DISTRESSING ACCIDENT AT WESTPORT.
Westpoet, January 2. New Year's Day was ushered in here by a. sad fatal accident. Mr Cosgrove, captain of the Westport Navals, also head teacher in the State Bchool, fired off & bis charge of powder from an eld £our-pouuder gun, formerly belonging to ths b.s. Suva, wrecked here six years ago. Hr Co3arove snd others placed the breach of the gun in the. centre of the school reserve, the rouzzle pointing upwards, loaded it, and connected the charge with a fase through the muzzle. The school reserve is separated from the main street by a fence. The sfcreeb was ceowded with people to witness tho fira brigade's display from the station, which is situated af; tho comer of fcfce school reserve. Shortly after midaight the fuse was lighted, and the gun hurst into pieces, the metal flying about in all directions. Oae piece struck a youth nsmsd Charles Greeu, aged 15, in fhe neck and shoulder, mutilating him dreadfully and killing bira instantly. Gtenu was ataudiug iv Miin street. James Howard, aged 52, had his right aim shattered by a piece of ir.at-al. His arm was amputated in ths hospit.ili bstween tha shoulder and elbow, but it is rioubtfnl if he will pull through. Mr Patterson, formerly of Dunediu, Miaster of the Harbour Board'B dredge, had two ribs broker). Sover&l sliops snd houses were also damaged, and a hole was knocked in one of tho school buildings, through a brick chimney, and out on the otiiereide.
The inquest on the body of Charles Green, accidentally killed by the bursting of tha cannon, occupied all day. The jury, after two hours' retirement, found —"That deceased, Charles 'Green, met his death through being struck by z fragment of a cannon that burst on being Ccefl in t-lw school ground; and while tho
evidence dons not point to rcckleasncsa or culpabio negligence on the purt of thoco firing thn cannon, wo are of opinion that gross ijinorauce w.'ia displavud." Tho follo'A'iuj; rider was added :— "That tho jury ii't'iunmcml the authorities that no cannon be tired within the borough of V/estport unless by experts, nor then until after obtaining special pormisHion from tho proper authority.1'
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 10263, 22 January 1895, Page 7
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365DISTRESSING ACCIDENT AT WESTPORT. Otago Daily Times, Issue 10263, 22 January 1895, Page 7
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