ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9715, 18 April 1893, Page 5 (Supplement)

ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

Alexander M'Nab, a seaman on the Miowcra, a single man, aged 36 years, while oiling some machinery at Auckland, fell down the hold, a distance of 50ft, and was fearfully mangled. When taken on to the wharf he was alive, though insensible, but expired before medical aid arrived. His skull was fractured, the brain protruding. His left leg and thigh and two of his ribs were broken and his left hand lacerated.

One day last month, Margaret Recce, 16 years, residing at Onehunga, mixed 42 matches in a cup of water and drank the solution. She died a few days afterwards. The cause of her act is said to be religious melancholia. A littla boy, aged two and a-half years, son of Alfred Underwood, of Dargaville, was drowned accidentally in the Akiroa river on the 22nd.

MrsC. R. Heath, wife of a hotelkeoper at New Brighton, died on the 23rd ult. from the result of an accident, caused .through a runaway horse and cart colliding with the buggy in whinh she was sitting in the main street of Sydeuham. The owner of the horse, Samuel Ridley, had alighted from his cart, left the horse standing as usual, but something caused it to bolt, when a collision occurred. The horse in Mrs Heath's buggy kicked her twice over the head. She never regained consciousness. During the confusion arising from the accident her bag, said to contain valuable documents and a considerable sum of money, was abstracted and has not sines been found. At the inquest a ver-

diet of "Manslaughter" was returned against M. S. Ridley, the owner of the runaway horse and trap, which had been left unattended in the street.

A fatal trap accident occurred at Thornbury at 8 o'clock on the 23rd ult. After the stock sale, Messrs J. R. Mills (auctioneer), Chas. Campbell (butcher), Millar (coach driver), and two others left for Riverton. Mills was driving the horses, which bolted. Campbell and Millar were on the back seat, which fell out, and they landed on their heads. Campbell's neck was broken, and ho died instantaneously. Millar was rendered unconscious from injuries to his head. Mills, who jumped out, was severely cut about the face, but the others were uninjured.

The Union Steam Ship Company's steamer Poherua put in at Port Chalmers on the 24th on her way from Lyttelton to the Bluff, and the captain reported that a fireman named James Souter had been accidentally killed while trimming coal in one of th steamer's bunkers. The body was removed to the morgue at Port Chalmers, and the steamer subsequently con-

tinued her voyage to the Bluff, the witnesses necessary for an inquest on the deceased man being, however, detained. At the inquest evidence was given by Joseph F. Spence (chief officer), James Hutton (chief engineer), Frederick Field (seaman), Robert Hall (donkey-man), and Sergeant Neil], from which it appeared that while tho deceased was working among coal in the port bunker on board the vessel, a run of small coal came down on him, and his struggles to get himself free brought more coal down until he was completely covered. When he was extricated he was quite dead. Only from 10 to 15 minutes elapsed from the time deceased commenced to struggle until he was released. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidentally killed."

A man named James Hyndman fell over the 40ft face of a mining claim at Kumara on the 25th ult. He was found on Sunday morning quite dead.

Edward Pock, aged 10, son of a farmer at the Hutt, was killed on the 27th ult. while playing with a waterwheel along with his tr,o brothers. The deceased slipped, and his head was crushed between the wheel and its supports, death being instantaneous. Mr Jachin Crawshaw, contractor for the lighting of tho corporation lumps, died very suddenly on the 27th ulb. He was standing in the yard at the back of the Town Hall about 9 o'clock, when he was seized with a fit. Dr Martin was immediately pent for, and Mr Crawshaw was removed to bis residence in the hospital ambulance. Twenty minutes after his arrival there he expired. Deceased had previously bsen treated by Dr Coughtrey, who has made an examination of tho body, and who, it is understood, can certify that the causo of death was failure of the heart's action. Mr Crawshaw leaves a wife and family. Tho police have received intelligence that a man named Robert Reid, a rabbiter, has been found drowned in the Mataura river.

Robert Stewart, farmer, Waitaki north, died from the effects of injuries received by a fall from his buggy about a month ago. The deceased, who was unmarried, had farmed at l'apakaio for many years. At an inquest held on Monday a verdict of " Accidental death " was returned.

Mary Larkins, a widow settler at Karakara, Auckland, was riding aloug the bridle track wheu her horse bolted and her foot caught in the stirrup iron. She was dragged over a mile before the horse stopped. A man coming by found her, with her foot still in the stirrup, quite dead. A young man named Fred Galpin met his death in a painful manner at the Upper Rangitikei on Tuesday. With his brother ho was driving a traction engine up hill, wheu some part of the driving gear gave way, and the engine commenced to run lnck. Both jumped out, but Fred was knocked down and run over. Both his legs were broken, and he was also badly crushed in the region of the abdomen. Death occurred about four hours afterwards. The deceased was the Eon of one of the oldest settlers iv the district.

A boy, three years and seven months old, tho son of William Thomson, the groom at the Farmers' Arms Hotel at Balclutha, was warming himself in front of a fire on the 22nd ult, when his clothes caught fire and he sustained severe burns about the body and legs, from the effects of which he died yesterday morning.

Ou the afternoon of the Bth iust. Mr Sullivan, fish curer, reported to the police that he had found the body of a man floating near the Boating Club's sheds, about 100 yards from the end of the wharf. It appeared to be that of a man over 60 years of age, and about sft Bin in height. The man had red whiskers and was rather full-featured. Ha was fully dressed, aDd wore au overcoat with a baud. The police, on making inquiries, discovered that the body was that of a clerk named James Reid, who has resided in Dunedin for the past 26 years. The deceased was admitted as a patient into the Dunedin Hospital on September 20, and was discharged on April 1, since which date he has not been heard of. At the inquest John Ross deposed that deceased, who was born in Scotland and wag about 65 years of age, had resided in the colony for over 26 years. He was a wharf clerk in Duuedin, but had been idle lately. He was in the Duaedin Hospital for about six months. He was a single man and latterly had no relatious iv this colony, but at one time he had two brothers here. Witness last saw him alivo about a fortnight ago when he visited him at tho hospital: He spoko then of leaving the hospital. He suffered very much from swelling of tho hands and feet, due to rheumatic gout. "\Vitnes3 heard that deceased was not in tho hospital on Suuday, April 2, and although he made inquiries he could not find anything as to his whereabouts. He was of a despondent turn of mind sometimes, and witness balicved that one of his (deceased's) brothers committed suicide. A verdict of found drowned was returned. The body of Simon Conway, licensee of the Farmers' Arms Hotel at Balctutha, who hag been missing for some time, was found in tho Clutha river at 11.40 a.m. on tho 16t inst. The body of George Clarke, inspector of permanent way between Mercer and Mokau, who has been missing since the 2nd inst., was recovered in the Waikato river on tho 10th. He had been in tho Government service for 18 years, and was transferred from Otago to Hamilton in August last. His life was insured in the Government office for £150. James Hayes, 76 years of age, slipped and broke his hip joint on the kerbstone in Auckland on the Bth inst. He was taken to the hospital, whore he died on Monday morning. Dr Somerville gave a certificate that death had resulted from heart disease. George Alleu, a labourer, sometimes employed us a casual hand at the Addington Railway Workshops, was killed ou tho 10th inst while lopping trees ou a private property ou the Hazeldean road, Sydenham. Ho is supposed to have fallen off a tree on to his head, as his neck was broken. At 7 15a.m.outha 11th Herbortß.Rollo. stayiuK at the Al Hotel, Christuhurch, committed suicide by shooting himself with a revolver. He placed it iv his mouth, and the bullet went through hi 3 br.iia and skull and into the partition of the watcjrcloset where tho act was committed. Rollo is sunoosed to bo about 35 yearn of ago, aud >s said to bo well cmiuccted at Homo. He was much given to drink, and was suffering from its effects at the time. . ~ . ... Inspector l Jardy has received information by wire from IlerioC that Alexander Durward flaxmiller, died from injuries received at his mill Herior, on the 10th inst. Deceased, who was 38 years of>ge, and a native of Kiucardtneshire, Scotland, was in the act of placing a belt on a pulley which was in motion when his sleeve got caught and he was whirled round the spindle. His shoulders and arms were broken aud bo received suvcro iuterual injuries, dying four hours after the accident. Horace Birch, aged IG, was drowned whilo bathing in tho current at tho mouth of the e-tu:iry at Sumncr on the 3rd. At the iuquest William James Birch, brother of deceased, stated that he with deceased iind four other youn" men were camping on the spit opposite Shag Rock, and had been to Sumner in a boat. Kred Newton and deceased went for n bathe about 5 o'clock. Witness heard cries for holp, and »i.iv his brother struggling iv the water. He attempted to reach him with the boat, but only ivrrivt-d in time to see him sink. Richard M'Gleary jumped into tho water, but wns unable to render assistance. James M'Clesiry deposed that deceased waded out and slipped into tho channel, and war, taken oIE his leg* by the current. Thinking lio was drowning witness tried to reach him, but was too la'co. Tho jury returned a verdict of accidentally drowned, and made a suggestion that parents should exercise their authority to prcvont boys who arc unable to switn from going out sailing or camping along lha side of the estuary.

Patrick O'Shea was killed at Feilding on tte 29;h ult. while bushfelling. The body of an old man, apparently about 60, was found floating off Thorndon Esplanade, Wellington, on the 7th inst. The body has since b£eu identified as that of James Flanagan, of Taranaki street. A distri ssing and peculiar accident happened at Oxford on the 29th ult. (says the Tiimru Herald), whereby the little daughter of Mr Robert Fisher, three years of age, lost her life. A large iron box kept in a bedroom was left standing open, and the child must have reached for something in the box, with the result that the lid fell to, pinning her by the neck aud causing instautaneous death. Patrick Burke, a farmer at Waitaki, was driving a team of horses near his farm ou Thursday, when his dog ran after some sheep. While calling it back his horses took fright aud bolted, throwing Burke out, and, one of the wheels passing over him, death was instantaneous. The deceased was single aud 35 years of age. Mr Charles Irvine died on Thursday from injuries sustained through falling down a shaft at Kurow.

An old miner named Philip Gaddioni, aged 70, was found dead in the tail race of his claim at WaimeaW.C, on Saturday. It is thought that in running from a slip in tho face of his claim he fell into the tail races, which is very deep aud slippery.