CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1880, 2 December 1887, Page 18

CASUALTIES.

John Veint, an old settler in Southland, and well-known latterly as a hawker, committed suicide at Wyndham on Monday by taking " rough on rats." It appears he took the poison during the afternoon, but did not inform anyone until late at night, when his son sent for Dr Stockwell, who did all ha could to remove the poison ; but it had been too long in the system to be counteracted, and the old man died the following morning. A sad fatal accident occurred on the Green Island beach on Wednesday. It appears that a number of young men were bathing there, when oneof them, John Fergusson, while clambering up the rocks,slipped and fell into deep water. There appears to have been a strong current there.and probably the young man was stunned by his fall, as before assistance could be rendered the body disappeared. The alarm was at once given and some members of the police force were soon on the spot, but up to a late hour last evening the body had not been recovered, though every effort was made to recover it. The deceased was a young man between 18 and 20 years of age, and resided in Great King street. A boy named Henderson -vas killed near Walsend station, Greymouth,on the 24th. A number of boys were playing pushing some trucks backwards and forwards, when Henderson slipped and fell beneath a truck in motion, and his abdomen being crushed, he died a few hours afterwards. A rather serious accident happened at the Mosgiel railway station on Saturday night to a passenger named Miss Smith, who, it appears, was stepping out of the train when she fell between the platform and the carriages. Mr Andrew Bringans, who happened to be standing on tho platform, immediately went to Miss Smith's assistance, and fortunately succeeded in getting her out of her perilous position It was subsequently discovered that she had received three ugly wounds in the lower portion of the leg, and that the big toe of her foot had been crushed. She was conveyed to her home and attended to by Dr Christie, who found it necessary to amputate the toe. Richard Boden, a miner, was killed at the Thames when working in the Saxon mine. While working in the stopes a mass of earth fell on him, causing instantaneous death. He leaves a wife and large family. Mr James Donald, J.P., of Feathcrston, had a narrow escape of being killed by a bull on his farm. In company with several others he was engaged dishorning the animal, when, after one horn had been removed, the rope broke, and the bull got loose in the yard. Donald tried to aecure ifc ; but unfortunately his efforts resulted in his being savagely attacked by the beast, which gored him with its remaining horn, inflictiug serious injuries in the neighbourhood of the ribs and on one of his legs. Donald lies in a precarious condition. A fine healchy child died at Hawera a few days ago through swallowing a small piece of bone. Tho boy was being fed with some mutton broth, and the mother had taken a small fragment of bone out of the spoon and placed it on the table. It is believed that the "child took this piece of bone and put it in its mouth. When it attempted to swallow the piece ifc choked. An attempt was at once made to extract tho bone, but it was unsuccessful, and the piece either passed or was forced down the throat. It was noticed that the child coughed a little blood afterwards, and lout its voice, so medical assistance was at once procured. The doctors who attended, after a careful examination of the larynx, agreed that the bone had been swallowed, but did not anticipate any serious results. As the child rapidly grew worse, Dr Alexander was called in; he consulted with Dr Lightbourne, but though every effort was made the infant boy died within 30 hours of the accident. Arthur Deweson, arrested at Auckland in a state of liquor and bleeding from a wound in the head, was locked up, and died in a cell after being attended by a doctor. A man named Clegg has been arrested on a charge of assaulting the deceased. lb is alleged that the injuries were sustained during a quarrel in a house of ill-famo in Marmion street kept by Ihe prisoner. Deweson's skull wass fractured. Dr Esson, however, in his evidence at the inquest, said the wound was not such a one as would be caused in this way, and was more likely to have resulted from a blow with a sharp instrument applied with great force. The jury returned a verdict of " Manslaughter," there not being sufficient evidence to show by whom committed. The jury exonerated the police from blame in the matter. Shortly after 6 p.m. on Sunday a boating accident occurred at Tauranga. Five men, named Caines, Moss, Fitzgerald, M'Candlish, and a Native, were out in the harbour trying a new boat, just built for oneof the sailing races in the regatta. Tho boat was carryiug an immense sail, and when jibing was struck by a strong gust of wind, and overturned aud sunk. A boat put oft" from the shore and picked up Fitzgerald and M'Caiullish, the former being quite exhausted ; and a sailing boat which happened to be out in the harbour picked up Moss and the Native, both having had a struggle to keep up with their clothing and heavy boots on. Cajnes was drowned, and his body has not been recovered, Although the police have been dragging all day. He wa» unable to swim. He. was about 50 years of age, aiid he leaves a wife. He was a boat* builder by te&de, and had been resident here for isoraft years. A woman named Mrs Russell, while walking from Ok&rito to Ross, a distance of about 60 miles, became bsfc on the road. The mailman, who left after her, has arrived, and says he saw ho trace of her. Ifc is feared she lost her wav in the bush, or else was carried down one of "the rivers and drowned, and there is very little hope of finding her alive. Search parties are now out,