CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1893, 2 March 1888, Page 22

CASUALTIES.

John Munro, a labourer, died very suddenly on the 22nd ult. at Gore. Shortly after 12 o'clock he was noticed apparently in great agony lying on a vacant section. The police took him in a cart to the Temperance Hotel, Gore, where he lived. Dr Cottew was called to attend him, and prescribed, but shortly after the doctor left Munro expired in great agony. It is supposed he was suffering from heart disease, but an inquebt will probably be held. The seven-year-old daughter of Mr Crow, of Makarewa, Southland, had an almost miraculous escape on Thursday. Her mother had sent her and another child to the well to draw a bucket of water, and while they were engaged in doing so the cover of the well gave way and the girl fell in. She supported herself in the water until her father and mother arrived, and a rescue was effected by means of the bucket. In the act of falling the girl must have come in contact with the Hd, as it was found that one of her legs was broken above the knee.

A boy named J. R. Whiterod, aged 14 years son of an enginedriver, was drowned in a waterhole at Mora, near Greytown North, on Sunday. A shocking accident, which had a fatal termination, happened on Saturday afternoon to a man named Robert Jeffrey, who was employed as a surfaceman on the Dunedin railways. It appears that as the 2.5 p.m. train from town for tho racecourse was passing through the goods sheds yard, Jeffrey got on the line and was knocked down by the engine, which severed both his legs from his body. He was conveyed to the hospital, where, although he received every attention from Dr Hocken, he died about 20 minutes to 5 o'clock iv the afternoon. He, however, was able to state that he saw the engine coming along, but inadvertently stepped on to the line which it would have to pass over to reach the Ocean Beach line. As will have been noticed by those who have passed over the line, the Ocean Beach train gradually works across at the various points from the line nearest Crawford street until it reaches that nearest the bay, and Jeffrey momentarily forgetting this got on the wrong line. He realised his danger almost as soon as he did so, but he appears to have hesitated a second and then apparently slipped in his haste, so that the engine was upon him and the wheels passed over him. The deceased leaves a wife and a large family, who reside at the Kaikorai Valley. Great sympathy is felt for them in their bereavement, aud several persons have already forwarded subscriptions unsolicited to Mr Ashcroft, stationmaster, on their account, and he will be also happy to receive any further assistance. The Pinafore Company of amateurs who have been playing "Les Clonhes de Corneville," assisted by other local talent, will give a performance iv aid of the bereaved family, for which Mr Sibbald has promised the gratuitous use of the theatre. At the inquest, at which a verdict of " Accidentally killed" was returned Dr Hockeu deposed that he was telephoned for about half-past 2 ou Saturday afternoon to go to the hospital. He went immediately, and arrived a minute or two after the deceased's admission. He found him suffering from shock. The left leg was cut quite off by the knee, and the thigh above was terribly crushed. The right leg was also severed, with the exception of a little bit of skin, just about the lower part of the thigh. The deceased was pulseless, and a cold perspiration upon him. Seeing that an operation could not bo performed then, he directed hot bottles lo be. put to him, and brandy freely administered, as well as milk and beef tea. Witness then left, and returned in about three hours to see if he had rallied at all, but found that he had died a few minutes before. When witness saw tho deceased on going to the hospital the first time he asked him how the accident happened. Deceased Baid it was entirely his own fault; that ho had seen the tram coming, bub thinking it was going on to another line, he got ou to the one where he was knocked down. It was a mistake; it was a miscalculation. The sause of death was shock induced by the terrible injuries deceased had received. On Sunday afternoon a servant named Margaret Powell, in the employ of Mr Edgar, manager of the New Zealand Insurauce Company, died in an apoplectic fit at the hospital. Mr and Mrs Edgar weut to church in the morning, leaving the womnn at home to cook the dinner. On their return they found her lying in a fit on tho floor. Dr Roberts was s°nt for, but as the woman did not recover at the house he ordered her removal to the hospital, where she died almost immediately after arriving. At the inquest Bridget O'Neil stated that the deceased had been in the colony about 12 years. She was a native of Waterford, in Ireland, and, witness thought, about 35 years of age. Witness did not know tbat she suffered from heart disease or tbac she was subject to fits. She, however, knew that deceased had been very weak at times. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence.