CASUALTIES,

Otago Witness, Issue 2232, 10 December 1896, Page 15

CASUALTIES,

A sudden death occurred about 8 o'clock OD Wednesday night, 2ndr Alexander Buchan, who was engaged fishing with his brother John in the lower harbour, had just hauled in the net, when he went to ths bow of the boat and fell forward, and on his brother going to him fouud he was dead. An inquest was held on i Thursday afternoon when after bearing the : evidence of Charles and John Buohan, John ■ Keenan, and Dr Cunoiaghame, the jury re* turned a verdict thai; deceased died from sudden failure of the heart. Deceased leaves : a wife and five children in very poor eircumj stance*. <• I David Broadfoot,- a well-known miner at Macetown and, Skippers, was found dead on Saturday afternoon in Skippers Creek. It is ! supposed ho fell off his horse and, being rendered unconscious, was drowned in the creek. At the inquest ou James Liddle, butcher of the steamer Te Auau, who fell over the Auckland wharf into the sea at 2 a.m. on Saturday while attempting to go on board the steamer, and who was rescued and taken to. the hospital, where he died, a verdict was returned of ' ' Death from pneumonia from the effects of submarBioD," bub there was no evidence how he got into the water. ' Dr Hooper ga.ve evidence that Liddle's condition indicated a state of intoxication. Deceased has friends in Wellington. A partly-demented Maori woman, named Akcniha Keating, wife of a European, met with a horrible death at North Gisborne. Her husband said he gave her her dinner on Saturday afternoon. He had to feed her, as she wa3 helpless, and when she eat or lay down he had to lift her up again. She had been in that" state for the past two years, bat had beeu worse for the p&et month. He then left for Gisborne, and, returning home at 5 o'clock, missed her. He looked around and, seeing smoke in the orchard, rushed down there and found her lyiug on her back, and the grass on fire all around her. She was dead, lying in a t:euoh a few inches deep. Tho grass was loag and dry, and would burn very quickly, but he could not account for its taking Hre. He supposed she was smoking and threw a lighted match into the grass. She was in the habit of smoking,' and w»s frequently in the orchard. She was about 65 years of age. A neighbour gave evidence that the grass was on fire for an acre round her. Deceased was dreadfully burned on the left side and both arms, and her hair was burnt off her head. Her aims and l»=gi were extended up both side 3of the trench as if she had fallen from a distance into the trench in that attitude. The woman's mouth and nose were covered with blood. The clothing had not been burned below the waist. A verdict was returned of ° Accidental death by burning." Bight or 10 years ago deoaased's mother was burned to . death within a few yards of the same spot by her wbare c itching fire. William Hall, a miner, aged 68 years, was found dead in his house at Clj de on Sunday. Frances R. Dawson, aged six years, was accidentally drowned at Lawrence on Monday. A young man named Cabo, who was injured, some time ago at Mr Borrie's, near Oamaru, by a saok falling on him, died in the hospital on Sunday.' ' ->*' * " A carpenter named Lonis Cantle, % prohibited person, committed suioide at Napier on Monday by outting his throat). - It wa» shown that he had been drinking, thoughhe got nothing at the hotels, and friends: could noli dinoover who. got the liquor for him. When th* aup-f ly failed he drank chlotodyne and painkiller, *ud was under the innuenoa of these drugs when ha committed the deed. A vbiAltti w w c«tarnea of "Tempowia? insanity tbrcssft tx««siv# drinkin&i