CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3512, 5 July 1921, Page 25

CASUALTIES.

Mr J. *R. Bartholomew, S.'vL, acting as coroner, held ail inquiry on the 28th "nit., concerning the death of James Maxwell, an elderly man, who was found dead in his bed at his residence in Cumberland street on Monday morning. The evidence showed that deceased, who was 70 years of age, had been living apart from his wife for about nine years, and! had been generally looked after by his son, his sister, his daughter, and a friend. The last named saw him on Sunday afternoon, when, lie gave him some food. Deceased was then cheerful. On Monday no reply was received to a knock 011 the door, which was then forced open and deceased! was discovered! dead. Dr Evans gave it as his opinion that deceased died Horn heart failure brought about by senile decay and bronchitis, and a verdict in accordance with this testimony whs returned. All- Septimus Cooper, a dentist, 76 years of age. was burned to death jn his hut at Otaurau on the 26th. Deceased had attempted to escape, as his remains were found near the doer. He was a bachelor and held the Alaori war medal. Deceased was a man of considerable literary attainments. He had practised his profession in* Invercargill prior to removing to Otautau. A wharf labourer, named Alex. Callender, while working on the Bluff wharf on (ho 28th, was struck on (he l>iad by timber which fell from a sling which b>qke during the loading of the Westralia, and sustained injuries from which he died in the Southland Hospital in the evening. The charred remains of a single man, Hugh Cummings, farm manager, aged between fifty-five and sixty, were found on the 29th among the debris of a- whare destroyed by Tire on a farm about seven miles from Havelock North. If is thought that the deceased has a mother living in Christchurch. A collision which occurred on Tuesday night between cyclists resulted in the death of Lucy Rose Willan, aged 20 years, daughter of Richard John Willan, Umutaora. Deceased and her sister were cycling home, after attending a wedding at Dannevirko, when she collided with John Tomley, also on a bicycle. Miss Willan sustained a fracture of the base of the skull, and died subsequently at the Dannevirko Hospital. Tomley also required medical attention. William Turner, 40 years of age, a carter employed by Messrs Smith and Smith, was admitted to the Dunedin Hospital on Saturday morning suffering from injuries to his head and spino, caused by his cart going over him. The accident occurred at about 10.30 a.m. near the Prince of Wales Hotel, Princes street south, when apparently the winkers slipped off the horse’s head, and the animal bolted. The driver was in the act of stepping on to the cart at the time, and lie fell back under the wheel. His condition was reported to bo fairly comfortable last night. John Nourish, caretaker of the St. Clair Pavilion, slipped on Sunday and fractured his leg. Novrish, who lives at 27 Bedford street, St. Clair, was admitted to the hospital for attention.