CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3314, 19 September 1917, Page 18

CASUALTIES.

A drowning fatality occurred in the Mataura River at Gore at 6 p.m. on the 10th. Frederick Wallace (aged 20 years), accompanied by Joseph Murray, both on •final leave from camp, were crossing the traffic bridge, when Wallace's hat was blown into tne river. Wallace proceeded down to the gravel beach to intercept it, waded in, was swept off his feet, and carried down the stream before assistance 'could be rendered. A man named Hugh Shaw, aged about 32 vears, and employed as a shepherd at Wedderburn, was admitted to the Hospital on the Ilth suffering from a bullet wound in the left foot. It appears that while out shooting he left his rifle resting alongside a fence, and that while he was in the vicinity the weapon *■ as upset by his dog, causing it to explode, causing the injuries mentioned. He is at present undergoing X-ray treatment. At the inquest on the body of a man found in the witness stated that he was convinced that it was that of a seaman named Walter Sarsfield, a single man who was not known to have any relatives in New Zealand. „ An inquest was held at Timaru on the 10th touching the death of Miss Ida Mann, a teacher at the Lyttelton School, who was found dead at her uncle's residence on SunSay morning, under circumstances which indicated that she had taken her life. Evidence was given by her father, Mr T. H. Mann, of Cnristchurch, her uncle in Timaru, her brother, man, and a police officer. It was shown that the deceased had been suffering from dyspepsia and a nervous breakdown, that she had gone to Timaru for rest-and change, and Had apparently got well again. Her father said that when he had taken her to Timaru he had extracted a promise from her that sho would not leave her uncle's place unless somebody went with her. He did this because some weeks ago she had slipped into the water at Sumner, and had been rescued. Since this he had been doubtful about her. She was of a nervous disposition, though bright and cheerful, and had suffered from •insomnia. She had been teaching at Lyttelton for nine years, but had never been really strong since leaving college. She had never 6aid anything to lead them to suppose that she would do an injury to herself. Her uncle said that he had taken his nieco about a good deal since she had been staying at his place, and she seemed to him to have completely recovered. She was laughing and joking before going to

bed at 9.45 on Saturday night, and though no noiso was heard in her room during the night, they found her hanging in a shed outside by a rope which the children used as a swing. The jury returned a verdict that deceased had died from strangulation committed whilst suffering from insomnia and nervous breakdown.

At the inquest on the body of Angus Kennedy, who was found dead in a bath with an artery in his arm cut, a verdict was returned that the deceased committed the act while he was temporarily insane. The Cromwell Argus says that Mr George Henderson, a well-known resident of the Lowburn district, met with a painful accident on Saturday, when a horse he was driving in a gig took fright, Henderson being thrown heavily to the ground, and receiving severe injuries. He was taken to the Cromwell Hospital, and it was found that his left arm and a finger were broken, while he was also out about the head, and suffered from bruises on the body. The Superintendent of Police received advice from Lawrence on ihc 14th that a man named William Marvin, a single man aged 80 years, was found dead in his hut at Bluespur yesterday. Alexander Lucas, aged 65 years, a carpenter employed on transport work at Port Chalmers, was knocked down by a motor car at the corner of King and Frederick streets about 6 o'clock on Saturday evening. Ho was removed to the Hospital in a dazed condition, and it was found that he had sustained an injury to a hip, though not of a serious nature. A fatal accident occurred at the WaihiPaeroa Gold Extraction Company's works on Tuesday morning. A Dalmatian named Peter Lynch. 39 years of age, became caught in the elevator, which was at work on the river bank receiving tailings from barges, and, it is supposed, was carried round. When discovered the body was considerably mutilated. Death rrmst have been instantaneous. The deceased was an old resident of Paeroa. Two boys named Duncan Bell and Leslie Guthrie, both aged six years, were drowned at Inveroargill. They were playing: in a boat, and when they -noticed the tide beginning to rise they got out of it, but the flow of w r ater was evidently too much for them, both being drowned. FATALITY ON TRAMLINE. A man who was killed on the RoslvnKaikorai tramline on Thursday evening has been identified as Frederick John Sibbald. of Mansford 6treot. Knikorai. On Thursday evening the car which loft the city at 7.20 p.m. was about a chain and a-half away from the shed at the Kalkorai ter-

minus, when both the gripman (Charles Henry Smith) and the conductor (Albert Day) saw a man on his hands and knees between the two sets of rails. Although the bell was rung the man appeared to swing himself on to the line just when the car was on him. The gripman pulled up in about 10 feet, but the car passed over the body, which was terribly mutilated. It was not released from the car till an hour and a half had elapsed. Deceased, who was 67 years of age, was married, but had no children. It appears that Mrs Sibbald, and Mr Alfred Simmons, who was staying with them and who afterwards identified the body, had returned homo before Mr Sibbald, who took the 7.10 tram from town. How he came to be on tho lino at 7.30 is not known. During part of the year he was engaged in woolclassing, but he had an allowance from his father's estato. His father at one time was tho proprietor of the Provincial Hotel, and his brother William, who is now at Blenheim, was formerly Collector of Customs at Dunedin.