CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 35

CASUALTIES.

Marko Swijan, an Austrian, aged 26, was 1 thrown from his horse at Riverhead, Auokl lend, on Sunday, 11th inst., and struck a r post with his head. He died soon afterwards. ' The Minister of Lands was thrown from I. his horse on the 12th while inspecting , Mount Vernon, Hawke's Bay. He escaped ' with a shaking. ' The body of Frank Clinton, who ! ] drowned in the Wanganui River on the 4th ( ' inst., was recovered on the 13th. j Captain Blake, the well-known Native ! interpreter, was found dead at Marton, i N.1., on the 13th, n-ear a stream. Three deep wounds were found on his left side, caused by a butcher's knife, purchased by i j him the previous day. It is suspected, the ; case is one of suicide. I A young man named W,illiam Bowden was j seriously injured by a kick from a horse i at Roxburgh on the 12th. He was engaged ! working a team for Mr John Elder, of ! Dumbarton, and had unyoked the horses | ! and was driving them to the stable when j one lashed out and kicked Bowden on the j forehead, rendering him unconscious. The j man was removed to his home at Roxburgh, ! • where he regained consciousness next morning, and is now progressing favourably. I On Tuesday last a bright little boy, nine ! years, of age, named Dudley Wise, son of Mr Frank Wise, of Wellington, was playing at Plimmerton, when he stepped on a piece of timber, and ran a splinter into his foot. Inflammation set inj and on Saturday mornj, ing the boy was found to be suffering from •' lockjaw. He was at once brought to Wel-lington-Hospital, but despite Dr Ewart's efforts, he died early on Sunday morning. An elderly man named Henry Brown w«s found dead in his bed at Auckland on the 14th. He was last seen alive on Monday, and the'matter being reported to the police they effected an entrance to his house and found him- dead. It is not known if he has any relatives. The North Otago Times states that Mr William M'Kirdy, who was injured in the trap accident at White Rock that resulted in' the death of Mrs M'Kirdy, died in the Oamaru Hospital oh the 13th. Mr M'Kirdy, who sustained a severe fracture of the hip joint, was apparently progressing satisfactorily, but suddenly collapsed, and passed away. Much^ympathy will be felt for the family, who, -within' a 'few weeks, have lost both, mother and; father. 'Mrs' Mary Brown, aged 68 yoars, when stepping outside of her house at Kaitangata on- the 14th, slipped down, cand in fall- - ing broke one -of her legs. She was received into the Dunedin Hospital on Wednesday. At Messrs Scoullar and Chisholm's factory. in.Rattra-y street on Wednesday morning Mr Edward Higgiu6j while' employed handling a) bate' of" kapok, fell through a trap-door on to the floor below, and fractured his arm, and ; was conveyed to the Dunedin Hospital, vlere his injuries were attended to.^ A milk-cart was run into by a mixed train near Wanganui,- and a boy named 'Frederick Badie^ aged 14' -years, was killed. A. man named Zinsley had his shoulder dislocated. Thomas Gifford, aged 4l) years, expired while having teeth extracted by a dentist at Petone on Thursday. Deceased was I under an anaesthetic known as ethyl-ohloride. 1 At the .inquest the evidence showed that deceased had been 'administered ethyl-chloride, and when four or five teeth had been extracted he appeared to be suffocating, and collapsed. The doctor was summoned by ! the dentist, but all efforts to restore ani- • mation failed. The dentist (Mr Aplin) stated that he frequently used ethyl-chloride, ' and had always been successful, and although its administration was no^; sanctioned by any medical or dental authority, its use was not prohibited. A doctor gave evidence "that -he considered ethyl-chloride . was not so safe as gas, but much safer . than, chloroform. A verdict of "Accidental j death, no blame being attachable to the j dentist," was returned. V A man named Charles Hoff went to- see a doctor at Wellington to obtain advice. The doctor was out, and Hoff sat down to await his return. At the expiration of about half an hour he fell out of the chair ; and died in a few minutes. A man named Smith, while engaged leading 'a cart with coal from the steamer j Charles Edward! at Wanganui, was struck by a coal basket, and knocked off the cart ou to the wharf. Before he could recover ' himself he fell on the deck of the vessel, striking the bulwarks, and \vju>" injured, in1 ternally. .He was taken-, to the hospital. 1 On Friday morning James William Burnell, 26 years of. age, unmarried, "was found dead, hanging by the neck from a beam ,in ' the Heathcote , Valley Schoolroom. At the inquest' on Friday the evidence' showed that deceased had. .been in bad health recently, ; and depressed by the fact that he was unable 1 tbvwork. The jury returned a verdict that deceased had hanged himself while temporarily insane. v A "sad accident occurred in the lower harbour on Saturday by which Mr George Stephens, second son of the late Mr David Stephens, inspector of works to the Harbour Board, lost his life. It appears Mr Stephens, who took a keen interest in yachting, and was secretary to the Port Chalmers Sailing Club, was going down the harbom* in the yacht Anonyma on Saturday afternoon, accompanied by Mr John Morgan and Mr Hunter. There waa a strong south-west wind blowing, and the tide was running out, whilst the eea. waa very choppy. When between Pulling Point and the lightship the Anonyma'a dingey, which was towing astern, broke adrift, and the craft put about to recover it. When close to the dingey Mr Stephens jumped into her from the yacht, but overbalanced himself, and rolled overboard. After swimming a few strokes he sank, and was seen no more. The others on the yacht made for the Heads, where they telephoned to the chief harbourmaster, Captain M'Oallum, who at once proceeded down the harbour in the Plucky, taking Constable Hyland and several men with a view to making a strict search for the body.- Captain M'Callum also ordered the Heads pilot to pull up the harbouc with his boat's crew and keep a iook-out. He also landed a party at the Sandspit, giving them orders to make a search, which was carried out. Despite all efforts, however, nothing was seen pf the unfortunate young man, and Captain M'Callum and his party re1 turned to Port Chalmers at 3 o'clock on Sunday morning. Great sympathy is expressed for the bereaved family.- The boat was picked up by another yaohfc during the evening. Dragging was cojitimied tbrough-

out Sunday, but up till a late hour at night the body had not been recovered.

I Shortly before 5 o'clock on Saturday afternoon the night; watchman at the Dunedin wharf reported to the police that there was a body floating in the water at the steamers' basin. Constables Godfrey and M'Holm at once proceeded to the scene and had the body conveyed to the Morgue. There were no marks of violence visible, nor from the clothing or contents of the pockets could any olue bo gained as to the identity of the deceased. However, there appears to be little room for doubt that the unfortunate man is Henry Pearce, 50 years of age, who on November 14 was reported to the police by Captain W. Richards as being missing from the ship Andora, then at Dunedin. The description of Pearce given by Captain Richards was that he was 50 years of age, sffc tin in height, of stout build, grey hair, smart appearance, poorly dressed in grey clothes, grey moustache only, and wearing well-worn blucher boots. This description tallies in almost every particular with that of the man found on Saturday. A soda water bottle, filled apparently with rum, fivepence in money, and half of a return railway ticket from Dunedin to Port Chalmers were amongst the odds and ends contained in the man's pockets when searched at the Morgue. The matter will be reported to the coroner this morning and an inquest probably be held this afternoon.