CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 37

CASUALTIES.

FOUND DEAD IN CELL. HAMILTON, July 26. A prisoner at Mount Eden prison, Joseph William M’Leod, aged 44, who was awaiting trial at the next session oF the Supreme Court in Hamilton on a charge of indecent assault, was found dead in his cell at about 1 p.m. The warder, who opened the cell immediately after the luncheon adjournment, made the discovery. M’Leod was found hanging, and life was extinct. SEAMAN’S DEATH. WELLINGTON, July 26. Frank Seth, an elderly seaman, was found hanging from a railing on one of the wharves shortly after 7 o’clock this morning. LEVEL CROSSING FATALITY. WELLINGTON, July 26. Another tragic level crossing accident happened to-day when a motor car, containing Messrs Frank Walsh and Thomas Power, both of Takapau, collided with the Napier-bound express at the Ruataniwha crossing, on the Wellington side of Waipukurau. Mr Walsh was killed outright. Mr Power is suffering from severe injuries and shock. The car, which was thrown on to the cattle stops, was badly smashed. Further details of the accident show that Mr Power was thrown clear, but that Mr Walsh was found under the train with his head smashed to pulp. . Death was instantaneous. The body was conveyed to the morgue. Mr Power was admitted to the Waipukurau Hospital suffering from shock and broken ribs. The deceased was a married man without any family. He farmed a soldier’s section at Marakeke. The crossing is a very bad one. Repeated efforts have been made to get the department to take steps to eliminate the danger, but without avail. An inquest was opened this morning for identification purposes, and adjourned till August 3. A FARMER’S DEATH. NEW PLYMOUTH, July 26. Arthur James Goodwin, aged 62, a farmer, of Okato, was found dead to-day with a shotgun near the body. The gun was tied to a tree by a piece of string. A SEAMAN’S DEATH. WELLINGTON, July 27. Shortly after 7 a.m. on Tuesday the body of Frank Seth, a seaman, aged 63, of 150 Taranaki street, was found hanging from the railing on the wharf opposite the Wellington Rowing Club’s premises. An inquest, conducted by Mr W. G. Riddell, SAL, was held to-day. A verdict of suicide by hanging while in a depressed state of mind was returned. FOUND DEAD IN CELL. AUCKLAND, July 28. At the inquest on John William M‘Leod, who was found dead in a cell in the Mount Eden prison, the coroner (Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M.) returned a verdict of suicide by hanging. A warder locked M’Leod in his cell at 11.50 a.m. while he went to have his dinner. At 1.10 p.m. he found the deceased hanging- from an electric light bracket by a rope comprised of his shFrt, towel, and necktie. The deceased was single, aged 44. He was a baker by trade, and was awaiting trial on a charge of indecent assault. FOUND DEAD. CHRISTCHURCH, July 28. With an open razor beneath his body, Alfred Percy Robertshaw, a billiard saloon proprietor, of Belfast street, was found dead this afternoon with his throat cut. The body was found in the billiard saloon. An inquest was opened to-day, but was adjourned after the body had" been identified. Robertshaw is believed to have been single. A considerable sum of money was found on the body. A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE. WHANGAREI. July 29. Mrs Dreadon, aged 63, after alighting from a bus, walked on to the railway crossing at Kamo road right in front of a train, and was carried over the cattle stop and then thrown aside, miraculously escaping with a crushed finger and minor injuries to her hip. BROKEN LEG AT FOOTBALL. PAHIATUA, July 29. A small boy named Billington, a son of z a Hukanui settler, was admitted to hospital with a broken leg which he received while playing football. KNOCKED DOWN BY MOTOR CAR. AUCKLAND, July 31. A dark spot on the Panmure road "*as the scene of a motoring fatality on Saturday evening. A Maori named Mokai Hoani, a single man, of Ohinemutu. being killed. J. C. Craig was motoring along the road, when suddenly, at a very dark spot at a point where the concrete is narrow and where there are no footpaths, deceased appeared walking in front of the car Craig promptly applied the brakes, but was too late to nrevent knocking .he pedestrian down. Hoani suffered extensive head injuries, from which he died. MOTOR CYCLISTS INJURED. GISBORNE, July 31. Late on Saturday night two youths named James Gurney Alwin, aged 17 years, and James Higgs, aged 16, were admitted to hospital in an unconscious condition through a motor cycle driven by Alwin with Higgs pillion riding capsizing. The patients are reported to Be progressing satisfactorily, but the extent of their injuries is not known. MAN’S SUDDEN DEATH. FOXTON, July 30. John Henry Kerrison, a fruit hawker, laged 44, living with two sons, aged nine and 10, died suddenly this morning. One of the children informed a neighbour that

the father had fallen out of bed, and was dead.

A BUSHFELLER KILLED. NELSON, July 31. A fatal bushfelling accident is reported from Kairuru. John Fowler, aged about 33, the youngest son of Stanley Fowler, was engaged with his father clearing away trees which had been hung up, when one crashed, striking him on the’ back and pinning him to the ground. Death was almost instantaneous. ACCIDENT IN CEMETERY. An inquest was held at Ngaruawahia on Tuesday before Mr H. Rogers, J.P., actingcoroner, and a jurv into rhe deatli of Mr James Watthen, aged 74, who died on Sunday evening last as the result of injuries received through a tree falling on him while he was working in the Ngaruawahia Cemetery. Deceased wont down into a trench round the tree, which blew aver on him. He was taken to his home by a passing motorist and received medical attention. No bones were fractured, but he suffered severely from bruises and shock. After hearing the evidence the jury returned a verdict that deceased met his death as the result of an accident. Deceased had been a resident of Ngaruawahia for 16 years, and was a man of high character.