Accidents and Offences.

Otago Witness, Issue 1540, 14 May 1881, Page 14

Accidents and Offences.

The Deinstall Times says :— " Mr W. Spratt, it will be remembered, bad his leg broken Home 18 months since whilst working in the Mountain Race Company's claim, Tinkers, and again had the same leg broken come few months afterwards by stepping into a rabbit hole. We regret to leain during the la3t week be had the same leg again broken by the kick of a horse. It appears he and his brother John were in the neighbourhood of Wyndham, Southland, looking for a property, and when taking their horses across a swamp, the horse leading struck oub with the hind leg, inflicting the injury referred to. Mr Spratt was removed to Invercargill Hospital as soon aa possible, where, under our old friend Dr Button, he is progressing as well as possible." Yesterday afternoon (says Saturday's North Otago Times) an infant Beven or eight months old, the child of Mr Periton, of Eeed street, came to its death under pitiable circumstances. Mrs Perilon, it appears, bad occasion to leave the house for a few minutes to call at a neighbour's. When she went out the child was lying securely in a basket perambulator, close to which it seems a bath with about an inch of water in it was left on tho floor. On returning to her house Mrs Periton found the perambulator capsized, and the child lying face downwards in tho bath, apparently dead from suffocaiion. Dr de Lautour was at once sent for, and arrived promptly, but he pronounced life o be quite extinct. A shunter at the Dunedin railway-station, named Barnett B Dent, was received into the Hospitalfon Sunday wUh the great toe of his left foot ao badly crushed an to necessitate amputation. The injury, he Bays, was received whilst shunting, and was caused by his foot slipping whilst jumping on the train, thus causing it to be caught by the passing wheels. A somewhat serious charge of assault was investigated at the Police Court on Monday before Messrs Logan and Fifth, J.P.'s. The prosecutor was Archibald Whyte, and the accused (who appeared under arrest) Alexander Malcolm. The two persons live as neighbours at Rothesay, and work together at Ooombs' tannery. The dispute between them occurred on Saturday night. The history of it was lengthy and uninteresting, but things grew so serious that Whyte sent for neighbours to assist him. Three of these had arrived when Mrs Malcolm came up to Whyte's verandah and attempted to " claw " one of them— a Mr Jones. Mr Jones pushed her off, and she fell into a rose-bush. Malcolm then rushed up to the verandah with a gun, which he pointed at Whyte. Mr Jones declared that this struck him as being so dangerous that he dodged round the corner of the house. Whyte, however, who many years ago it appeared had captured a notorious bushranger, was made of sterner sti.ff, and stood hia ground, merely advising Malcolm to do nothing he would be sorry for. The end of the affair was that Malcolm took his wife under one arm &nd the gun under the othpr, and went out or the garden, discharging the gun when da got on to t.hn road. Tha Berch fired him Ls,or in default odo month's imprigouoeiil,

Mr Jftmes Shot f el, who up <.j)l repent ]y wa'j lamilord of the Golden Ago Botel in Stafford street, met with his death very; suddenly on Mynday, He had been suffering from lung.

disease for a considerable time past, and under medical advice intended removing to Nelson, where the climate is mild. He had made arrangements for going as far as Christchurch by train on Monday. About dinner-time he went to hia boarding-house (the Bristol, in Cumbprland street) to pack up, and was next observed runuing hastily out of doors with his handkerchief to his mouth. Ha had burst a blood-vessel, and was evidently going for medical assistance. He had just turned into St. Andrew Btreet when he fell. He was at onca put into a cab to be taken to the Hospital, but died ere he reached it. Shortel was a man of about 40 years of ago, a native of tho North of Ireknd, and had a brother residing in tho Oamaru district.