PEA-RIFLE TRAGEDY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14596, 4 May 1918, Page 4

PEA-RIFLE TRAGEDY.

DEATH OF MASTER 'ENGLISH. The sad news was received' -with deep regret last evening that the only son of Mr and Mb* Joseph English, Whitaker street, had died from! the effects of the pea-rifle accident that morning, and deep sympathy -will be felt with <the parents. The deceased> James McDerinott English, -was 16 years of age. He had, been wounded below the right eye by a pearifle bullet. An inquest -was opened by the District Corqiter* (Mr W. A. Barton, 6.M.) this morniiig. .' - A. S. Wachsmarin, manager of Dadgety and 00., Ltd., deposed i^hat the accident) took place opposite his residence, 107 Rutene road. : Witness' son-ih-iaw, Mr S: Gdllinghairi-— who was on leave from camp—had arranged witli deceased's father to take him into, the ooxmtry for a day's shooting. A few minutes after 9 a.m. deceased's father drove up with his son, sitting beside, him m the front seat of the car. ' N "When witness was about two paces from the 'car, he heard the report of an explosion of some .sort; fie went- to the car, andi saw that" some^ thing had happened to the boy. Witness said, "Good God, Joe, what's up?" to the father, who replied, "He has shot himself." ''" Witness jumped" info the 1 back of the car and lifted the boy into the .back seat m !his arms, and told deceased's father to drive to the* nearest doctor. Deceased was taken to Dr. Reeve, .who examined him along with Dr.- : Wilson. They decided to reniove the buljet» and ordered the boy's removal to the ..hospital. Witness 'accompanied' him to. the hospital and handed him to the. nurses. . A remarkable thing was that . wheni tihe boy was picked up the rifle was ..in hwo pieces. ..It seemed .to him there was some famlt m the mechanism. The trigger of the rifle /was not touched, and the gun,. had gone off suddenly. , ... Joseph. .English; father o"f the deceased, identified the body. < as that of his son. He deposed that a. party were going out for' a day's shooting. " \ He left Jiis house at,; 8.45 aim. and drove to "Mr Wachsmann's . place on . KaHi, f arriving there I aib*out-9a.mt. Witness was turning the car round m front of the house, with, deceased ".sitting beside him: a ri the front': seat wiih a< r pea-rifle m liis hand. .He said to-. bis, sbn, • "Open, the door for .'sMr Gillinghani." --Witness stopped the, car, and :he -heard the bby sing , out,^ "Oh ! Father!" 'Witness looked at Jiim-and; asked . what . wag wrong, : but deceased made' no answer, and just th'eri:]Vlr Wacihstnawn tNcame oyer. Witness heard a slight yexpilosion,. arid that inadeVhiin ask deceasedl- what iwas ./ At'tKe suggestion of Mr Wachsmann, the lad was taken to Dr. ReeVe, wlio examiried him,.^ and then -called .m :Dr. * Wilsonw The deceaaed was; then: removed. ta ! th# hospital- to -'be /'X-rayed",, to find 'the locMioni of the' bullet.:-.*. He -was, operated l upoaiand^the-ibuHet rempved', but..t.he lad expired • about' 6 ,p. m;4f roin : - th,e effects of the> injury, v Theipea-rifle was 'a»,borrowed.one from a, boy, named Albftecht.' ■Wiitness saw his son enter the- car. with' thej-rifle, but was not aware that. itirwas BoaHed. Hedid ,niot think deceased Was aware it was loaded. Deceased , had had the^rifle m 'his possession for about, three weeks, tout he dould not say whether had -been used.., , , - Sergeant Qlarksohi said everything .indicated .that .it .was an accident. v The^ witness , Gilluigham could 'not' be com- ; jnunicated with.'.. • N ■ : Th"e'^fogistrate: I- do not think -.any furtlier light , would \be thrown .upon the' matter by .that witness: ' '-. .: >. A verdict- was returned . to Hhe • effect that " tlie ' : deceased v died . on » 3. . as the resulfe.' of a.;wound received by. the accidental dischiaj'ge^ of a 'p«v rille. JT3g remarked that it iwas a most unfortunate occurrence, and hexestended sympathy to the deceased's parents.