ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8416, 16 January 1899, Page 2

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES

Auckland, to-dayi Louis J. McGill, a passenger by the Medoi'fl, between Ohora autl Capo Karukara, was knocked over by the boom, but was rescued quickly by the schooner's boat. Ho went asleep in his berth and subsequently died. An inquest was held at Whangaroa, and a verdict of accidental death returned. Dunedin, to-day. Ocorge Smith, aged SJ years, son of a minor, was drowned in a dam at Saddle Hill whilst bathing. CitaisTOHCRCH, to-day. Fidela, a gardener, aged 70 years, residing alone, left a letter stating that he intended to destroy himself. His body waß found at the foot of some cliffs at Long .Point. The medical evidence showed that he was suffering from brain trouble. A verdict of found dead was returned. At the inquest on Christian Johneock it was stated that enough strychnine had been found in the body to poison half a dozen people. A verdict of suicide was returned. The body of a baby which had apparently been dead about six weeks was unearthed at. Opawa. The Coroner intimated that the mother was known and adjourned the hearing of the enquiry. A trap accident happened on ttio Whataupoko yesterday morning. Miss Warreu, daughter of Mr John Warren, accompanied by her young brother and neico, were driving to town, and When passing Mr Muir's residence the horse shied at a lady on the load and bolted towards tho bridge In turning the corner the trap capsized, the occupants being thrown out. Tho liorso kicked itself clear of the trap, which wns considerably damaged, and bolted across the bridge and down Gladstone road, being stopped at the Post. Office. Those in the trap at the time of the accident wore fortunately thrown clear of tho vehicle, and therefore escaped with little more than a shaking. A man nanlcd William Wilkins, employed at Frederic Bensimann's sawmill at Upper Montere, Nelson, caught his hand in the belt on Friday, and was dashed against llio machinery. His ri3ht arm, right leg, and collarbone were broken, and also sustained bruises. Prompt nssistanoo was rendered, the belt was thrown off tho flywheel, and the engine stopped, otherwise Wilkins would have beeu dashed to pieces. A narrow escape from a terrible death was experienced last Tuesday morning by Mr Walter Burgess, of the Eltham (Turnnaki) Sash and Door factory. The Eltham Argus states that the large waterwheel, 24ft in diameter, and weighing about 15 tons, which drives the machinery had been repaired, and was about to be lowered to its bearings. It was resting upon log jacks, one of which was safely removed. Young Burge&s then cased up" the other jack, but the wheel canted over and fell, pinning Mr Burgees down by the head and on top of the jack, which had fallen forward. The alarm was at once raised, and a band of willing workers was quickly on the spot. Such, however, was the weight of the wheel and the awkwardness of the position that it took 14 men one and a half hours' tremendous exertion to rescue yonnj Burgess from his painful and perilous position. When he was got oufc of the tunnel it was seen that his head was terribly bruised, and he had also sustained injuries w the chest, which may prove serious. It was a wonderfully narrow shave, for had the wheel not taken ground somewhere its full weight would have crushed Mr Burgess's head to a pulp. A terrible railway accident occurred at Cudgee, Victoria, recently. An elderly man named James Mackay was driving a buggy over a crossing, when he was run into by a goods train. The buggy was smashed to atoms, and Mackay ami the horses were killed on the spot." Mackay was warned by a pedestrian before he got on to the line, but disregarded tho warning.