CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2671, 24 May 1905, Page 33

CASUALTIES.

A woman named Louisa Maria Caley, wife of James Cal&y, was discovered at her residence, at Rockyside, Caversham, about 12.30 on the 16th, bleeding from a severe wound in the throat, stated to have been selfinflicted with a razor. Medical aid was summoned, and the wound was attended to. About 6 o'clock in the evening she was removed to the Hospital, and about 9 o'clock eh© vfa« reported cut of danger and sleeping peacefully. It is supposed that Mrs Caley had been troubled iv mind about her young son, who was recently before the court in connection with a bicycle he was alleged to have unlawfully detained, and that this worry had led her to attempt suicide.

The elderly -Chinaman Lun Toy, an exinmate of the Benevolent Institution, who was found in a comatose condition on the Oval on Sunday, died in the Dunedin Hospital at 'an early hovir on Monday morning. James Hill, 19 years of age, a resident of Ponsonby, thot himself accidentally while d.uck-shooting with two companions on Lake Waikare on Monday. He died in the train while being brought to Auckland. At the inquest, Dr Girdler gave evidence that the oauee of death was hemorrhage, caused by a gun-shot wound in the thigh, groin, and arm. Geo. Young stated that the clsce&sed, Franklin Martin, and himself were out in a Maori oanoe. Each had a rifle loaded in both barrels. HiU'e rifle was lying in the bottom of the boat. Suddenly he heard .an explosion, and Hill said, " I'm shot." Witness went to the assistance of the deceased, and decided to take him ashore. The deceased walked from ibo canoe to the lxiach, and they caught a train for Auckland. Hill rt.ed about halfpast 3. after the trala had passed Mercer. In reply to the foreman, witness eaid he diet not try to atop the bleeding, because he did not know how it could be done. Franklin Martin gave similar evkJenee. Dr Girdler said that had a few simple ligatures made from a bool-laca or a niece of ehirt been used the deceased's life might have been saved, Tlxv jury returned « verdict

that the- cause of death was hemorrhage from wounds caused by shots fiom a gun that was accidentally d<. .har. *'•. and that no blame was attachable to ...-■• deceased's companions. A serious accident occurred at the Chelmsford mine at Tairua, East Coast, Thames. John Piggott was working in a stope, when a large quantity of quartz and earth fell, completely burying him. He was extricated after considerable difficulty, and found to be seriously injured". Twenty mates carried him over the- ranges to the Thamee. His head and shoulders wr-r.* badly crushed. His condition ie serious, but he is expected to recover. A little boy, son of Mr W. S. Limn, fell off th« Taruheru bridge, Gisborne, and two people who went to his rescue got into difficulties. Two others gave a hand, and all got out safoly. Th© boy has now recovered from the effects

A collision occurred between two carriages of a bridal party at Gisborne. The main carriage was upset, and the bride and bridegroom scrambled out without injury. The others also escaped without serious injury. Robert Jackman, labourer, 19 years old, was accidentally killed on Monday afternoon, 15th, at Lakeside, Canterbury, through being kicked by a horse.

About 2.45 p.m. on the 16th a Corporation employee named W. Waters, residing at No. 76 Forth street, was seen by the constable on duty in Princes street to suddenly fall from a dray to the _ roadway. Waters was taken into the Excelsior Hotel, an:l Dr Gordon Macdonald, who was sent for, found the man had sustained a severe scaip wound. The stifferer, for whose fall no reason was assigned in the police report, was conveyed to his home after having his wound attended to by Dr Macdonald.

A railway porter named William Coskie met with a* painful accident at Dunedin Railway Station on the 16th inst. He was engaged in a shed removing some footwarmers from a boiler for the 3.10 p.m. train to Mosgiel, when some framework on which he was standing collapsed, and his feet went into the boiler. Both feet were badly scalded, and Coskie was removed to the Hospital, where his injuries were attended to, and he is now progressing favourably towards recovery. At Auckland on Wednesday last a lad named Edwin Williams, who resides in the Domain, reported to the police that a man had shot himself. Constable Skinner went to the spot, and found an elderly man lying bleeding from the mouth He was alive, but unconscious. A six-cham-bered revolver, one barrel* of which had recently been discharged, wa? lying beside him. The constable took the man to the hospital, where it was found a bullet had passed through his mouth into his brain, and that recovery was impossible. A box of cartridges was found upon him, and in one of his ooat pockets the following statement: — "James Trahair, Cornishman, who is tired of life, and who has been a great sufferer from indigestion and kidney disease, and who has spent almost a small fortune for iittle or no good, and I can neither eat nor sleep. I come to my death by my own hand. I have been in New Zealand 31 years, and am 64- years of age." At about 6 o'clock the police were notified that the man had died.

A deaf and dumb woman named Bsrtha Forest, 33 years of age, was found in an unconscious condition at her residence in Auckland on the 16th with carbolic acid beside her. She was taken to the hospital, where sho died during the night. At - the inquest William Forrest, residing in Dundonald street, stated! that deceased was deaf and dumb, and unmarried. Lately she had been in poor health. He could not assign any reason why his sister should take hex* life. The jury returned a verdict that the cause of death was carbolic poisoning, selfadministered whilst in a depressed state of mind.

An accident on the' railway on the 17th near Waipahi resulted m severe injury 10 a man named Townsonn, acting inspector of permanent way. Townson was driving a velocipede, when he was overtaken by the express train coming south. The man was tossed clear of the track and landed in a pool of water some distance away. The machine was broken to pieces. The train, was pulled up and backed to where the accident happened. Townson was found lying unconscious, his face cut about, and body considerably bruised. He was brought on to Gore for medical attention, and, though badly knocked about, ho is progressing satisfactorily, and was able to resume work.

Mr T. C. Hammond, accountant, of Waihi, was found dead in his chair on Thursday morning. Thp deceased served as a "Volunteer under Garibaldi, and subsequently emigrating to New Zealand he fought in the Maori war.

The narrow escape and plucky rescue of q boy were reported to the H. and C. A. [Board at Inveroargill last week by Mr Cusworlh, of Lome Farm. One of the farm boys was on his way to school a few days apfo. and came tip with a thrcshinEr outfit, which was drawing a hut on a trolly. The temptation to ride on the connecting rod was too great, and the youngster ran between the mill and the trolly. Unfortunately, he fell, and before he coiild recover one of the wheels passed over him. There seemed to be nothing to prevent the lad l>eing crushed by the back wheel as well, when one of the mill hands^ at the risk of hii own life, jumped from his bicycle and pulled him away, the back wheel just grazing the boy's head. No bones were broken, and the boy is recovering very satisfactorily. The doctor described the escape of the youngster as marvellous.

The Hamilton correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes: — "On Friday a sudden death took place in a train whilst between Ruakura station and Cambridge. Mr F. J. Smith, builder, of the Thames, and his wife were on the road to Cambridge to consult Dr Roberts as to the husband's health. Just as th-e train left Ruakura Mr Smith had a fit of coughing, which caused hemorrhage, with the result that death took place about a quarter of an hour afterwards."

An unfortunate accident, attended by fatal results, occurred in the North-East Valley on Thursday during the trip of one of the electric car=; running to Normanhy Frorr' -the particulars that, efmld bo ascertained it appears that when the car travelling to Nonnanby from the city was about opposite Leith walk, travelling at a fairly rapid rate, a man named Charles Moran ' lurched out from the sidewalk and fell or stumbled in front of the car, the step striking him on the head, his injuries proving fatal. Moran, who was a widower, aged j fltbout 50 years, with two children, resided '

at Normanby ; lie was a labourer by occu pation, and is stated to have recently been a corporation employee. The statements of those who witnessed the accident aro to the oftect that Moran appeared to be under the influence of liquor, and that when he lurched out no human possibility could have averted the accident as far as the motorman in charge of the car u-as concerned. The car was stopped within its owu length, but so violent had been the impact that, when Moran was picked up, bo was quite dead. The body was conveycJ to the Morguet At the inqueet a verdict was returned Ihat deceased was acciden. tally killed on the tramline. North-East Valley, on May 18, and that no blame was attachable to anyone in charge of tlie tramoar.

A young daughter of Mr Bailie, fai'mer, of Sandymount, met with a vehicle aceid-en* on Thursday, as a result of which she sufferec contusions on the head, face, and kne< and had to be removed to the hospitai The accident happened at noon on Thursday and arose through the horse in her father'; light spring cart, which was standing in front of J. Peterson and Company's shoj in Walker street, taking fright and bolting along Princes street south as far as Jonei street, where the vehicle collided with £ tram pole, and Miss Bailie was throwi out on to the pavement. The trap su» tpined some damage owing to the collision^ but the horp,e escaped more fortunately^ and continued its " bolt " along the roaC some distance before it was stopped. Miss Bailie was promptly picked up after the accident and conveyed to Mr GcodmanV room in the tramway carhouse, where hej injuries were attended to by Dr Evans, and she _was afterwards removed to the .ospital. where she is progressing favourably. On Monday Mr Albert Fox had th& muscles of his arm injured by the accidental discharge of a pea rifle. Fox, in company with another young man, was driving between Fortrose and HaJdane. He had his rifle loaded (says the Wyndham Herald), and was shooting rabbits as they drove along. He laid his rifle down, and his companion made to pull up the rug and in doing so discharged the rifle. Fox was brought to Wyndham for medical treatment, and is progressing well.

£. woman named .Tane Anderson, ased 79, died suddenly at Christchurch on Friday from heart disease.

Patrick Dillon, a destitute man, died suddenly at Kirwec, Canterbury, on Thursday.

A horse bolting with Mr M'Beth, a s-ettle-r on the Hikurangi, ran into the evening train at the crossing. Mr M'Beth. was rendered unconscious for some time, but is now out of danger. John Simpson, building contractor, aged 65, a very old resident of Timaru, died suddenly in town on Saturday morning; from heart disease.

The four-year-old son of Mr Peter M'lvor. of All Day Bay. fell under the wheel of a cart on Friday. His head was crushed, death ensuing. Dargaville, Auckland, was startled at 3 p.m. on the 20th by the explosion of sux acetylene gas generator at Williams Bros.' stables. Girdler, a plumber, who was examining the plant, was hurled to the roof of the building, and received serious injuries. Medical aid was quickly on hand. The man's injuries were found to be extensive. Som» ribs were fractured, the lungs were perforated, and the whole body was hurt. There is no hope of recovery. _~ A married woman named Jessie Liddell. aged 60 years, died suddenly in bed afc 6 o'clock on Monday morning Deceased lived in Haye's Terrace, off Cumberland, street, with her husband, but the husband and wife did not occupy the same room. A few minutes before the hour named the> husband, hearing his wife coughing, went into her room, and at her request he handed her a glass of water. After drinking the water Mrs Liddell handed back the glass, and after saying " Oh, Tom, I think I am. dying," she expired. The matter was reported to the coroner (Mr C. C. Graham) during the morning, and he instructed that an inquest should be held immediately afc deceased's residence. At the inquiry the* husband, Thomas Liddell, a retired farmer, gave evidence to the effect above stated, and also said that his wife had been suffering for years from heart disease, and had also been afflicted with rheumatic fever. Dr M'Kellar, after hearing the evidence, gave it as his opinion that death had resulted from heart disease, and a verdict was returned accordingly.

A young man named Stephenson was killed instantaneously on Friday last at Waitomo, Auckland, through a tree fallirsj on him.

The inquest into the death of Nathaniel Ross, who died at the Wanganui Hospital on Wednesday. 17th inst.. was resumed on the 22nd inst. Evidence was given by two passengers who were on the Hcamer when the deceased came to> Wanganui, and also by two doctors. The passengers stated that there was nothing in deceased's appearance to indicate that ha was seriously ill. He was sober when he came aboard, and had no liquor on the steamer. He was seated in a comfortable part of the vessel, and very little rain fell on him. The doctors stated that a post mortem examination revealed the fact that the man's death had perhaps been hastened a few hours by exposure, but that he was in a hopeless condition before he started on the journey. The steamer arrived afc the wharf at 5 o'clock. The man was not •taken to the hospital till nearly 7, havingbeen unconscious all the time. The jury returned a verdict that deceased's death was due to blood-poisoning, slightly accelerated by exposure. They were of the opinion that deceased had not been drinking recently, and thought the delay which had! taken place in removing him to the hospital regrettable.

Two coal mine accidents have occurred; in the Gore district, neither, fortunately, entailing very serious consequences. On Saturday a younsr man named Mark Everett, employed in M 'Coil's coalpit at Waikaka. was knock-eel down by a fall of coal and! had his thigh fractured. He was taken on to the Invercargill Hospital for treatment. On Monday a man named W. Burgess was struck in a coalpit near Gore by a similar fall, but ■escaped with the dislocation of bis shoulder and minor iniuries.

A young man nainod Denspm, eno-a^ecl carpentering in Gore, suffered a peculiat? and painful injury on Monday. While driving a nail tho head flew off and penetrated* his eye. the si^lit of which will be seriously affected.

A Christcbureh message Hugh M'Gloin, a carpenter, Ellesmere seat «i the coming

states that ITr ■will contest tho general «lectio—