CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2668, 3 May 1905, Page 30

CASUALTIES.

A man named Richard Bryan, aged 60 years, a native of Wales, was found dead in his tent at Roxburgh East on the 22nd ult. Deoeased was subject to fits, and since partaking of some tinned meats about three weeks ago has been vomiting and sick. The jury returned X verdict that death was due to a fit, accelerated by illness. The deceased's relatives reside at Port Chalmers. A fatal accident occurred on the 25th ult. on the Waikato railway to a young single man named Albert Hammond, a passenger by the 10 a.m. express train from Auckland. When the train was about half amile south of Paerata Station deceased was standing on the gangway which connects the carriage with the dining car. The coupling came away, and Hammond fell between the cars and directly across the rails, with the result that he was killed. The body was frightfully mutilated, about three cars and a van passing over it. The remains were taken to Pukekohe, where an inquest was held. . Hammond was i-e-turning to Mercer, where he had been employed- in the Union collieries. His age was about 27 years. A brother of the deceased is employed at the Auckland Railway Station. A working man, about 45 years of age, was run over- and killed to-night in the was run over and killed on the 25th in the square at Palmerston North ;by a special race train from Feildrng. Mr J. B. Farr, ex-Mayor of Karori, wai killed at Wellington on the 25th, presumably by a fall from a buggy. A five-year-pld boy named Edward Gray was riding on a coupling between two road trucks being drawn by a traction engine at Ohristchuroh, when he fell, and the wheel passed over his body. The boy died from his injuries on the 25th. A cyclist named G. W. Hawley, .riding along Riccarton Toad, Canterbury, ran into a side channel and was thrown off his machine and sustained concussion of the brain.

An elderly man named William Sherlock was, brought into town on the- 25th by the 7.5 train from r the ' south, suffering from injuries received as a result of attempting to board a train while in motion at Clinton. On arrival at the Hospital it was found necessary to amputate the right arm at the shoulder. The man also sustained a few minor injuries. "lievi Heath, about 45 years of age, died suddenly at the Palace Hotel on Monday suddenly at the Palace Hotel on the 24th ult., supposedly from heart disease. Dr body in the customary formal way, and found no marks of violence on it. Deceased arrived from Sydney about seven weeks ago, and had been staying with his sister at Gore. He arrived at the Palace Hotel on Monday night with his niece. Deceased complained to his niece that he felt unwell, and died in her arms shortly afterwards. After communicating with deceased's medical adviser at Gore and with the coroner, it was decided that an inquest was unnecessary. An inquest was held at the Northwestern Hotel, Palmerston, on the 25th ult., before Mr E. H. Clark, J.P., and a jury of six (Mr W. B. Galloway being chosen foreman), on the body of James Lindsay, who died suddenly on Monday during the progress of a football match between- the Albion Club, of Gore, and Palmerston. Dr Hislop made a post mortem examination, and found that death was caused from valvular disease of fche heart, accelerated by the undue.exertion of playing football— a "game deceased was in a totally unfit state of health to play. A lad named Frank Randle was received

into the Hospital on the 25th ult. suffering! from a orushedl foot, sustained by his foot becoming jammed between two cog- *- wheels at his residence at Caversham. He was attended to, and will probably be able to leave the Hospital in a week or so. Twc*»Natives were poisoned at Rawene, Auckland, through eating wild honey. One 2 Ikahuka, died, but the other recovered. At the inquest on Albert Hammond, killed by falling from, the express train, near Pukekohe, Auckland, evidence was given to the effect that deceased was standing on the gangway between two carriages when a lurch threw him against the railing, which gave way, and caused him to fall on to the line. A verdict of "Accidental death " was returned.

At the inquest on the body of a Native boy, Tiaki Nikora, aged five, who fell off a drag, the wheel passing over his body, at Hastings, H. 8., a verdict of "Accidental death" was returned.

A young Maori named Ngatau Raniera died from poisoning, at Hastings, H. 8., through drinking sheep-dip liquid by mistake.

A man named George Davidson was taken to the hoaptal on the 26th from Athol place suffering from a broken leg. The Oamaru Mail states tfiat Mr A. Annjng, of Redoliff, died very suddenly a* his farm on the 24th ult. He was aged between 50 and 60 years, and a few minutes before his death had been assisting in the business of the farm at the stockyard. He was suddenly overcome, and the doctor at Waimate was telephoned for, but before he could arrive Mr Anninff waa dfiat^ ©a-

ceased had been for some time previous complaining of heart disease. An inmate of the Ashburton Old Men'e Home, named Edward Henry Hodges, died suddenly on the 22nd ult. under somewhat peculiar circumstances. He had attended the reception given to General Booth at the railway station, and on preparing to return to the Home found that his pocket book containing £4 had been stolen. He hurried back to the Home, but when near the gate dropped dead. Deceased had been saving up sufficient money to take him to Hanmer. Heart disease was the cause of death. The plucky action of Mr F. Staples, of the Wairarapa district, averted what promised to be a treble drowning fatality at Summer on Monday, the 24th ult. A little girl fell into some 12ft of water, and her brother, a lad of about 16, at once went in after her, but being unable to swim he was soon in difficulty. Thereupon a man standing by went in after the two, but he also got into trouble. Without a moment's hesitation Mr Staples rushed into the water and saved the three hapless ones. F. Rouse, aged 21 years, second mate of the Government schooner Countess of Ranfurly, was washed overboard and drowned on the passage of tHe vessel from Auckland to Niue. Deceased was a native of London, where his parents reside. Charles Somers Etizlof, aged 36, single",' was found dead on Wednesday at the foot of the staircase in the house in which he boarded in Wellington. It is supopsed he fell downstairs accidentally. A six-year-old boy named Albert Hallyman, the adopted son of Mr Denis Frost, of Nelson, was swinging on a timber waggon when he fell under the wheels, and was so badly injured that he died on Thursday night. Joseph Holden, aged 75 years, an old settler of Riwaka, Nelson, was thrown from his trap on Thursday and killed. John Olson, a well-known settler at Ho. k-itika, was severely crushed about the lower part of the body through being caught between two moving trucks at the railway siding. His injuries are considered serious. An accident of a peculiar nature happened near Fairlie. Two men were driving from Fairlie to Tckapo, one leading a horse behind the vehicle, when two cyclists suddenly coming up behind so frightened the led horse as to cause it» to jump into the vehicle between the two occupants. This so startled the horse in the shafts that it bolted. The result was that both men were thrown out and rendered unconscious, and one, who was smoking at the time, had the stem of the pipe forced through his cheek.

William Thomas Grinsted, a single man, died suddenly at the Metrople Boardinghouse, St. Clair," on Wednesday evening about 10.40. It appears that he and his mother had been living at the Metrople for some months for the benefit of the deceased's health. He was walking la the park in. front of the house about 10 o'clock, when he had a violent fit of coughing, and expired shortly afterwards. _ Dr Coughtrey, who was called in, gave it as his opinion that death was due to hemorrhage.

A young man named Donald Gunn met with a somewhat serious accident at Sandymount on Tuesday, 25th. It appears that Gunn was. riding from the Mount carrying some rabbits. By some means the horse became startled, and unseated his rider, who, in falling, received a smashing kick on the mouth. Gunn was found in an unconscious state lying on the road. A doctor was summoned, when it was found that besides the loss of several teeth the jawbone was cracked and the^ nose badW split, and a deep cut, necessitating some stitches, extended across the chin. The sufferer is doing' as well as can be expected. Mr L. H. Preston, town olerk of Arrowtown, was killed on Friday in a buggy accident on the Crown Terrace road.

The body of the little girl Begg, who was lost at the Chatham Islands on the sth inst., was found on the afternoon of the 19th, only about half a mile away from her home. Life, of course, was extinct. An inquiry was held by Dr Pigeon, coroner, on the 20th inst., when the jury found a verdict of " Death from exposure." Charles M'Lean, a miner, was killed in hisi sluicing claim at Addisons, Westland, on Saturday, by a fall of earth. . An old-age pensioner named Joseph Gibfc©, 77 years of age, was found dead in bed at Christohurch on Saturday morning. Death was due to heart disease. A fatal accident occurred on the Crown Terrace on Friday afternoon, resulting in the death of Mr Luke H. Preston, mining agent and town clerk of Arrowtown, arid for many years previously Mayor. Deoeased was driving with his two ohildren, when the horse bolted, capsizing the buggy. Deceased was killed instantly, but the children escaped • unhurt. ' The firemen accompanying one of the reels called out from the Central Brigade Station on Saturday evening to an alarm of fire in High street had an unfortunate experience. When the reel was about opposite Gardham'B fish shop in Princes street the driver was obliged to swerve sxiddenly on to the tramlines in order to clear a caS, and, the forecarriage wheels skidding on the tram rails, the crossbar of the shafts broke. The "firemen, nine or ten in number, were thrown on to the roadway, some of them sustaining very severe cuts and bruises. The driver, W. Cahill, was so badly cut about the face and head that he had to be taken, to the Hospital to have his wounds stitched up. Fireman Conway was the worst sufferer, as he sustained a dislocated shoulder. Fireman Leslie Was very much cut and bruised about the hips and forehead j Wheeler was very much bruised; and Williams, Tonkin, and Caddie got off with slight bruises. The men were taken into Hayne's and Marshall's chemist shops and there attended by Dr Evans, and were all able to proceed to their homes subsequently; but Leslie, Conway, Cahill, and Wheeler will be off duty for some time. Captain Mitchell, in conversation with a representative of this paper about the matter, stated^ that had the rule, which prevails in all parts of the world, requiring the police to shift the traffic on to the opposite side of the road to that on which the brigade is travelling, been observed, the accident might not have occurred, and as to swerve to clear 1 traffic in the principal streets must necessarily mean striking the tramlines — a dangerous, proceeding at the speed at which the fire carriages travel — this rule will require to be most rigidly observed. Sergeant Dougan, of the Nelson police, suffering from sciatica, on Saturday night poured out what he thought to be medicine, buf he took ft liniment bottle ig error* $n&

it was not till he had swallowed a dose tha he discovered his mistake. A doctor was at once summoned, and under his treatment tha danger was ultimately averted; but Dougan had a narrow escape, being in considerable peril for a time. A wharf laboiirer named Petersen broke a," bloodvessel on Sunday evening at Greymouth, and die! shortly afterwards.' The Dannevirke Advocate says: — "We learn that there' was another narrow escape! from a fatal accideat at ihe rifle range whilel some of the cadets were engaged shooting there. From what we have, been able to gather, a rifle exploded while in'the hands of one of the cadots, th<3 bullet just missing another lad, who was standing by."

Tho cries of a young girl in the watej; near the jetty attracted a small knot of people on Saturday night about 10.15 (say* the Southland Times). Assistance was fortunately at hand, and a man l.amed Eggle"ton went into the water, which was aboufe waist deep. Finding it difficult to bring the girl ashore, he commandeered a boat: and "completed the rescue.- The strange conduct of the girl, who is about 13 years* of age, has not yet beon explained, but ifc is thought that she walked into the water, xmder the influence of hysterical emotion, and was bi ought to her senses by the cold! water. She did not appear to be any th<s worsei for her partial immersion.

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