CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 55

CASUALTIES.

Frederic William Soppett, of Mercer, died at the Auckland Hospital from injuries sustained through being run over by a truck at the Union .Coal Cuinpuny’s siding, near Mercer, on the 18th inst. The Cir.tha Free Press reports that Mr John Crawford, employed at the (Jlcnoinaru twine nulls, was found dead in his hut, where lie lived alone, on Saturday 16th inst. At the inquest, which was held on Sunday Li fore Mr G, W. Wood (acting coroner), evidence was given by Dr Brugh to the effect that he was tailed to Rornahapa on Saturday and saw the body of deceased lying on the floor of the hut. Prior to that lie had never attended deceased, and owing to that ho con’d not give a certificate of death. Ho conducted a post mortem on Saturday, and found deceased had met his death as a result of valvular dsoasc of the heart. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. Mr James Mailer, famier. of ChaseLande, died very suddenly in Mrs Srott’s boardinghouse at Papatowai on Saturday, 16th inst. (says the Clutha Free Prose). Ho had been on a visit to Balelutha. and on returning by train got ;is far as Puketiro in the ballast train, which connects with the passenger train at Houipapa, and from Puketiro had to walk the three and a-half miles to the river beyond Caberfeidh, whence ho went by boat to Papatowai. On arrival at Mrs Scott’s boarding-house he complained of feeling a pain in his heart, but had his supper and talked afterwards till about 20 minutes to 10. He then said he would go to bed, and Mrs Scott lit a candle and conducted him to Ids room, where he collapsed on the floor. Assistance was procured. and Mr Mailer was put to bed, but almost immediately expired. He was aged 71, single, and lived by himself on h ; s bush farm at Chaselands. At the inquest held on Monday Dr Stenhouse, of Owaka, gave evidence that death was due to natural causes, accelerated by fatty degeneration of the heart, and a verdict was returned-ac-cordingly. Mrs Violet Campbell, residing in Wellington was fatally burned on the 19th. She was filling a kerosene lamp, when she upset the oil. Which ignited and caught her clothing. Mrs Campbell was severely burned about the body. She was removed to the hospital, where she died a few hours later. At the inquest on the 20th inst. it was stated in evidence that deceased had threatened to take her life on the night of the fatality. She fame to her husband with her dress Wet in front, and then went out of the room. Her husband followed, and found tier with her elothiifg on fire. At the hospital her husband asked her: “Did you do* it r ’’ She replied: “Of course T did.” Sin’ ; hi Detective Lewis that her clothing caught fire accidentally. The coroner found that death was duo to shock from burns, the evidence not disclosing sufficiently whether her clothing became alight accidentally or bv deceaseds action. Robert Duncan, single, 3s years of age,

was found shot in the forehead on the bank of the Mataura River at Mataura on the 22nd hist. A discharged rifle lay at his his feet. He had been complaining of fooling unwell lately. Advice was received by the superintendent of police on the 20th that a woman named Amy Porks, aged 30 years, had been killed by the second express from Christchurch, near the Waituki High School. She was engaged as a servant at the school, and as she was known to be deaf, it is supposed that she was struck by the train before being seen by the driver. The body was conveyed to Oamaru. William David Smith, about 34 years of age, and a moulder at the. Addington Workshops, was found hanging in the washhouse at his house at Sydenham on the 20th. His wife obtained a separation order from him on the previous day. At the inquest a verdict was returned that deceased committed suicide while of unsound mind.

A boat, presumably belonging to a Frenchman named Louis Tardi, a resident of Westport, got into the breakers off Cape Fouhvind on the 19th inst. and was swamped, and the occupant drowned. No one got a very clear view of the accident. The harbour tug went out and searched the vicinity, but saw nothing of the boat or the missing man. All the other boats known to have left the port in that direction on the 19th have been traced. Tardi came to Westport some years ago as cook on a sailing vessel. He had artistic tastes, which were given effect to in paintings in every colour of oils. As far as is known locally he lias no relatives in New Zealand.

The circumstances connected with tho death of Winifred Peagram. aged nine years, were investigated on the 21st. The evidence given by the mother was that site washed the girl's hair with a liquid which she believed to be kerosene. She was drying tho ha : r before the lire when it became alight. r J ho child was so badly burned that eho died in the hospital. It was subsequently discovered that the liquid was benzine. Tho verdict was that death was due to shock. The mother was severely burned, and is row in tho hospital.

Fdward Vigis, eight years old. was killed at Gisborne on the 24th. The lad was riding on a baker’s cart down a rather steep hill, when the horse shied and the cart wont over the bank. Tho cart foil on A T igis, and broke his neck. The driver of the cart (Howard Clare) escaped with a severeshaking. A serious trap accident occurred on tho Gorge road. Wairnate. about 1 o’clock on the 23rd. Mr John Briggs, a farmer at Waihao Downs, and h : s wife were driving into town in a light two-wheeler, when tho pony bolted, and both occupants were thrown out. Mr Briggs was not seriously hurt, but Mrs Briggs was picked up unconscious, with tho base of her skull fractured.