holkessel struck a, match to' light his pipe, and was seen to throw the match on the iloor, but he swore at the enquiry that lie extinguished it by putting his foot on it. The verdict -was " There is no evidence to show how the fire took place." An eight-stall wooden stable—which, with the straw and dray harness it contained, was valued at about £150 —situate in Leven street, Invercargtll, and the property of Mr David Thomson, was destroyed by tiro at noon on the Oth inst. Efforts wore made to confine the fire to the part in which it had originated, but it becoming evident thai these were ineffectual, attention was turned to the fences, which were pulled down to keep the fire from spreading to adjoining houses. The stable, which was of weather board, with shingle roof, was burnt to the ground in less than half an hour. It is thought that the fire originated by some person striking a match to light hiß pipe against the inner side of the floor of the loft, and in doing so setting fire to some of the straw sticking out between the openings in the flooring boards. The loss is not provided for by insurance Tho verdict of the Coroner's jury, by whom the matter was enquired into, was " cause unknown." Mrs Margaret Cameron, aged GO years, wife of a settler at Shag Valloy, while attending to domestic duties on the Oth inst., fell down in a fit and died almost instantaneously. The cause of death was disease of the heart. The enjoyment of a wedding party was brought to an abrupt, and to some of the members, a painful ending, on Saturday morning, the Oth inst. Tho party, which consisted of over 20—about half of whom were on the top of the omnibus—were returning from Anderson's Bay to Duncdin at half-past three o'clock in tho morning, in a largo two-horse omnibus, driven by Mr Ross. In coming down the lull, and whilst rounding tho corner of the road at a rapid pace, tho spokes in one of the wheels, with tho weight on tho coach and the speed at which it was going, shivered to pieces, and the coach capsized. The hordes, fortunately, stood still the moment tho accident occurred. The person who sustained the greatest injury was Mr George Adams, a runner of the Daily Times, and who is 03 years old. Tho omnibus came on his left foot, smashing in the instep and greatly injuring some of tho toes. Four or five others received cuts, but none were seriously injured. The bridegroom, Mr Galloway, who ia foreman to Messrs Watson and Gow, and the bride, were in the coach. Tho bride i received a slight cut on the forehead. A lamentable accident occurred on Sunday, the 10th inst., at the Upper Taieri, to one of the teams belonging to Mr Thomas Murray, of this city. The waggon—to which seven horses were attached —capsized somewhat below where Mr P. Brad ley's team was lost somo years ago. One horse was killed on the spot, and three other horses were seriously hurt. Tho driver lies in a dangerous state at Tannahill's accommodation house, Upper Taieri.

A rather sorions accident occurred at the Port on the 13th inst. Mr Trestrail, well known as an importer of stock from Victoria, was landing soino horses ex Tararua, when one of the animals kicked him very severely, and broko his leg. Our correspondent writes:—"SurfaceHill (why ' Suifaee' I can't tell, as it comprises the deepest and most dangerous ground in the district) lias demanded and obtained another victim. A prior fellownamed William Bardsley, a native of Bel ton, Lancashire, aged about (50 years, working in Outline's claim as a wagesman, was engaged in the tail race, when a large mass of earth fell upon him and smashed his skull. Death must have been instantaneous, as his brains were crushed out. An inquest was held in the evening, when a verdict of ' Accidental death' was recorded."